AB0212 FLARE RISK AFTER DISCONTINUING LONG-TERM METHOTREXATE TREATMENT IN PATIENTS HAVING RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS WITH LOW DISEASE ACTIVITY

Background:

Several recent studies have reported that MTX could be discontinued in patients with low disease activity who are taking biologic DMARDs or tofacitinib. However, there are limited studies on whether MTX could be discontinued in patients with low disease activity who have taken MTX for a long term.

Objectives:

We investigated the disease flare rate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who achieved low disease activity following long-term methotrexate (MTX) treatment and the factors related to flare.

Methods:

This retrospective longitudinal cohort study included patients with RA and low disease activity who were exposed to MTX for >10 years. Disease flare was defined as an increase in DAS28 of >1.2 within 6 months of discontinuation of MTX. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with flare.

Results:

In total, 97 patients with RA were included in the study. The mean baseline DAS28 was 1.96 ± 0.56. The median cumulative MTX dose was 11.7g; the median duration of exposure to MTX was 19 years. Following MTX discontinuation, flare occurred in 43 (44.3%) patients; the mean time to flare was 98 ± 37.7 days. According to univariable logistic regression analysis, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) at discontinuation, the average ESR in the 6 months before discontinuation of MTX, a weekly dose of MTX before discontinuation, and use of other conventional synthetic DMARDs were associated with a higher risk of disease flare. In multivariable analysis, a weekly dose of MTX before discontinuation (OR, 1.014; 95% CI, 1.014–1.342; p = 0.031) was significantly associated with flare risk.

Conclusion:

Among patients with RA who achieved low disease activity with long-term treatment with MTX, more than half of the patients remained flare free after MTX discontinuation. A higher MTX dose before discontinuation was associated with a high flare risk.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

FRI0118 RISK OF LIVER FIBROSIS ON TRANSIENT ELASTOGRAPHY IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATIC DISEASE UNDER LONG-TERM METHOTREXATE TREATMENT

Background:

Methotrexate (MTX) is a cornerstone drug for the treatment of rheumatic disease and low doses of MTX are both tolerable and safe, with monitored toxicity, assessed via the liver function test. However, there is still controversy regarding the risk of liver fibrosis with long-term use of MTX. Transient elastography is commonly used to assess and monitor fibrosis progression in patients with chronic liver disease.

Objectives:

The present study aims to investigate liver fibrosis using transient elastography and related factors in patients with rheumatic disease receiving long-term MTX.

Methods:

The present retrospective, longitudinal, cross-sectional study included patients with an autoimmune disease who are taking cumulative MTX dosed over 7 g, and who had liver fibrosis upon examination using transient elastography. Liver fibrosis was defined as liver stiffness, valued over 7.2 kPa. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with liver fibrosis, and receiver operating characteristics analysis was used to determine the predictive value of each factor.

Results:

We included 83 patients with autoimmune disease, with a median MTX cumulative dose of 11.6 (range 7.3-16.0) g. Sixty-eight patients (81.9%) had rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and 13 patients (15.7%) had Takayasu arteritis. The median MTX exposure duration was 18 (range 9-31) years. The median liver stiffness value was 4 (range 1.8-10.2) kPa. Five patients (6%) showed liver fibrosis (3 patients; RA, 2 patients; Takayasu arteritis). In the linear regression analysis, cumulative MTX dose showed a tendency towards a positive correlation with increasing liver stiffness value (r2 =0.039, p = 0.074). In the logistic regression analysis, cumulative MTX dose was associated with a higher risk of liver fibrosis (OR: 1.734, 95% CI: 1.060–2.837, p = 0.029). In addition, cumulative MTX dose had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.813 (95% CI 0.695-0.930) and a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 71.8% at a cut-off value of 12.7 g.

Conclusion:

Liver fibrosis was observed in 6% of patients with long-term MTX use and higher cumulative MTX doses increased the risk of liver fibrosis. Thus, transient elastography should be considered in patients exposed to high cumulative doses of MTX.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

SAT0160 EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF UPADACITINIB IN PATIENTS FROM CHINA, BRAZIL, AND SOUTH KOREA WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS WHO HAVE HAD INADEQUATE RESPONSE TO CONVENTIONAL SYNTHETIC DISEASE-MODIFYING ANTIRHEUMATIC DRUGS

Background:

Upadacitinib (UPA), an oral, selective JAK-1 inhibitor was effective in global ph 3 trials in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with inadequate response (IR)/intolerance to csDMARDs and bDMARDs.

Objectives:

This Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo (PBO)-controlled study assessed the efficacy and safety of UPA in combination with csDMARDs in csDMARD-IR patients with RA from China, Brazil, and South Korea.

Methods:

Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive UPA 15 mg once daily (QD) or PBO in combination with csDMARDs. The primary endpoint was ACR20 response at Week 12, using non-responder imputation.

Results:

338 patients were randomized, and 310 (91.7%) completed Week 12. At Week 12, statistically significantly more patients receiving UPA vs PBO achieved the primary endpoint of ACR20 (71.6% vs 31.4%, p<0.001). UPA also demonstrated statistically significant improvements in all ranked secondary endpoints vs PBO at Week 12 (Table 1), including mean change in DAS28(CRP), HAQ-DI, and SF-36 PCS, and patients achieving DAS28(CRP) ≤3.2, DAS28(CRP) <2.6, and CDAI ≤10. Greater responses were also seen with UPA vs PBO for other key secondary endpoints including ACR50 and ACR70. Onset of UPA action was rapid with more patients on UPA achieving ACR20 by Week 1 (25.4% vs 5.9%, p<0.001). The frequency of AEs (61.5% vs 49.1%) and serious AEs (7.1% vs 3.0%) was higher with UPA vs PBO. The frequency of AEs of special interest was generally similar between UPA and PBO, with the exception of herpes zoster (1.8% vs 0.6%), hepatic disorders (9.5% vs 7.1%), neutropenia (3.0% vs 0%), and elevated creatine phosphokinase (1.8% vs 0.6%), which were higher with UPA. One case of breast cancer (on Day 1 of study) and one VTE (pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis in a patient with history of deep vein thrombosis) were reported with UPA treatment.

Table 1.

