Health-related quality of life and self-reported health status in adolescents with chronic health conditions before transfer of care to adult health care: an international cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Heath-related quality of life (HRQoL) is lower in adolescents with chronic health conditions compared to healthy peers. While there is evidence of some differences according to the underlying condition and gender, differences by measure and country are poorly understood. In this study we focus on the differences in HRQoL in adolescents with various chronic medical conditions in the year before transfer of care to adult health services. We also study the associations of two different HRQoL measurements to each other and to self-reported health. METHODS: We recruited 538 adolescents from New Children`s Hospital, Helsinki, Finland, and the Royal Children`s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia in 2017-2020. We used two validated HRQoL measurement instruments, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and 16D, and a visual analog scale (VAS) for self-reported health status. RESULTS: In total, 512 adolescents (50.4% female, mean age 17.8 [SD 1.2] years), completed the survey measures. Higher HRQoL was reported in males than females in both countries (PedsQL 79.4 vs. 74.1; 16D 0.888 vs. 0.846), and in adolescents from Finland than Australia (80.6 vs. 72.2 and 0.905 vs. 0.825, p < 0.001 for all). Adolescents with diabetes, rheumatological, nephrological conditions and/or organ transplants had higher HRQoL than adolescents with neurological conditions or other disease syndromes (p < 0.001). PedsQL and 16D scores showed a strong correlation to each other (Spearman correlation coefficient r = 0.81). Using the 7-point VAS (1-7), 52% (248 of 479) considered their health status to be good (6-7) and 10% (48 of 479) rated it poor (1-2). Better self-reported health was associated with higher HRQoL. CONCLUSIONS: The HRQoL of transition aged adolescents varies between genders, diagnostic groups, and countries of residence. The association between self-reported health and HRQoL suggests that brief assessment using the VAS could identify adolescents who may benefit from in-depth HRQoL evaluation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration name The Bridge and registration number NCT04631965 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04631965 ).

Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) and PRO Remission Rates in 12,262 Biologic-Naïve Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis Treated With Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors in Routine Care.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate patient-reported outcomes (PROs) after initiation of tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment in European real-world patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Further, to investigate PRO remission rates across treatment courses, registries, disease duration, sex, and age at disease onset. METHODS: Visual analog scale or numerical rating scale scores for pain, fatigue, patient global assessment (PtGA), and the Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI) from 12,262 patients with PsA initiating a TNFi in 13 registries were pooled. PRO remission rates (pain ≤ 1, fatigue ≤ 2, PtGA ≤ 2, and HAQ-DI ≤ 0.5) were calculated for patients still on the treatment. RESULTS: For the first TNFi, median pain score was reduced by approximately 50%, from 6 to 3, 3, and 2; as were fatigue scores, from 6 to 4, 4, and 3; PtGA scores, from 6 to 3, 3, and 2; and HAQ-DI scores, from 0.9 to 0.5, 0.5, and 0.4 at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. Six-month Lund Efficacy Index (LUNDEX)-adjusted remission rates for pain, fatigue, PtGA, and HAQ-DI scores were 24%, 31%, 36%, and 43% (first TNFi); 14%, 19%, 23%, and 29% (second TNFi); and 9%, 14%, 17%, and 20% (third TNFi), respectively. For biologic-naïve patients with disease duration < 5 years, 6-month LUNDEX-adjusted remission rates for pain, fatigue, PtGA, and HAQ-DI scores were 22%, 28%, 33%, and 42%, respectively. Corresponding rates for patients with disease duration > 10 years were 27%, 32%, 41%, and 43%, respectively. Remission rates were 33%, 40%, 45%, and 56% for men and 17%, 23%, 24%, and 32% for women, respectively. For patients aged < 45 years at diagnosis, 6-month LUNDEX-adjusted remission rate for pain was 29% vs 18% for patients ≥ 45 years. CONCLUSION: In 12,262 biologic-naïve patients with PsA, 6 months of treatment with a TNFi reduced pain by approximately 50%. Marked differences in PRO remission rates across treatment courses, registries, disease duration, sex, and age at onset of disease were observed, emphasizing the potential influence of factors other than disease activity on PROs.

