Physical Function of RA patients Tapering Treatment-A Post Hoc Analysis of the Randomized Controlled RETRO Trial.

Several studies have shown that tapering or stopping disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in sustained remission is feasible. However, tapering/stopping bears the risk of decline in physical function as some patients may relapse and face increased disease activity. Here, we analyzed the impact of tapering or stopping DMARD treatment on the physical function of RA patients. The study was a post hoc analysis of physical functional worsening for 282 patients with RA in sustained remission tapering and stopping DMARD treatment in the prospective randomized RETRO study. HAQ and DAS-28 scores were determined in baseline samples of patients continuing DMARD (arm 1), tapering their dose by 50% (arm 2), or stopping after tapering (arm 3). Patients were followed over 1 year, and HAQ and DAS-28 scores were evaluated every 3 months. The effect of treatment reduction strategy on functional worsening was assessed in a recurrent-event Cox regression model with a study-group (control, taper, and taper/stop) as the predictor. Two-hundred and eighty-two patients were analyzed. In 58 patients, functional worsening was observed. The incidences suggest a higher probability of functional worsening in patients tapering and/or stopping DMARDs, which is likely due to higher relapse rates in these individuals. At the end of the study, however, functional worsening was similar among the groups. Point estimates and survival curves show that the decline in functionality according to HAQ after tapering or discontinuation of DMARDs in RA patients with stable remission is associated with recurrence, but not with an overall functional decline.

New-onset dermatomyositis following SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination: a case-based review.

Dermatomyositis is a rare, type I interferon-driven autoimmune disease, which can affect muscle, skin and internal organs (especially the pulmonary system). In 2021, we have noted an increase in new-onset dermatomyositis compared to the years before the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in our center. We present four cases of new-onset NXP2 and/or MDA5 positive dermatomyositis shortly after SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination. Three cases occurred within days after vaccination with Comirnaty and one case after SARS-CoV-2 infection. All patients required intensive immunosuppressive treatment. MDA5 antibodies could be detected in three patients and NXP2 antibodies were found in two patients (one patient was positive for both antibodies). In this case-based systematic review, we further analyze and discuss the literature on SARS-CoV-2 and associated dermatomyositis. In the literature, sixteen reports (with a total of seventeen patients) of new-onset dermatomyositis in association with a SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination were identified. Ten cases occurred after infection and seven after vaccination. All vaccination-associated cases were seen in mRNA vaccines. The reported antibodies included for instance MDA5, NXP2, Mi-2 and TIF1γ. The reviewed literature and our cases suggest that SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination may be considered as a potential trigger of interferon-pathway. Consequently, this might serve as a stimulus for the production of dermatomyositis-specific autoantibodies like MDA5 and NXP2 which are closely related to viral defense or viral RNA interaction supporting the concept of infection and vaccination associated dermatomyositis.