Efficacy endpoints at Week 12

EndpointaUPA 15 mg QD (n=169)PBO(n=169)Primary endpointACR20, %71.6***31.4Secondary endpointsΔ DAS28(CRP)-2.56***-0.95Δ HAQ-DI-0.62***-0.18Δ SF-36 PCS8.93c***3.36dDAS28(CRP) ≤3.2, %46.2***13.6DAS28(CRP) <2.6, %29.6***5.3CDAI ≤10, %35.5***11.2ACR50, %b40.8***8.3ACR70, %b21.3***3.6ACR20 at Week 1, %b25.4***5.9

***p<0.001 vs PBO

aNRI for binary endpoints; ANCOVA with multiple imputation for DAS28(CRP) and HAQ-DI; mixed model repeated measures for other continuous endpoints

bUnranked secondary endpoint.cn=143.dn=149

Conclusion:

Efficacy of UPA was demonstrated in this csDMARD-IR population from China, Brazil, and South Korea. The safety of UPA was comparable with the global Phase 3 program.

Disclosure of Interests: :

Xiaofeng Zeng Consultant of: MSD Pharmaceuticals, Dongbao Zhao: None declared, Sebastiao Radominski: None declared, MAURO KEISERMAN Speakers bureau: Pfizer, Abbott, Actelion, AstraZeneca, Amgen, Roche, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Janssen and has received clinical trial honoraria from Pfizer, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Anthera Pharmaceuticals, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Biogen Idec Inc, Celltrion Inc., Eli Lilly, Human Genome Sciences, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi, UCB Inc., Chang-Keun Lee: None declared, Sebastian Meerwein Shareholder of: AbbVie Inc., Employee of: AbbVie Inc., Jeffrey Enejosa Shareholder of: AbbVie Inc., Employee of: AbbVie Inc., Yunxia Sui Shareholder of: AbbVie Inc., Employee of: AbbVie Inc., Mohamed-Eslam Mohamed Shareholder of: AbbVie Inc., Employee of: AbbVie Inc., Won Park: None declared

THU0210 EARLY DISCONTINUATION OF TOFACITINIB IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS CO-TREATED WITH RIFAMPIN FOR LATENT TUBERCULOSIS: RESULTS FROM THE REAL-WORLD DATA

Background:

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients need to undergo screening and receive treatment for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) before starting tofacitinib, which is primarily metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4. Among chemoprophylactic agents, rifampin is known to be a potent CYP3A4 inducer; therefore, it is expected to decrease the efficacy of tofacitinib. However, tofacitinib and rifampin have been co-administered practically because of the short duration of chemoprophylaxis.

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of tofacitinib on co-administration with rifampin.

Methods:

Biologic-naïve RA patients treated with tofacitinib were selected, and electronic medical reports were reviewed retrospectively. All patients underwent screening for LTBI before starting tofacitinib, and patients with positive results were treated to prevent progression to active tuberculosis. To evaluate the efficacy of tofacitinib with or without rifampin, the discontinuation rates of tofacitinib were examined during the first 6 months. Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to construct cumulative discontinuation curves, and comparisons were performed using the log-rank test.

Results:

Among 81 patients who started tofacitinib, 21 (25.9%) were LTBI-positive and 18 (22.2%) were administered rifampin concomitantly with tofacitinib. The median follow-up time was 6 months in both patients who received rifampin (interquartile range [IQR] 2.21, 6.00) and those who did not receive rifampin (IQR 5.97, 6.00) (p = 0.083). There were no significant differences between patients who received rifampin and those who did not receive rifampin in all baseline characteristics, except the swollen joint count (3.00 [1.75, 5.25] vs. 5.00 [4.00, 7.00]; p = 0.025), at the time of starting tofacitinib. In patients who received rifampin at the time of starting tofacitinib, the mean duration of co-administration was 47.00 ± 23.54 days (median 56; IQR 28.75, 59.00). During follow-up, 14 of the 81 patients (17.3%) discontinued tofacitinib. As shown in the Figures 1 and 2, the discontinuation rate of tofacitinib within the first 6 months was significantly higher among patients who received rifampin for LTBI than among those who did not receive rifampin (lack of efficacy: 24.7% vs. 5.1%, p = 0.008; all causes: 38.9% vs. 11.2%, p = 0.002). Seven patients discontinued tofacitinib because of uncontrolled RA activity, and rifampin had been administered concomitantly in four of these seven patients. Of the four patients, three stopped taking tofacitinib in the middle of LTBI treatment, and the DAS28-ESR scores of these patients were higher at discontinuation than at baseline.

Conclusion:

Discontinuation rates were higher in RA patients who started tofacitinib during chemoprophylaxis involving rifampin than in those who did not receive rifampin. Physicians should be aware that the efficacy of tofacitinib could be decreased by the chemoprophylactic regimen for tuberculosis.

Disclosure of Interests:None declared

FRI0485 RISK OF PROGRESSION OF IDIOPATHIC PULMONARY FIBROSIS TO CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASE

Background:

Connective tissue disease (CTD) may be observed during the course of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, clinical factors associated with the development of CTD in patients with IPF have not yet been identified. These factors might be valuable clues for determining the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis in patients with CTD. We hypothesize that some IPF patients have a clinically significant association with autoimmunity, and that autoantibodies are important biomarkers for identifying these patients.

Objectives:

Based on this hypothesis, we investigated whether the serology criteria (anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) or autoantibodies that met the serology criteria for interstitial pneumonitis with autoimmune features (IPAF)) were associated with the development of CTD during the clinical course of IPF in the patients from our previous study(1), with a particular focus on which antibodies have a significant association with the development of CTD.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed the records of 527 patients with a first diagnosis of IPF between January 2007 and March 2014, and investigated the length of time from first visit to the clinic for IPF diagnosis (baseline) to CTD diagnosis by an expert rheumatologist in patients with IPF. Multivariable Cox proportional-hazards models with backward elimination were used to investigate the risk factors for the development of CTD.