Sex Differences in the Effectiveness of First-Line Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors in Psoriatic Arthritis: Results From the European Spondyloarthritis Research Collaboration Network.

OBJECTIVE: Women with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) may have reduced tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) effectiveness compared to men. We examined sex differences in treatment response and retention rates during 24 months of follow-up among patients with PsA initiating their first TNFi. METHODS: Data from patients with PsA across 13 European Spondyloarthritis Research Collaboration Network registries starting their first TNFi were pooled. Logistic regression was used to analyze the association between sex and treatment response using low disease activity (LDA) according to the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints using the C-reactive protein level (DAS28-CRP) (<3.2) at six months as the primary outcome. Analyses were adjusted for age, country, conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug treatment, and TNFi start year. Retention rates were explored using the Kaplan-Meier estimator. RESULTS: We analyzed the treatment response of 7,679 patients with PsA (50% women) with available data on LDA at six months. At baseline, women and men had similar characteristics, including mean DAS28-CRP (women vs men, 4.4 [SD 1.2] vs 4.2 [SD 1.2]), though patient-reported outcome measures were worse in women. At six months, 64% of women and 78% of men had LDA (relative risk [RR] 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.80-0.84). This difference was similar after adjustment (RR 0.83; 95% CI 0.81-0.85). TNFi retention rates were evaluated in 17,842 patients with PsA. Women had significantly lower retention rates than men at all time points (women 79%, 64%, and 50% vs men 88%, 77%, and 64% at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively). CONCLUSION: Despite comparable disease characteristics at baseline, women with PsA have reduced treatment response and retention rates to their first TNFi, highlighting the need to consider sex differences in PsA research and management.

Impact of TNF inhibitor medication on working ability in axial spondyloarthritis: an observational national registry-based cohort study.

Objective: The aim was to investigate the effect of TNF inhibitor (TNFi) initiation on working ability and health-care resource utilization among axial SpA patients in a real-life setting. Methods: Patients with a clinical diagnosis of non-radiographic (nr-axSpA) or radiographic axial SpA initiating their first TNFi were identified from the National Register for Antirheumatic and Biologic Treatment in Finland. Sickness absences, including sick leave and disability pension, in- and outpatient days and rehabilitation rates, 1 year before and after initiating the medication were retrieved from national registries. Factors affecting result variables were studied using multivariate regression analysis. Results: Overall, 787 patients were identified. Rates of work disability days per year were 55.6 the year before treatment onset and 55.2 the year after, with significant differences between patient subgroups. The rate of sick leave decreased after starting TNFi treatment. However, the rate of disability pension continued to rise. Patients with a diagnosis of nr-axSpA experienced a decrease in overall work disability and, especially, fewer sick leaves. No sex differences were detected. Conclusion: TNFi interrupts the increase in work disabled days evident during the year before its initiation. However, the overall work disability remains high. Treating patients earlier in the nr-axSpA phase, regardless of sex, appears important in maintaining the ability to work.

Exposure to specific tumour necrosis factor inhibitors and risk of demyelinating and inflammatory neuropathy in cohorts of patients with inflammatory arthritis: a collaborative observational study across five Nordic rheumatology registers.

