Health Assessment Questionnaire disability progression in early rheumatoid arthritis: systematic review and analysis of two inception cohorts

Patterns of comorbidities differentially affect long-term functional evolution and disease activity in patients with 'difficult to treat' rheumatoid arthritis

BACKGROUND

Characterisation of the long-term outcome of patients with 'difficult to treat' (D2T) rheumatoid arthritis and factors contributing to its evolution are unknown. Herein, we explored the heterogeneity and contributing factors of D2T long-term outcome.

METHODS

Patients included from a prospective single centre cohort study. The EULAR definition of D2T was applied. Longitudinal clustering of functional status (modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (mHAQ)) and disease activity (Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS28)) were assessed using latent-class trajectory analysis. Multiple linear mixed models were used to examine the impact of comorbidities and their clusters on the long-term outcome.

RESULTS

251 out of 1264 patients (19.9%) were identified as D2T. Younger age, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, DAS28-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) at first biological or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (b/ts-DMARD) initiation and failure to reduce DAS28-ESR scores within the first 6 months of b/ts-DMARD therapy were significant predictors of patients becoming D2T. Long-term follow-up (total of 5872 person-years) revealed four groups of functional status evolution: 18.2% had stable, mildly compromised mHAQ (mean 0.41), 39.9% had gradual improvement (1.21-0.87) and two groups had either slow deterioration or stable significant functional impairment (HAQ>1). Similarly, four distinct groups of disease activity evolution were identified. Among the different clusters of comorbidities assessed, presence of 'mental-health and pain-related illnesses' or 'metabolic diseases' had significant contribution to mHAQ worsening (p<0.0001 for both) and DAS28 evolution (p<0.0001 and p=0.018, respectively).

CONCLUSION

D2T patients represent a heterogeneous group in terms of long-term disease course. Mental-health/pain-related illnesses as well as metabolic diseases contribute to long-term adverse outcomes and should be targeted in order to optimise the prognosis of this subset of rheumatoid arthritis.

Influence of Social Support, Financial Status, and Lifestyle on the Disparity Between Inflammation and Disability in Rheumatoid Arthritis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate how social support, financial status, and lifestyle influence the development of excess disability in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS

Data were obtained from the Étude et Suivi des Polyarthrites Indifférenciées Récentes (ESPOIR) cohort study of people with RA. A previous analysis identified groups with similar inflammation trajectories but markedly different disability over 10 years; those in the higher disability trajectory groups were defined as having "excess disability." Self-reported data regarding contextual factors (social support, financial situation, lifestyle) were obtained from participants, and they completed patient-reported outcome measures (pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression) at baseline. The direct effect of the contextual factors on excess disability and the effect mediated by patient-reported outcome measures were assessed using structural equation models. Findings were validated in 2 independent data sets (Norfolk Arthritis Register [NOAR], Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Network [ERAN]).

RESULTS

Of 538 included ESPOIR participants (mean age ± SD 48.3 ± 12.2 years; 79.2% women), 200 participants (37.2%) were in the excess disability group. Less social support (β = 0.17 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.08, 0.26]), worse financial situation (β = 0.24 [95% CI 0.14, 0.34]), less exercise (β = 0.17 [95% CI 0.09-0.25]), and less education (β = 0.15 [95% CI 0.06, 0.23]) were associated with excess disability group membership; smoking, alcohol consumption, and body mass index were not. Fatigue and depression mediated a small proportion of these effects. Similar results were seen in NOAR and ERAN.

CONCLUSION

Greater emphasis is needed on the economic and social contexts of individuals with RA at presentation; these factors might influence disability over the following decade.

Prevalence and Predictors of Remission and Sustained Remission in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis from the United Arab Emirates: A Two-Year Prospective Study

Aim

To estimate the prevalence of remission and sustained remission for more than 12 months in a cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in the United Arab Emirates and explore predictors of remission and sustained remission in these patients.

Methods

A two-year prospective study conducted in Dubai Hospital (January 1, 2018-December 31, 2019) included all consecutive patients with rheumatoid arthritis attending the rheumatology clinic. Patients with a Simplified Disease Activity Index ≤3.3 and/or Clinical Disease Activity Index ≤2.8 in December 2018 were considered in remission and followed until December 2019. Those who maintained remission through 2019 were considered in sustained remission.

Results

In this study, a total of 444 patients were followed for a 12-months period. The percentage of remission achieved in RA patients was 30.4% according to the Clinical Disease Activity Index, 31.1% according to Simplified Disease Activity Index, and 50.9% according to the Value of Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) remission criteria. The 12-months sustained remission rates ranged from 38.3% for the ACR-EULAR to 69.3% for the DAS28. Male gender, shorter disease duration, better functioning as evaluated by the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (lower HAQ scores), and higher compliance rates are among sustained remission predictors.