Results:

CTD developed in 15 patients at a median of 2.1 years (range 1.2 to 4.8) after IPF diagnosis. All these patients had ANCA or autoantibodies that met the serology criteria for IPAF. A significant number of IPF patients with high titers of RF, ACPA or MPO-ANCA tested at first visit to the clinic progressed to CTD(Figure 1). Survival duration for IPF patients with progression to CTD was 5.3 [3.8; 6.7] years, which was significantly longer than for the IPF patients without progression to CTD (2.9 [1.7; 4.8], p = 0.001). Independent risk factors for development of CTD in IPF patients included female gender (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 5.319, p = 0.0082), titer of rheumatoid factor (RF) (adjusted HR 1.006, p = 0.022), titer of anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) (adjusted HR 1.009, p = 0.0011), and titer of myeloperoxidase (MPO) ANCA (adjusted HR 1.02, p < 0.0001).

Figure 1.

Connective tissue disease development in each autoantibody positive IPF patient. ACPA = anti–citrullinated protein antibody; ANA = antinuclear antibody; CTD = connective tissue disease; MPA = microscopic polyangiitis; PAN = polyarteritis nodosa; RA = rheumatoid arthritis; RF = rheumatoid factor; UCTD = Undifferentiated connective tissue disease; SjS = Sjögren’s syndrome.

Conclusion:

We observed development of CTD in IPF patients with ANCA or autoantibodies that met the IPAF serology criteria. Among these autoantibodies, RF, ACPA, and MPO-ANCA were significantly associated with the development of CTD in IPF patients. Progression to CTD is uncommon in IPF patients, but a significant number of IPF patients with high titers of RF, ACPA or MPO-ANCA progressed to connective tissue disease. IPF with high titers of RF, ACPA or MPO-ANCA might be the initial clinical manifestation of connective tissue disease. Further studies are needed to investigate the role of RF, ACPA, and MPO-ANCA in development of pulmonary fibrosis.

References:

[1]Ghang B, Lee J, Chan Kwon O, Ahn SM, Oh JS, Hong S, et al. Clinical significance of autoantibody positivity in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Respir Med. 2019;155:43-8.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

SAT0009 ROLE OF EC-18 IN AUTOIMMUNE ARTHRITIS AND INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE IN CURDLAN-ADMINISTERED SKG MICE

Background:

Although the mortality of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), for which interstitial lung disease (ILD) is one of the major contributors, has still not decreased, new target therapies for RA have shown good response in peripheral arthritis. EC-18 (acetylated diacylglycerol 1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl-3-acetyl-rac-glycerol) is a mono-acetyl-diglyceride that has been isolated from the antlers of sika deer and can be chemically synthesized from glycerol, palmitic acid, and linoleic acid. Research using LPS-induced acute lung injury murine model has reported that EC-18 stimulates a more rapid resolution of LPS-induced lung Inflammation. In addition, it has been reported that in a murine model of collagen-induced arthritis, EC-18 treatment ameliorated arthritis, with down-regulation of IL-6 level by regulating the activity of STAT3 in the synovium. Curdlan-administered SKG mice develop ILD spontaneously followed by peripheral arthritis, which resembles RA-ILD.

Objectives:

We evaluated the modulatory effect of the EC-18 on arthritis and ILD in autoimmune arthritis animal model.

Methods:

Male SKG mice were obtained from Dr. S. Sakaguchi. We injected curdlan (3 mg/mice) in 8-week-old SKG mice and identified the presence of ILD by histological analysis at 20 weeks post-injection. Arthritis score was measured every week for up to 20 weeks. EC-18 (250 mg/kg body weight/day, Enzychem Lifesciences Co., Daejeon, Korea) was administered every day orally. At 20 weeks post-injection, lung sections were stained with H&E and Masson’s trichrome. Using the Opal method, multiplexed immunofluorescent staining of lung tissue was performed. According to the scale by Ashcroft et al., fibrosis severity of lung sections was assessed by a system of eight grades. Analysis of serum cytokines by the luminex multiplex cytokine assay was performed at 20 weeks post-injection.

Results:

Oral administration of EC-18 decreased arthritis score significantly until 8 weeks post-injection and remained unchanged thereafter. At 20 weeks post-injection, histological analysis showed severe pulmonary destruction, including bronchial alveolar tissue damage and massive leukocyte infiltration, and fibrosis in the curdlan-administered mice, which was attenuated in EC-18 treated mice. In particular, 67% of curdlan-administered mice showed ILD-like phenotype, whereas the incidence rate in EC-18-treated mice was 17%. Furthermore, immunofluorescent-staining showed both IL-17A and neutrophil accumulation in lung in curdlan-administered mice; these were decreased in EC-18-treated mice. Interestingly, at 20weeks post-injection, EC-18 treatment down-regulated serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α and up-regulated sIL-7Rα (anti-fibrotic molecule).

Conclusion:

Taken together, EC-18 exerts an anti-arthritic effect in early phase, but a long-term effect was not indicated. We emphasize the effect on ILD prevention of EC-18 via up-regulation of sIL-7Rα and inhibition of neutrophil accumulation, suggesting a therapeutic agent potentially for RA-ILD.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

OP0023 PREDICTION OF REMISSION FOR EACH BIOLOGICS BASED ON PATIENT’S CLINICAL INFORMATION BEFORE STARTING BIOLOGICS USING EXPLAINABLE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: DATA FROM THE KOREAN COLLEGE OF RHEUMATOLOGY BIOLOGICS REGISTRY

Background:

Many studies have identified predictive factors of response to biologics in patients wirh rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, there is still a lack in using them in daily clinical practice. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a method that can assist the physician in selecting effective biologics.

Objectives:

The purpose of this study is to establish machine learning model that predicts remission in patients treated with biologics using data of RA patients from the Korean College of Rheumatology Biologics (KOBIO) registry, and to identify the important features that have the most influence on the response to biologics using explainable artificial intelligence (AI).

Methods:

A total of 1,527 patients who started with biologics such as etanercept, adalimumab, golimumab, infliximab, abatacept, and tocilizumab from December 2012 to June 2019 were enrolled. Remission was predicted using 46 variables corresponding to baseline profiles at the starting of each biologics. We used five machine learning methods such as lasso, ridge, SVM, random forest, and XGBoost. For explainability of those models, we used Shapley plot to interpret the feature importance for each biologics.