OBJECTIVE: To compare incidences of neuroinflammatory events, including demyelinating disease (DML), inflammatory polyneuropathies (IPN) and multiple sclerosis (MS), in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or spondyloarthritis (SpA; including psoriatic arthritis) starting a tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi), investigating whether monoclonal TNFi antibodies (other TNFis (oTNFis)) confer higher risk than etanercept. METHODS: This is an observational cohort study including patients from the five Nordic countries starting a TNFi in 2001-2020. Time to first neuroinflammatory event was identified through register linkages. We calculated crude incidence rates (cIR) per 1000 person-years and used multivariable-adjusted Cox regression to compare incidences of neuroinflammatory events overall and for DML, IPN and MS with oTNFi versus etanercept. We further examined individual TNFis and indications. RESULTS: 33 883 patients with RA and 28 772 patients with SpA were included, initiating 52 704 and 46 572 treatment courses, respectively. In RA, we observed 135 neuroinflammatory events (65% DML) with cIR of 0.38 with oTNFi and 0.34 with etanercept. The HR of oTNFi versus etanercept was 1.07 (95% CI 0.74 to 1.54) for any neuroinflammatory event, 0.79 (95% CI 0.51 to 1.22) for DML, 2.20 (95% CI 1.05 to 4.63) for IPN and 0.73 (95% CI 0.34 to 1.56) for MS. In SpA, we observed 179 events (78% DML) with cIR of 0.68 with oTNFi and 0.65 with etanercept. The HR for any neuroinflammatory event, DML, IPN and MS was 1.06 (95% CI 0.75 to 1.50), 1.01 (95% CI 0.68 to 1.50), 1.28 (95% CI 0.61 to 2.69) and 0.94 (95% CI0.53 to 1.69), respectively. CONCLUSION: The cIRs of neuroinflammatory events are higher in SpA than in RA, but the choice of specific TNFi does not seem to play an important role in the risk of neuroinflammatory events.

One-Third of European Patients With Axial Spondyloarthritis Reach Pain Remission With Routine Care Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor Treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the distribution of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) initiating a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi), to assess the proportion reaching PRO "remission" across registries and treatment series, and to compare patients registered to fulfill the modified New York (mNY) criteria for ankylosing spondylitis (AS) vs patients with nonradiographic axSpA (nr-axSpA). METHODS: Fifteen European registries contributed PRO scores for pain, fatigue, patient global assessment (PtGA), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI), and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) from 19,498 patients with axSpA. Changes in PROs and PRO remission rates (definitions: ≤ 20 mm for pain, fatigue, PtGA, BASDAI, and BASFI; ≤ 0.5 for HAQ) were calculated at 6, 12, and 24 months of treatment. RESULTS: Heterogeneity in baseline characteristics and outcomes between registries were observed. In pooled data, 6 months after the start of a first TNFi, pain score was reduced by approximately 60% (median at baseline/6/12/24 months: 65/25/20/20 mm) in patients on treatment. Similar patterns were observed for fatigue (68/32/30/25 mm), PtGA (66/29/21/20 mm), BASDAI (58/26/21/19 mm), BASFI (46/20/16/16 mm), and HAQ (0.8/0.4/0.2/0.2). Patients with AS (n = 3281) had a slightly better response than patients with nr-axSpA (n = 993). The Lund Efficacy Index (LUNDEX)-adjusted remission rates at 6 months for pain/fatigue/PtGA/BASDAI/BASFI/HAQ were 39%/30%/38%/34%/35%/48% for the AS cohort and 30%/21%/26%/24%/33%/47% for the nr-axSpA cohort. Better PRO responses were seen with a first TNFi compared to a second and third TNFi. CONCLUSION: Patients with axSpA starting a TNFi achieved high PRO remission rates, most pronounced in those fulfilling the mNY criteria and for the first TNFi.

Predictors of ASDAS-CRP inactive disease in axial spondyloarthritis during treatment with TNF-inhibitors: Data from the EuroSpA collaboration.