Conclusion

Establishing "real-world" data and understanding local predictors to sustained remission is principal for implementing timely and appropriate patient-tailored strategies. These strategies include early detection, close monitoring, and enhancing treatment adherence among UAE patients.

Inflammatory profile of incident cases of late-onset compared with young-onset rheumatoid arthritis: A nested cohort study

OBJECTIVES

To describe the characteristics of patients between late-onset rheumatoid arthritis (LORA) with young-onset (YORA), and analyze their association with cumulative inflammatory burden.

METHODS

We performed a nested cohort study in a prospective cohort comprising 110 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 110 age- and sex-matched controls. The main variable was cumulative inflammatory activity according to the 28-joint Disease Activity Score with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR). High activity was defined as DAS28 ≥ 3.2 and low activity as DAS28 < 3.2. The other variables recorded were inflammatory cytokines, physical function, and comorbid conditions. Two multivariate models were run to identify factors associated with cumulative inflammatory activity.

RESULTS

A total of 22/110 patients (20%) met the criteria for LORA (≥ 60 years). Patients with LORA more frequently had comorbid conditions than patients with YORA and controls. Compared with YORA patients, more LORA patients had cumulative high inflammatory activity from onset [13 (59%) vs. 28 (31%); p = 0.018] and high values for CRP (p = 0.039) and IL-6 (p = 0.045). Cumulative high inflammatory activity in patients with RA was associated with LORA [OR (95% CI) 4.69 (1.49-10.71); p = 0.008], smoking [OR (95% CI) 2.07 (1.13-3.78); p = 0.017], anti-citrullinated peptide antibody [OR (95% CI) 3.24 (1.15-9.13); p = 0.025], average Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score [OR (95% CI) 2.09 (1.03-14.23); p = 0.034], and physical activity [OR (95% CI) 0.99 (0.99-0.99); p = 0.010]. The second model revealed similar associations with inflammatory activity in patients with LORA.

CONCLUSION

Control of inflammation after diagnosis is poorer and comorbidity more frequent in patients with LORA than in YORA patients and healthy controls.

Differences in trajectory of disease activity according to biologic and targeted synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Background

The purpose of this study was to stratify patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) according to the trend of disease activity by trajectory-based clustering and to identify contributing factors for treatment response to biologic and targeted synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) according to trajectory groups.

Methods

We analyzed the data from a nationwide RA cohort from the Korean College of Rheumatology Biologics and Targeted Therapy registry. Patients treated with second-line biologic and targeted synthetic DMARDs were included. Trajectory modeling for clustering was used to group the disease activity trend. The contributing factors using the machine learning model of SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) values for each trajectory were investigated.

Results

The trends in the disease activity of 688 RA patients were clustered into 4 groups: rapid decrease and stable disease activity (group 1, n = 319), rapid decrease followed by an increase (group 2, n = 36), slow and continued decrease (group 3, n = 290), and no decrease in disease activity (group 4, n = 43). SHAP plots indicated that the most important features of group 2 compared to group 1 were the baseline erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), prednisolone dose, and disease activity score with 28-joint assessment (DAS28) (SHAP value 0.308, 0.157, and 0.103, respectively). The most important features of group 3 compared to group 1 were the baseline ESR, DAS28, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (SHAP value 0.175, 0.164, 0.042, respectively). The most important features of group 4 compared to group 1 were the baseline DAS28, ESR, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (SHAP value 0.387, 0.153, 0.144, respectively).

Conclusions

The trajectory-based approach was useful for clustering the treatment response of biologic and targeted synthetic DMARDs in patients with RA. In addition, baseline DAS28, ESR, prednisolone dose, eGFR, and BUN were important contributing factors for 4-year trajectories.

Disease activity trajectories for early and established rheumatoid arthritis: Real-world data from a rheumatoid arthritis cohort

Objectives

Disease activity status described at fixed time points does not accurately reflect disease course in chronic and relapsing diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We described longitudinal disease activity trajectories in early and established RA.

Methods

Patients with available 28-Joint Disease Activity Score-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR) and Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) over two years were included. Using latent growth curve modelling (LCGM), subgroups of patients following distinct patterns were identified.

Results

1920 patients were included with 34.4% in early RA (< 2 years’ disease duration). Three subgroups were identified using DAS28-ESR in early RA: 1) low disease activity to remission (LDA-REM: 19.1%); 2) moderate disease to remission (MD-REM: 54%); 3) high to moderate disease (HD-MD: 26.9%). The HD-MD group had a significantly higher number of comorbidities, biologic and steroid use and lower post-secondary education. Using CDAI, we identified seven subgroups with only 1.9% remission in early RA. In established RA, seven subgroups were identified using either DAS28-ESR or CDAI. Using DAS28-ESR 27.8% with HD showed improvement in disease status (14.2% HD-REM, 10.3% HD-LDA and 3.3% HD-MD) while using CDAI 17.9% showed improvement.