Results:

In all machine learning methods, the accuracy and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) were 57.2%~74.5%, 0.547~0.747, respectively (Table 1). The accuracy and AUROC of each biologics were similar between machine learning methods. Figure 2 showed interpretation of feature importance with the Shapley plot for remission. The most important feature was age in adalimumab (younger were closer to remission), daily corticosteroid dose in etanercept, golimumab, and all TNF inhibitors (using fewer doses daily were closer to remission), baseline erythrocyte sedimentation rate in infliximab (lower ESR were closer to remission), disease duration in abatacept (longer disease durations showed difficulty determining remission), baseline c-reactive protein in tocilizumab (higher CRP were closer to remission).

Table.

Predicting remission for all biologics in various machine learning method.

MeasureLassoRidgeSVMRandom ForestXGBoostNo info rateSampleAbataceptAccuracy74.1%74.1%70.6%71.8%68.8%70.6%216AUROC0.7250.7420.7070.6770.6470.500AdalimumabAccuracy73.6%72.0%70.4%72.0%70.4%68.8%315AUROC0.7100.7290.7000.6750.6630.500EtanerceptAccuracy72.0%72.0%70.0%71.5%70.0%68.0%250AUROC0.7410.7470.7260.7190.7040.500GolimumabAccuracy71.3%68.5%66.7%68.5%68.5%68.5%138AUROC0.7460.7270.7010.6900.6550.500InfliximabAccuracy72.8%73.5%67.6%73.5%69.1%72.5%172AUROC0.6630.6830.6160.5970.5270.500TNF inhibitorsAccuracy73.9%74.5%73.9%74.2%73.6%70.3%875AUROC0.7390.7410.7260.7470.7240.500TocilizumabAccuracy62.4%63.6%62.4%59.5%57.2%59.5%436AUROC0.6330.6400.6330.6150.5470.500Figure 2.

Shapley plots and SHAP values for the feature importance from clinical information in patients with RA.

Conclusion:

We developed machine learning models for predicting remission as a response to each biologics in active RA patients based on their clinical profiles, and found important clinical features using explainable AI. This approach may support clinical decisions to improve treatment outcomes in patients with RA.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

AB1018 TREATMENT RESPONSE OF HYDRONEPHROSIS ASSOCIATED WITH IDIOPATHIC RETROPERITONEAL FIBROSIS, FOCUSING ON RATIO OF IgG4/IgG3 SERUM CONCENTRATION

Background:

Hydronephrosis, a common complication of idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis (iRPF), may lead to poor renal outcomes unless it is resolved. Pathological confirmation can help to identify the aetiology of the disease and determine the treatment strategy. But, in most cases, it is difficult to obtain sufficient tissue due to the location of fibrosis. In a recent study, parts of iRPF are correlated with IgG4-related disease characterised by elevated serum IgG4 levels (>135 mg/dL). Normal serum IgG3 level (21–176 mg/dL) has been known to be higher than normal serum IgG4 level (4–86 mg/dL). The reverse IgG4/IgG3 ratio has been suggested to be an IgG4-related disease component that distinguishes it from primary sclerosing cholangitis [1]. However, the ratio of IgG3 and IgG4 may be reversed in iRPF patients with hydronephrosis.

Objectives:

We aimed to investigate the ratio of IgG subclasses as a predictive factor associated with treatment response of hydronephrosis in patients with iRPF.

Methods:

We retrospectively recruited 19 iRPF patients with hydronephrosis who evaluated serum IgG subclasses in a tertiary hospital between 2004 and 2019. Hydronephrosis was evaluated on the basis of imaging findings. Medications and clinical and laboratory findings, including IgG subclasses, were reviewed following the diagnosis of hydronephrosis. Hydronephrosis improvement on subsequent images was evaluated to assess treatment response. Categorised data were compared using chi-square or Fisher’s exact test. Continuous variables were compared using Mann–Whitney U test.

Results:

At baseline, median serum IgG3 and IgG4 levels were 64 (IQR 37–82) mg/dL and 71 (IQR 40–171) mg/dL. Five patients had serum IgG4 levels > 135 mg/dL and 11 patients had the reverse serum level of IgG4/IgG3. On subsequent images (median follow-up at 3.2 [IQR 1.7–4.0] months), 11 patients showed hydronephrosis improvement. The proportions of positive ratio of serum IgG4/IgG3 (81.8% vs. 25%, p = 0.024), periaortic involvement (81.8% vs. 25%, p = 0.024) and high-dose glucocorticoid treatment (45.5% vs. 0%, p = 0.045) were significantly higher in patients with improvement than in those without improvement (Table 1). Interestingly, even in cases with normal serum IgG4 levels, patients with improvement showed a higher serum IgG4/IgG3 ratio than in those without improvement (median 1.5 vs. 0.7, p = 0.038).

Table 1.

Clinical characteristics and treatment according to the shortterm outcome of hydronephrosis

Improvement(n = 11)No improvement(n = 8)p-valueTime to subsequent imaging (months)a2.2 (1.3–4.2)3.2 (2.0–3.8)0.778Males (n, %)8 (72.7%)7 (87.5%)0.603Periaortic involvement (n, %)9 (81.8%)2 (25%)0.024Impaired renal function (n, %)b5 (45.5%)2 (25%)0.633Serum IgG4 (mg/dL)a114 (59–172)43 (35–109)0.152Elevated serum IgG4 (n, %)4 (36.4%)1 (12.5%)0.338Serum IgG4/IgG3 ratioa2.1 (1.2–4.9)0.8 (0.4–1.0)0.041Positive ratio of serum IgG4/IgG3 (n, %)9 (81.8%)2 (25%)0.024Medical treatment (n, %)7 (63.6%)1 (12.5%)0.059High-dose glucocorticoid treatment (n, %)5 (45.5%)0 (0%)0.045Surgical intervention (n, %)8 (72.7%)4 (50%)0.377

aValues are median and interquartile range (25th–75thpercentile)

bDefined as serum creatinine level > 1.24 mg/dL

Conclusion:

The reverse ratio of serum IgG4/IgG3 was associated with hydronephrosis treatment response, thus suggesting favourable responses to high-dose corticosteroid.