OBJECTIVES: In patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) initiating their first tumor necrosis factor alpha-inhibitor (TNFi), we aimed to identify common baseline predictors of Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS-CRP) inactive disease (primary objective) and clinically important improvement (CII) at 6 months, and drug retention at 12-months across 15 European registries. METHODS: Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were collected. Outcomes were investigated per registry and in pooled data using logistic regression analyses on multiply imputed data. RESULTS: The consistency of baseline predictors in individual registries justified pooling the data. In the pooled dataset (n = 21,196), the 6-month rates for ASDAS inactive disease and ASDAS CII were 26% and 51%, and the 12-month drug retention rate 65% in patients with available data (n = 9,845, n = 6,948 and n = 21,196, respectively). Nine common baseline predictors of ASDAS inactive disease, ASDAS CII and 12-month drug retention were identified, and the odds ratios (95%-confidence interval) for ASDAS inactive disease were: age, per year: 0.97 (0.97-0.98), men vs. women: 1.88 (1.60-2.22), current vs. non-smoking: 0.76 (0.63-0.91), HLA-B27 positive vs. negative: 1.51 (1.20-1.91), TNF start year 2015-2018 vs. 2009-2014: 1.24 (1.06-1.45), CRP>10 vs. ≤10 mg/l: 1.49 (1.25-1.77), one unit increase in health assessment questionnaire (HAQ): 0.77 (0.58-1.03), one-millimeter (mm) increase in Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) fatigue and spinal pain: 0.99 (0.99-1.00) and 0.99 (0.99-1.99), respectively CONCLUSION: Common baseline predictors of treatment response and adherence to TNFi could be identified across data from 15 European registries, indicating that they may be universal across different axSpA populations.

The impact of a csDMARD in combination with a TNF inhibitor on drug retention and clinical remission in axial spondyloarthritis.

OBJECTIVES: Many axial spondylarthritis (axSpA) patients receive a conventional synthetic DMARD (csDMARD) in combination with a TNF inhibitor (TNFi). However, the value of this co-therapy remains unclear. The objectives were to describe the characteristics of axSpA patients initiating a first TNFi as monotherapy compared with co-therapy with csDMARD, to compare one-year TNFi retention and remission rates, and to explore the impact of peripheral arthritis. METHODS: Data was collected from 13 European registries. One-year outcomes included TNFi retention and hazard ratios (HR) for discontinuation with 95% CIs. Logistic regression was performed with adjusted odds ratios (OR) of achieving remission (Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS)-CRP < 1.3 and/or BASDAI < 2) and stratified by treatment. Inter-registry heterogeneity was assessed using random-effect meta-analyses, combined results were presented when heterogeneity was not significant. Peripheral arthritis was defined as ≥1 swollen joint at baseline (=TNFi start). RESULTS: Amongst 24 171 axSpA patients, 32% received csDMARD co-therapy (range across countries: 13.5% to 71.2%). The co-therapy group had more baseline peripheral arthritis and higher CRP than the monotherapy group. One-year TNFi-retention rates (95% CI): 79% (78, 79%) for TNFi monotherapy vs 82% (81, 83%) with co-therapy (P < 0.001). Remission was obtained in 20% on monotherapy and 22% on co-therapy (P < 0.001); adjusted OR of 1.16 (1.07, 1.25). Remission rates at 12 months were similar in patients with/without peripheral arthritis. CONCLUSION: This large European study of axial SpA patients showed similar one-year treatment outcomes for TNFi monotherapy and csDMARD co-therapy, although considerable heterogeneity across countries limited the identification of certain subgroups (e.g. peripheral arthritis) that may benefit from co-therapy.

Short-term, intermediate-term and long-term risks of acute coronary syndrome in cohorts of patients with RA starting biologic DMARDs: results from four Nordic countries.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the 1-year, 2-year and 5-year incidences of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) starting any of the biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) currently available in clinical practice and to anchor these results with a general population comparator. METHODS: Observational cohort study, with patients from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden starting a bDMARD during 2008-2017. Time to first ACS was identified through register linkages. We calculated the 1-year, 2-year and 5-year incidence rates (IR) (on drug and ever since treatment start) and used Cox regression (HRs) to compare ACS incidences across treatments taking ACS risk factors into account. Analyses were further performed separately in subgroups defined by age, number of previous bDMARDs and history of cardiovascular disease. We also compared ACS incidences to an individually matched general population cohort. RESULTS: 24 083 patients (75% women, mean age 56 years) contributing 40 850 treatment courses were included. During the maximum (5 years) follow-up (141 257 person-years (pyrs)), 780 ACS events occurred (crude IR 5.5 per 1000 pyrs). Overall, the incidence of ACS in RA was 80% higher than that in the general population. For all bDMARDs and follow-up definitions, HRs were close to 1 (etanercept as reference) with the exception of the 5-year risk window, where signals for abatacept, infliximab and rituximab were noted. CONCLUSION: The rate of ACS among patients with RA initiating bDMARDs remains elevated compared with the general population. As used in routine care, the short-term, intermediate-term and longer-term risks of ACS vary little across individual bDMARDs.

Do patient-reported measures of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis vary between countries? Results from a Nordic collaboration.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether patient-reported outcomes vary across countries and are influenced by cultural/contextual factors. Specifically, we aimed to assess inter-country differences in tender joint count (TJC), pain and patient's global health assessment (PGA), and their impact on disease activity (DAS28-CRP) in RA patients from five Nordic countries. METHODS: We collected data (baseline, 3- and 12-months) from rheumatology registers in the five countries comprising RA patients starting a first ever MTX or a first ever TNF inhibitor (TNFi). In order to assess the role of context (=country), we separately modelled TJC, pain and PGA as functions of objective variables (CRP, swollen joint count, age, sex, calendar period and disease duration) with linear models. Analyses were performed at each time point and for both treatments. We further assessed the impact of inter-country differences on DAS28-CRP. RESULTS: A total of 27 645 RA patients started MTX and 19 733 started a TNFi. Crude inter-country differences at MTX start amounted to up to 4 points (28 points scale) for TJC, 10 and 27 points (0-100 scale) for pain and PGA, respectively. Corresponding numbers at TNFi start were 3 (TJC), 27 (pain) and 24 (PGA) points. All differences were reduced at 3- and 12-months, and attenuated when adjusting for the objective variables. The variation in predicted DAS28-CRP across countries amounted to <0.5 units. CONCLUSIONS: Inter-country differences in TJC, pain and PGA are greater than expected based on differences in objective measures, but have a small clinical impact on DAS28-CRP across countries.

Adalimumab and sulfasalazine in alleviating sacroiliac and aortic inflammation detected in PET/CT in patients with axial spondyloarthritis: PETSPA.

AIM: Inflammatory signals in the sacroiliac (SI) joints and the aorta of patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) were graded by positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging before and after treatment with sulfasalazine (SSZ) or adalimumab (ADA). METHODS: Patients with axSpA, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) ≥ 4, were recruited. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drug-naïve patients started SSZ for 12 weeks, whereas those with prestudy treatment with or contraindication to SSZ commenced ADA for 16 weeks. In addition, those patients in the SSZ group with insufficient response commenced ADA for 16 weeks. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT was performed after inclusion and after treatment with SSZ and ADA. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) was assessed for the aorta and the SI joints, and maximal target-to-blood-pool ratio (TBRmax) only for the aorta. RESULTS: Among five SSZ patients, mean ± SD BASDAI was 4.7 ± 1.6 before and 3.5 ± 1.4 after treatment (p = .101). In 13 ADA patients, the BASDAI decreased from 5.4 ± 1.6 to 2.8 ± 2.2 (p < .001). Among the SSZ patients, SUVmax in SI joints decreased from 2.35 ± 0.55 to 1.51 ± 0.22 (-35.8%, p = .029). Aortic TBRmax decreased from 1.59 ± 0.43 to 1.26 ± 0.26 (-33.2%, p = .087). In the ADA patients, SUVmax in the SI joints was 1.92 ± 0.65 before and 1.88 ± 0.54 after treatment (-1.8%, p = .808) and TBRmax in the aorta 1.50 ± 0.60 before and 1.40 ± 0.26 after treatment (-6.7%, p = .485). CONCLUSIONS: Our small open-label study showed that SSZ may reduce PET-CT-detectable inflammation in the SI joints, with a trend towards a reduction in the aorta.