References:

[1]Boonstra K, Culver EL, de Buy Wenniger LM, et al. Serum immunoglobulin G4 and immunoglobulin G1 for distinguishing immunoglobulin G4-associated cholangitis from primary sclerosing cholangitis. Hepatology 2014;59:1954-63.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

FRI0088 CHANGE IN SERUM BILIRUBIN SUGGESTS TREATMENT RESPONSE IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PATIENTS TREATED WITH MOLECULAR-TARGETED AGENTS

Background:

Bilirubin is an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. In previous reports, serum bilirubin levels were correlated with disease activity of autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Various molecular-targeted agents have been developed for RA, and targets, such as IL-6 and TNFα, are associated with liver function. However, the association between serum bilirubin and treatment response in RA patients treated with molecular-targeted agents is still unknown.

Objectives:

We aimed to evaluate the role of serum bilirubin in the prediction of the early treatment response in RA patients who initiated molecular-targeted agents.

Methods:

We retrospectively recruited biologic naïve RA patients (n=292) with moderate-to-high disease activity from a tertiary hospital between Jan 2013 and Dec 2019. Patients with viral hepatitis, drug-induced hepatitis, or alcoholic liver disease were excluded. Molecular-targeted agents included tocilizumab (TCZ, n=40), adalimumab (ADA, n=59), etanercept (ETN, n=66), golimumab (GOL, n=60), abatacept (ABA, n=31), and tofacitinib (TOF, n=36). Clinical and laboratory data were collected from electronic medical records. Patients were categorised into an increased bilirubin group (higher serum bilirubin at 3 months than at baseline) and decreased bilirubin group (equal or lower serum bilirubin at 3 months than at baseline). At 6 months of treatment, good response (defined as a DAS28 score ≤3.2) was evaluated. Multivariate logistic regression analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used to evaluate the association between serum bilirubin and treatment response. The variables included in the multiple logistic and linear regression analyses were age, female sex, rheumatoid factor, prednisolone, DMARDs, baseline liver enzymes, baseline DAS28 score, and components.

Results:

The mean serum bilirubin level at baseline was 4.7±1.8 mg/L. After 6 months of treatment, 180 (61.6%) patients achieved good responses. The mean serum bilirubin levels at 3 and 6 months were 5.3±2.3 and 5.5±2.2 mg/L, respectively. At 6 months, a good response was more frequent in the increased bilirubin group than in the decreased bilirubin group (71.2% [99/139] vs. 52.9% [81/153], p=0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the ORs among good responders at 6 months were 1.221 (95% CI 1.014–1.471, p=0.036) for baseline serum bilirubin and 1.377 (95% CI 1.146–1.654, p=0.001) for the change in serum bilirubin at 3 months. According to target agents, the mean changes in serum bilirubin from baseline to 6 months were 1.9±2.5 for TCZ, 1.0±1.5 for ADA, 0.7±1.9 for ETN, 0.6±2.2 for GOL, 0.3±1.2 for ABA, and 0.4±2.2 for TOF (Figure 1). Among the target agents, TCZ showed a significant increase in the mean serum bilirubin level at 3 and 6 months from baseline. In multiple linear regression analysis performed on TCZ, the change in bilirubin at 3 months was associated with the DAS28 score at 6 months (β=−0.349, p=0.020).

Figure 1.

Change in serum bilirubin during treatment with molecular-targeted agents in rheumatoid arthritis patients

Conclusion:

High baseline serum bilirubin and an increase in serum bilirubin during treatment are helpful to predict a good response to molecular-targeted agents, especially TCZ.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

FRI0248 PROGNOSTIC FACTORS FOR STEROID-FREE REMISSION IN PATIENTS WITH IDIOPATHIC INFLAMMATORY MYOPATHIES: IMPORTANCE OF ANTHROPOMETRIC MEASUREMENTS

Background:

Several studies have been conducted on factors associated with mortality in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM), but few studies have assessed prognostic factors for steroid-free remission in IIM.

Objectives:

We investigated the various clinical factors, including body measurements, that affect IIM treatment outcomes.

Methods:

Patients who were newly diagnosed with IIM between 2000 and 2018 were included. Steroid-free remission was defined as at least three months of normalisation of muscle enzymes and no detectable clinical disease activity. The factors associated with steroid-free remission were evaluated by a Cox regression analysis.

Results:

Of the 106 IIM patients, 35 displayed steroid-free remission during follow-up periods. In the multivariable Cox regression analyses, immunosuppressants’ early use within one month after diagnosis [hazard ratio (HR) 6.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.61–14.74, p < 0.001] and sex-specific height quartiles (second and third quartiles versus first quartile, HR 3.65, 95% CI 1.40–9.51, p = 0.008 and HR 2.88, 95% CI 1.13–7.32, p = 0.027, respectively) were positively associated with steroid-free remission. Polymyositis versus dermatomyositis (HR 0.21, 95% CI 0.09–0.53, p = 0.001), presence of dysphagia (HR 0.15, CI 0.05–0.50, p = 0.002) and highest versus lowest quartile of waist circumference (WC) (HR 0.24, 95% CI 0.07–0.85, p = 0.027) were negatively associated with steroid-free remission.

Conclusion:

The early initiation of immunosuppressant therapy, type of myositis and presence of dysphagia are strong predictors of steroid-free remission in IIM; moreover, height and WC measurements at baseline may provide additional important prognostic value.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

An innovative magnetic state generator using machine learning techniques

We propose a new efficient algorithm to simulate magnetic structures numerically. It contains a generative model using a complex-valued neural network to generate k-space information. The output information is hermitized and transformed into real-space spin configurations through an inverse fast Fourier transform. The Adam version of stochastic gradient descent is used to minimize the magnetic energy, which is the cost of our algorithm. The algorithm provides the proper ground spin configurations with outstanding performance. In model cases, the algorithm was successfully applied to solve the spin configurations of magnetic chiral structures. The results also showed that a magnetic long-range order could be obtained regardless of the total simulation system size.

A ten-year China-US laboratory collaboration: improving response to influenza threats in China and the world, 2004-2014

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) underscored the importance of influenza detection and response in China. From 2004, the Chinese National Influenza Center (CNIC) and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USCDC) initiated Cooperative Agreements to build capacity in influenza surveillance in China.From 2004 to 2014, CNIC and USCDC collaborated on the following activities: 1) developing human technical expertise in virology and epidemiology in China; 2) developing a comprehensive influenza surveillance system by enhancing influenza-like illness (ILI) reporting and virological characterization; 3) strengthening analysis, utilization and dissemination of surveillance data; and 4) improving early response to influenza viruses with pandemic potential.Since 2004, CNIC expanded its national influenza surveillance and response system which, as of 2014, included 408 laboratories and 554 sentinel hospitals. With support from USCDC, more than 2500 public health staff from China received virology and epidemiology training, enabling > 98% network laboratories to establish virus isolation and/or nucleic acid detection techniques. CNIC established viral drug resistance surveillance and platforms for gene sequencing, reverse genetics, serologic detection, and vaccine strains development. CNIC also built a bioinformatics platform to strengthen data analysis and utilization, publishing weekly on-line influenza surveillance reports in English and Chinese. The surveillance system collects 200,000-400,000 specimens and tests more than 20,000 influenza viruses annually, which provides valuable information for World Health Organization (WHO) influenza vaccine strain recommendations. In 2010, CNIC became the sixth WHO Collaborating Centre for Influenza. CNIC has strengthened virus and data sharing, and has provided training and reagents for other countries to improve global capacity for influenza control and prevention.The collaboration's successes were built upon shared mission and values, emphasis on long-term capacity development and sustainability, and leadership commitment.

Joint recommendations on management of anaemia in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding in Hong Kong

The demand for blood products continues to grow in an unsustainable manner in Hong Kong. While anaemia associated with gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is the leading indication for transfusion, there is no local recommendation regarding best practices for transfusion. We aimed to provide evidence-based recommendations regarding management of anaemia in patients with acute and chronic GIB. We reviewed all original papers, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, or guidelines that were available in PubMed. For acute GIB, a restrictive transfusion strategy, targeting a haemoglobin threshold of 7 to 8 g/dL, should be adopted because overtransfusion is associated with significantly higher all-cause mortality and re-bleeding. A liberal transfusion strategy should only be considered in patients with co-existing symptomatic coronary artery disease, targeting a haemoglobin threshold of 9 to 10 g/dL. When acute GIB settles, patients should be prescribed iron supplements if iron deficiency is present. For chronic GIB, iron stores should be replenished aggressively via iron supplementation before consideration of blood transfusion, except in patients with symptoms of severe anaemia. Oral iron replacement is the preferred first-line therapy, while intravenous iron is indicated for patients with inflammatory bowel disease, poor response or poor tolerability to oral iron, and in whom a rapid correction of iron deficit is preferred. Intravenous iron is underutilised and the risk of anaphylactic reaction to current preparations is extremely low. These recommendations are provided to local clinicians to facilitate judicious and appropriate use of red cell products and iron replacement therapy in patients with GIB.

The prognostic impact of consensus molecular subtypes (CMS) and its predictive effects for bevacizumab benefit in metastatic colorectal cancer: molecular analysis of the AGITG MAX clinical trial

BACKGROUND

The consensus molecular subtypes (CMS) is a transcriptome-based classification of colorectal cancer (CRC) initially described in early-stage cohorts, but the associations of CMS with treatment outcomes in the metastatic setting are yet to be established. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of CMS classification and its predictive effects for bevacizumab benefit in metastatic CRC by correlative analysis of the AGITG MAX trial.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The MAX trial previously reported improved progression-free survival (PFS) for the addition of bevacizumab (B) to chemotherapy [capecitabine (C)±mitomycin (M)]. Archival primary tumours from 237 patients (50% of trial population) underwent gene expression profiling and classification into CMS groups. CMS groups were correlated to PFS and overall survival (OS). The interaction of CMS with treatment was assessed by proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

The distribution of CMS in MAX were CMS1 18%, CMS2 47%, CMS3 12%, CMS4 23%. CMS1 was the predominant subtype in right-sided primary tumours, while CMS2 was the predominant subtype in left-sided. CMS was prognostic of OS (P = 0.008), with CMS2 associated with the best outcome and CMS1 the worst. CMS remained an independent prognostic factor in a multivariate analysis. There was a significant interaction between CMS and treatment (P-interaction = 0.03), for PFS, with hazard ratios (95% CI) for CB+CBM versus C arms in CMS1, 2, 3 and 4: 0.83 (0.43-1.62), 0.50 (0.33-0.76), 0.31 (0.13-0.75) and 1.24 (0.68-2.25), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This exploratory study found that CMS stratified OS outcomes in metastatic CRC regardless of first-line treatment, with prognostic effects of CMS groups distinct from those previously reported in early-stage cohorts. In CMS associations with treatment, CMS2 and possibly CMS3 tumours may preferentially benefit from the addition of bevacizumab to first-line capecitabine-based chemotherapy, compared with other CMS groups. Validation of these findings in additional cohorts is warranted.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

This is a molecular sub-study of MAX clinical trial (NCT00294359).

Quality of life predicts overall survival in women with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer: an AURELIA substudy

Background

Women with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer are a heterogeneous group whose median overall survival is 12 months. We hypothesized that their quality of life (QoL) scores would be prognostic.

Patients and methods

Data from AURELIA (n = 326), a randomized trial of chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab, were used to identify baseline QoL domains [EORTC (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer) QLQ-C30 and OV28] that were significantly associated with overall survival in multivariable Cox regression analyses. Patients were classified as having good, medium, or poor risk. Cutpoints were validated in an independent dataset, CARTAXHY (n = 136). Multivariable analyses of significant QoL domains on survival were adjusted for clinicopathological prognostic factors. The additional QoL information was assessed using C statistic.

Results

In AURELIA, all domains, except cognitive function, predicted overall survival in univariable analyses. Physical function (P < 0.001) and abdominal/gastrointestinal symptom (P < 0.001) scores remained significant in multivariable models. In high (score <67), medium (67-93), and low (>93) risk categories for physical function, median overall survival was 11.0, 14.7, and 19.3 months, respectively (P < 0.001). In CARTAXHY, median overall survival was 7.9, 16.2, and 23.9 months (P < 0.001), respectively. For high- (>44), medium- (13-44), and low- (<13) risk categories for abdominal/gastrointestinal symptoms, median overall survival was 11.9, 14.3, and 19.7 months in AURELIA (P < 0.001) and 10.5, 19.6, and 24.1 months in CARTAXHY (P = 0.02). Physical function (P = 0.02) and abdominal/gastrointestinal symptoms (P = 0.03) remained independent prognostic factors after adjustment for clinicopathological factors. The C statistic of the full model was 0.71. For QoL factors alone, patient factors alone and disease factors alone, the C statistics were 0.61, 0.61, and 0.67 respectively.