The occurrence of multiple treatment switches in axial spondyloarthritis. Results from five Nordic rheumatology registries.

OBJECTIVES: In axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), switching between multiple biologic or targeted synthetic (b/ts-) DMARDs might indicate difficult-to-treat disease. We aimed to explore the occurrence of multiple switching in routine care axSpA patients using various definitions, and to identify associated clinical characteristics upon start of first b/tsDMARD (baseline). METHODS: Observational cohort study including patients with axSpA starting a first-ever b/tsDMARD 2009-2018 based on data from five biologic registries (Denmark/Sweden/Finland/Norway/Iceland). Comorbidities and extra-articular manifestations were identified through linkage to national registries. Multi-switching was defined in overlapping categories according to b/tsDMARD treatment history: treatment with ≥3, ≥4 or ≥5 b/tsDMARDs during follow-up. We explored the cumulative incidence of patients becoming multi-switchers with ≥3 b/tsDMARDs stratified by calendar-period (2009-2011, 2012-2013, 2014-2015, 2016-2018). In the subgroup of patients starting a first b/tsDMARD 2009-2015, baseline characteristics associated with multi-switching (within 3 years' follow-up) were explored using multiple logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Among 8398 patients included, 6056 patients (63% male, median age 42 years) started a first b/tsDMARD in 2009-2015, whereof proportions treated with ≥3, ≥4 or ≥5 b/tsDMARDs within 3 years' follow-up were 8%, 3% and 1%, respectively. Calendar-period did not affect the cumulative incidence of multi-switching. Baseline characteristics associated with multi-switching (≥3 b/tsDMARDs) were female gender, shorter disease duration, higher patient global score, comorbidities and having psoriasis but not uveitis. CONCLUSION: In this large Nordic observational cohort of axSpA patients, multiple switching was frequent with no apparent time-trend. Clinical associated factors included gender, but also previous comorbidities and extra-articular manifestations illustrating the ongoing challenge of treating this patient group.

European bio-naïve spondyloarthritis patients initiating TNF inhibitor: time trends in baseline characteristics, treatment retention and response.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate time trends in baseline characteristics and retention, remission and response rates in bio-naïve axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients initiating TNF inhibitor (TNFi) treatment. METHODS: Prospectively collected data on bio-naïve axSpA and PsA patients from routine care in 15 European countries were pooled. Three cohorts were defined according to year of TNFi initiation: A (1999-2008), B (2009-2014) and C (2015-2018). Retention, remission and response rates were assessed at 6, 12 and 24 months. RESULTS: In total, 27 149 axSpA and 17 446 PsA patients were included. Cohort A patients had longer disease duration compared with B and C. In axSpA, cohort A had the largest proportion of male and HLA-B27 positive patients. In PsA, baseline disease activity was highest in cohort A. Retention rates in axSpA/PsA were highest in cohort A and differed only slightly between B and C. For all cohorts, disease activity decreased markedly from 0 to 6 months. In axSpA, disease activity at 24 months was highest in cohort A, where also remission and response rates were lowest. In PsA, remission rates at 6 and 12 months tended to be lowest in cohort A. Response rates were at all time points comparable across cohorts, and less between-cohort disease activity differences were seen at 24 months. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that over the past decades, clinicians have implemented more aggressive treatment strategies in spondyloarthritis. This was illustrated by shorter disease duration at treatment initiation, decreased retention rates and higher remission rates during recent years.

Effectiveness and treatment retention of TNF inhibitors when used as monotherapy versus comedication with csDMARDs in 15 332 patients with psoriatic arthritis. Data from the EuroSpA collaboration.