Conclusions

Physical function and abdominal/gastrointestinal symptom scores improved predictions of overall survival over clinicopathological factors alone in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. This additional prognostic information could improve trial stratification, patient-doctor communication about prognosis, and clinical decision-making.

Clinical trial registration

NCT00976911.

Parkinson's disease and the risk of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture: a nationwide population-based study

Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) were at higher risk of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) compared to controls and had elevated mortality rates. Compared to conservative treatment, surgical treatment for OVCF in PD patients seemed to be associated with better outcomes.

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk of OVCF in patients with PD.

METHODS

Data from patients over the age of 60 years who were diagnosed with PD were collected between 2004 and 2013 from the Korean National Health Insurance Database (n = 3370). The comparison group (non-PD) consisted of randomly selected patients (five per patient with PD; n = 16,850) matched to the PD group, who were newly diagnosed annually according to age and sex. Cox proportional hazard regressions were used to examine the relationships between osteoporosis, OVCF, surgery for OVCF, and PD. Household income and residential area of patients were also assessed. Overall survival rates were calculated after adjusting for confounding factors, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease.

RESULTS

OVCF was developed in 12.5% of patients in the PD group and in 7.4% of patients in the control group. PD was associated with increased risk of osteoporosis (hazard ratio [HR], 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-1.43; p < 0.001), OVCF (HR 1.66; 95% CI, 1.47-1.87; p < 0.001), and surgery for OVCF (HR 2.69; 95% CI, 1.78-4.08; p < 0.001). Household income was not significantly related with development of osteoporosis, incidence of OVCF, or surgery for OVCF. Residential area was statistically associated with osteoporosis, OVCF, and surgery for OVCF. The mortality rate of the PD group was about 1.7 times higher than that of the non-PD group after adjusting for potential confounders, and the mortality rate of the PD with OVCF group was higher than that of the non-PD group, but not significantly (p = 0.09). The survival rate of the PD group with surgery for OVCF showed a trend toward a more positive prognosis compared with that of the PD group with conservative treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with PD had significantly increased risk of osteoporosis and OVCF. Surgical treatment for OVCF in PD patients was associated with a better prognosis than conservative treatment.

Simulation of non-inherited maternal antigens acceptable HLA mismatches to increase the chance of matched cord blood units: Hong Kong's experience

In Cord blood transplantation (CBT), the non-inherited maternal antigen (NIMA) virtual six HLA matched CB is found to have similar outcomes to six HLA inherited matched CB. Such virtual HLA matched CB units can be generated by substituting the inherited alleles with one to three NIMAs. In Hong Kong Cord Blood Bank, CB units have no NIMA defined. 100 CB samples were collected with NIMA defined. Retrospective searches of Hong Kong patients (n = 520) were matched against the inherited and virtual HLA phenotypes of NIMA CB file. One to three NIMA matches was analyzed, virtual six HLA matches were identified for 31.7% patients, 29.4% from CB units with 5/6 HLA match with 1 NIMA match and 1.7% CB units with a 4/6 HLA match and 2 NIMA matches. However, searches in the 167,201 Bone Marrow Donors Worldwide CB units with defined NIMA did not yield similar increases, possibly due to the ethnicity differences between populations. The match performance rises from 26% to 60% after including the NIMA match. Comparing the match performance of 32% in a previous Dutch study, we calculated with 60% matching in this smaller size study. This provides a solid ground to considering NIMA in stem cell donor selection which was adopted in some centers, to be extended to Asian and local CB registries to increase the chance for matches and also to improve patient outcomes, increase the utilization of CB units, enhance clinical flexibility and signify economic intelligence.

Prevalence of hepatitis C infection and its associated factors in healthy adults without identifiable route of transmission

While hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is long known to be associated with parenteral exposure, the specific route of transmission is not identified in a proportion of infected patients. Taking blood donors as the surrogate of healthy adults in the community in Hong Kong, we identified 91 HCV-infected donors (≤0.02% positive rate) in 2014-2016, of whom 46 were recruited in a mixed-method study to examine their transmission routes. A majority (75%) of the recruited donors were HCV RNA positive, with the predominant subtypes being 1b and 6a. From the results of the structured self-administered questionnaire and in-depth interviews, only 14 (30%) recruited donors could be traced to past history of contaminated blood transfusion (n = 9) or injection drug use (n = 5). Case-control analyses with 3 different control groups were performed to examine factors associated with HCV infection in multivariable analyses. High-risk sexual behaviour, body piercing, intramuscular injection and vaccine inoculation abroad, having lived abroad for >3 months were significantly associated with HCV in donors with otherwise nonidentifiable source of infection. While the specific route of transmission cannot be established for each person, associations with multiple parenteral exposures outside Hong Kong were observed. The World Health Organization has advocated for the global elimination of HCV by 2030. With a high proportion of HCV-infected persons who are unaware of their infections, HCV elimination could be hard to achieve.

A study of human neutrophil antigen genotype frequencies in Hong Kong

BACKGROUND

Alloantibodies against human neutrophil antigens (HNA) are associated with a variety of clinical conditions. Over the past decade, the allelic and genotypic frequencies of the five HNA systems have been evaluated. Although the HNA system is less polymorphic than human leukocyte antigens (HLA), significant differences in the genotypic and allele frequencies still exist in different populations, even those living in close proximity.

OBJECTIVES

To delineate HNA genotypic and allele frequencies to provide vital information on estimating the risk of HNA-associated diseases for our local population.

METHODS

Using a validated, in-house-developed assay, genotyping for HNA-1, HNA-3, HLA-4 and HNA-5 was performed on 300 samples from Chinese blood donors from Hong Kong. In addition, the frequency of the HNA-2 c.843A > T allele was also determined.