BACKGROUND: Comedication with conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) during treatment with tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) is extensively used in psoriatic arthritis (PsA), although the additive benefit remains unclear. We aimed to compare treatment outcomes in patients with PsA treated with TNFi and csDMARD comedication versus TNFi monotherapy. METHODS: Patients with PsA from 13 European countries who initiated a first TNFi in 2006-2017 were included. Country-specific comparisons of 1 year TNFi retention were performed by csDMARD comedication status, together with HRs for TNFi discontinuation (comedication vs monotherapy), adjusted for age, sex, calendar year, disease duration and Disease Activity Score with 28 joints (DAS28). Adjusted ORs of clinical remission (based on DAS28) at 12 months were calculated. Between-country heterogeneity was assessed using random-effect meta-analyses, combined results were presented when heterogeneity was not significant. Secondary analyses stratified according to TNFi subtype (adalimumab/infliximab/etanercept) and restricted to methotrexate as comedication were performed. RESULTS: In total, 15 332 patients were included (62% comedication, 38% monotherapy). TNFi retention varied across countries, with significant heterogeneity precluding a combined estimate. Comedication was associated with better remission rates, pooled OR 1.25 (1.12-1.41). Methotrexate comedication was associated with improved remission for adalimumab (OR 1.45 (1.23-1.72)) and infliximab (OR 1.55 (1.21-1.98)) and improved retention for infliximab. No effect of comedication was demonstrated for etanercept. CONCLUSION: This large observational study suggests that, as used in clinical practice, csDMARD and TNFi comedication are associated with improved remission rates, and specifically, comedication with methotrexate increases remission rates for both adalimumab and infliximab.

Patients with psychiatric diagnoses have lower quality of life than other patients with juvenile rheumatic disease: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: Transition of adolescents with chronic diseases from paediatric healthcare to adult care requires attention to maintain optimal treatment results. We examined changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and disease activity among JIA patients with or without concomitant psychiatric diagnoses after transfer to an adult clinic. METHODS: We prospectively followed 106 consecutive patients who were transferred from the New Children's Hospital to the Helsinki University Hospital Rheumatology outpatient clinic between April 2015 and August 2019 and who had at least one follow-up visit. HRQoL was measured using 15D, a generic instrument. RESULTS: The patients' median age at transfer was 16 years and disease duration 4.0 years. Patients were followed for a median of 1.8 years. Disease activity and overall HRQoL remained stable, but distress (dimension 13 of 15D) increased during follow up (P=0.03). At baseline, patients with at least one psychiatric diagnosis had lower overall 15D scores [mean 0.89 (s.d. 0.14) vs 0.95 (s.d. 0.05), P <0.01] and higher disease activity [DAS28mean 1.88 (s.d. 0.66) vs 1.61 (s.d. 0.31), P = 0.01] than patients without psychiatric diagnoses. The difference in overall 15D persisted over the study period. CONCLUSION: Transition-phase JIA patients with psychiatric diagnoses had lower HRQoL than other JIA patients. Despite reduced disease activity and pain, HRQoL of patients with psychiatric diagnoses remained suboptimal at the end of follow-up. Our results highlight the necessity of comprehensive care and support for transition-phase JIA patients.

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor- and chemotherapy-induced large-vessel vasculitis: six patient cases and a systematic literature review.

OBJECTIVE: Patients receiving chemotherapy are prone to neutropoenic infections, presenting with non-specific symptoms such as a high fever and elevated inflammatory parameters. Large-vessel vasculitis (LVV) may have a similar clinical presentation and should be included in differential diagnostics. A few published case reports and adverse event reports suggest a causal association between LVV and the use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and chemotherapy. Our objective was to evaluate the relationship between LVV, G-CSF and chemotherapy. METHODS: Between 2016 and 2018, we identified six patients in Finland with probable drug-induced LVV associated with G-CSF and chemotherapy. All six patients had breast cancer. A systematic literature review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines using comprehensive search terms for cancer, chemotherapy, G-CSF and LVV. RESULTS: The literature search identified 18 similar published case reports, of which most were published after 2014. In all patients combined (n = 24), the time delay from the last drug administration to the LVV symptoms was on average 5 days with G-CSF (range = 1-8 days) and 9 days with chemotherapy (range = 1-21 days). Common symptoms were fever (88%), neck pain (50%) and chest pain (42%). Based on imaging, 17/24 (71%) had vascular inflammation in the thoracic aorta and supra-aortic vessels, but 5/24 (21%) reportedly had inflammation limited to the carotid area. CONCLUSION: This review suggests that LVV may be a possible serious adverse event associated with G-CSF and chemotherapy. Successful management of drug-induced LVV requires early identification, through diagnostic imaging, and discontinuation of the drug.

Cost-effectiveness of abatacept, tocilizumab and TNF-inhibitors compared with rituximab as second-line biologic drug in rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of abatacept, tocilizumab, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors as compared with rituximab in Finnish rheumatoid arthritis patients, who have previously been treated with TNF inhibitors. METHODS: A patient-level simulation model was developed to predict costs and outcomes associated with four biological drugs (abatacept, tocilizumab, rituximab and TNF inhibitors) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Following lack of efficacy or adverse events, the patients were switched to another biological drug until all four options were exhausted. After that, the patients were assumed to receive a 6th line treatment until death. The patients' baseline characteristics and regression models used in the simulation were based on observational data from the National Register for Biological Treatments in Finland. Direct costs comprised drug costs, administration costs, costs of switching, and outpatient and inpatient care, while indirect costs included disability pension and sick leaves due to rheumatoid arthritis. Several subgroup and deterministic sensitivity analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Drug costs were the lowest for rituximab, but when administration costs and costs of switching were included, drug costs were the lowest for TNF inhibitors. Abatacept was associated with the highest drug costs, whereas rituximab was associated with the highest healthcare costs. In total, TNF inhibitors had the lowest direct costs, while rituximab had the highest direct costs. The amount of quality-adjusted life years (QALY) gained ranged from 9.405 for rituximab to 9.661 for TNF inhibitors. TNF inhibitors, abatacept, and tocilizumab were dominant in comparison to RTX. CONCLUSIONS: TNF inhibitors, abatacept, and tocilizumab had lower costs and higher QALYs than rituximab, and therefore, they were dominant in comparison to rituximab. As TNF inhibitors had the lowest costs and highest QALYs, they were the most cost-effective treatment option.

Acceptable quality of life and low disease activity achievable among transition phase patients with rheumatic disease.

OBJECTIVES: Across diagnosis groups, transition of adolescents and young adults from children's hospitals to adult care associates with decreased treatment adherence and suboptimal treatment results. Our aim was to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and disease activity of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients after the transfer of care to the adult clinic and adult patients in the same outpatient clinic. METHODS: All consecutive JIA patients aged 16 to 20 years who visited the transition clinic between September 2016 and August 2017 and all consecutive adult onset arthritis patients between December 2016 and August 2017 in the rheumatology outpatient clinic of Helsinki University Hospital were evaluated. HRQoL was measured by a generic instrument, 15D. RESULTS: A total of 291 patients, 130 JIA, and 161 adults were identified with respective median disease durations of 6.5 and 4.0 years. Adults had lower HRQoL measured by 15D (median 0.90 vs. 0.96, P < 0.001) and higher Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) than JIA patients (median 2.4 vs. 1.6, P < 0.001). Adults smoked more frequently than JIA patients (22% vs. 7%, P < 0.001). In multiple regression, female gender, smoking, disease activity, and obesity were associated with poorer HRQoL. Smoking adults had more active disease (DAS28 median 3.1 vs. 2.1, P = 0.031) and lower HRQoL (15D median 0.86 vs. 0.93, P < 0.001) than non-smoking adults. CONCLUSIONS: Transition phase JIA patients had acceptable HRQoL and lower disease activity than patients with adult onset rheumatic diseases with similar disease duration. Smoking was associated with more active disease and lower HRQoL.