RESULTS

The allele frequencies of HNA-1a, -1b and -1c alleles were 67·8, 31·5 and 0%, respectively, whereas the frequencies of HNA-3a and HNA-3b were 71·0 and 29·0%, respectively. The frequencies of HNA-4a and -4b alleles were 99·5 and 0·5%, respectively, and for HNA-5a and -5b, alleles were 85·2 and 14·8%, respectively. Homozygotes for the HNA-2 c.843 TT variant were absent in our population, whereas only <4% of the population were c.843AT heterozygote carriers.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to define HNA genotype and allele frequencies using a validated modified in-house PCR-SSP method in the Hong Kong Chinese blood donor population. Our approach provides a cost-effective assay for conducting routine HNA typing and facilitates the incorporation of these assays into routine clinical service. Our results are comparable with those reported in the Guangzhou Chinese population, but the allele frequencies in our Hong Kong Chinese population are significantly different from the reported European frequencies, confirming that a geographical difference exists for HNA allele frequencies.

Application of APACHE II in the Assessment, Classification of Severity and Predictive Ability of Chinese Patients Presenting to an Emergency Department Resuscitation Room

Objectives

To evaluate the use of APACHE II (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Status Evaluation) in Chinese patients managed in the resuscitation room of an Accident & Emergency Department of one of the teaching hospitals in Hong Kong.

Design

Prospective study on Chinese patients.

Setting

Resuscitation Room in an Accident & Emergency Department of a university hospital in Hong Kong.

Patients and measurements

Consecutive patients managed in the resuscitation room between 14th August, 2000 and 20th August 2000 (excluding patients younger than 18 years old and patients who were not admitted to hospital after initial assessment and treatment). For each patient, demographic data, diagnosis, the chronic health points, and the worst physiological parameters in the A&E resuscitation room were recorded. The total APACHE II scores and the probability of death were calculated. The accuracy of APACHE II for predicting group mortality was assessed by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and linear regression analysis.

Results

Of the 88 patients included in the study, 13 (15%) died and 75 (85%) survived. Significant factors associated with mortality included age, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, arterial pH, serum sodium, Glasgow coma score, and chronic health points. For the three scoring subdivisions of APACHE II – total APS score, age points and chronic health points – higher mean values were found in those patients who died compared with patients who survived. Using logistic regression analysis, the APACHE II score determined in the emergency resuscitation room is a strong predictor of mortality (r2=0.712). At a cut off score of >28 the sensitivity is 100.0% (95% CI 100.0–100.0), specificity is 68.0% (95% CI 56.2–78.3), positive likelihood ratio is 3.13, positive predictive value is 35.1 and negative likelihood ratio is 100.0. Analysis of the ROC curve reveals an area under the curve of 0.910 (95% CI 0.829–0.960). In patients not admitted to ICU, there was a positive correlation between APACHE score and length of hospital stay in patient who survived (r=0.320, P=0.0075) and a negative correlation between APACHE score and length of hospital stay in patients who died (r=-0.760, P=0.0225).

Conclusions

The APACHE II scoring system may be usefully applied in emergency departments for predicting mortality, for classifying and assessing severity of disease, for evaluating performance and for planning departmental resource allocation.

A Prospective Epidemiological Study of Acute Poisoning in Hong Kong

Objective

To update our epidemiological knowledge of acute poisoning in Hong Kong.

Methods

A multi-centred prospective study was conducted for six months in six major accident and emergency departments in Hong Kong. A specially designed form was used to collect demographic data, type of poison involved, cause of poisoning, management, disposal as well as final outcome of the poisoned patients.

Results

A total of 1,467 patients (male: 588, female: 879) were included in the study. Most of them were young adults (32% were between 20 and 40 years old). Suicidal attempt (64%) was the most common cause of poisoning. Notably, 379 (26%) patients took more than one poison. Among the 2,007 counts of poison taken, sleeping pills (24%) and analgesics (18%) were the most commonly used drugs and paracetamol was the commonest single ingredient involved in poisoning. Most patients were treated with supportive measures, and about 40% and 15% of the patients were given gastrointestinal decontamination and specific antidotes respectively in their management, in which activated charcoal and N-acetylcysteine were the most common. Concerning disposal from the emergency department, 91% of the poisoned cases required in-patient management. Most patients had an uneventful recovery but 5 (0.3%) had significant disability and 21 (1.4%) died. Suicidal carbon monoxide poisoning was the leading cause of mortality in our study.

Conclusions

Most acute poisonings in Hong Kong were suicidal in nature and paracetamol was the commonest agent. Activated charcoal was the most commonly used decontamination method and most patients had an uneventful recovery.

Clinical and genetic predictors of paclitaxel neurotoxicity based on patient- versus clinician-reported incidence and severity of neurotoxicity in the ICON7 trial

BACKGROUND

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a dose-limiting toxicity of paclitaxel, with no reliable method to identify at-risk patients. We investigated the incidence and risk factors including genetic polymorphisms associated with the development of CIPN based on clinician and patient reporting of neuropathic symptoms.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Risk factors for the development of CIPN were examined in 454 patients treated with paclitaxel/carboplatin from the International Collaboration on Ovarian Neoplasms 7 (ICON7) trial. Neuropathy was graded by clinicians by standard adverse event reporting and by patients utilising OV28 questionnaire. Genetic risk factors were examined by selecting six single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes associated with microtubule function. Risk factors were assessed via dose-to-event cox regression models.

RESULTS

Grade >2 neuropathy was reported by clinicians in 28% of patients, while 67% of patients reported 'quite a bit' or 'very much' tingling or numbness. Agreement between clinicians and patients was poor (κ = 0.236, 95% confidence interval, 0.177-0.296, P < 0.001). Older age, bevacizumab treatment and bowel resection were associated with clinician reported CIPN, while older age and volume of residual disease were associated with patient-reported neuropathy. There were no significant associations between clinician-reported neuropathy or patient-reported neuropathy and TUBB2, CEP72 or individual MAPT or GSK3B SNPs, however MAPT additive polymorphisms were associated with patient-reported neuropathy and GSK3B additive polymorphisms were associated with clinician reported CIPN.

CONCLUSIONS

There was significant discordance between patient- and clinician-reported neurotoxicity. The lack of consensus regarding optimal outcome measures and whose opinion with regard to CIPN takes precedence is a limitation in the investigation of risk factors for CIPN. Care must be taken to select and include patient-reported outcome measures in CIPN assessment to enable accurate identification of genetic and other risk factors for neuropathy.