Conclusion

Disease course was different in early and established RA. Only 14.2% of established RA reached DAS28-ESR remission compared to 73.1% of early RA. Using CDAI only 1.9% of early RA and none of the established RA achieved remission, likely reflecting the impact of the patient global assessment on this score. Findings also illustrate the impact of sociodemographic characteristics and early treatment on disease course.

Filgotinib for Moderate to Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Evidence Review Group Perspective of a NICE Single Technology Appraisal

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) invited the manufacturer (Gilead) of filgotinib (Jyseleca^TM), as part of the single technology appraisal process, to submit evidence for its clinical and cost effectiveness for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Kleijnen Systematic Reviews Ltd, in collaboration with Maastricht University Medical Centre, was commissioned to act as the independent Evidence Review Group (ERG). This paper summarises the company submission (CS), presents the ERG's critical review of the clinical- and cost-effectiveness evidence in the CS, highlights the key methodological considerations, and describes the development of the NICE guidance by the NICE Appraisal Committee. The evidence for filgotinib was based on two good-quality international randomised controlled trials. In FINCH 1, filgotinib was compared with placebo, and in FINCH 2, filgotinib was compared with adalimumab and placebo. As there was no head-to-head evidence with most active comparators, the company performed two separate network meta-analyses (NMAs), one for the conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs-inadequate response population and one for the biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs-inadequate response population. The outcomes analysed were American College of Rheumatology response criteria at weeks 12 and 24, and European League Against Rheumatism response criteria at 24 weeks. The statistical methods used to perform the NMAs were valid and were in line with previous NICE appraisals. Results of the NMAs are confidential and cannot be reported here, but they were uncertain due to heterogeneity of the included studies. The economic analysis of the patient population with moderate RA suffered from limited evidence on the progression from moderate to severe health states. For the moderate RA population, the final analyses comparing filgotinib, with or without methotrexate, against standard of care resulted in incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of around £20,000 per quality-adjusted life-year gained in the company's and ERG's base-case and scenario analyses. NICE recommended filgotinib in combination with methotrexate or as monotherapy when methotrexate is contraindicated, or if people cannot tolerate it, for patients with moderate RA whose disease had responded inadequately to two or more conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). For the severe RA population, in view of the higher or similar net health benefits that filgotinib provided versus its comparators, NICE recommended filgotinib with or without methotrexate for patients whose disease had responded inadequately to two or more conventional DMARDs, who had been treated with one or more biological DMARDs, if rituximab was not an option, or after treatment with rituximab.

Associations between childhood victimization, inflammatory biomarkers and psychotic phenomena in adolescence: A longitudinal cohort study

Exposure to victimization in childhood has been linked to the development of psychosis. However, little is known about how childhood victimization is translated into biological risk for psychosis. One possibility is via increased inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the association between childhood victimization, psychotic experiences (PEs) in adolescence and inflammatory markers using data from a general population cohort. Participants were 1,419 British-born children followed from birth to age 18 years as part of the Environmental Risk Longitudinal Twin Study. Childhood victimization was measured prospectively using multiple sources from birth to age 12 years. PEs were assessed during private interviews with participants at age 18 years for the period since age 12. Plasma C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) levels were measured from plasma samples collected from participants at 18 years. Young people with both PEs and childhood victimization were more likely to belong to a group with elevated suPAR, CRP and IL-6 levels at 18 years of age (OR = 3.34, 95% CI 1.69-6.59, p = 0.001) than those with no childhood victimization and without PEs. However, this association was attenuated when adjusted for other risk factors for elevated inflammation at age 18 (OR = 1.94, 95% CI 0.94-4.04, p = 0.075). In contrast, presence of PEs without childhood victimization was not significantly associated with age-18 inflammatory markers and neither was childhood victimization without PEs (all p's greater than 0.05). The current study highlights that inflammatory dysregulation is mostly present in adolescents reporting PEs who also experienced childhood victimization, though this seemed to be largely due to concurrent inflammation-related risk factors.

Impact of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics on functional disability and health-related quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional study from Palestine

BACKGROUND

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder, which has a significant impact on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and limits physical function as well as increases pain and fatigue. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the HRQoL and functional disability profile of patients with RA in Palestine to determine the socio-demographic and clinical features associated with low HRQoL and functional disability in patients with RA and to investigate the impact of drugs used on functional disability and HRQoL.

METHODOLOGY

A cross-sectional, observational study conducted at rheumatology clinics in Northern West-Bank, Palestine (Alwatani Hospital-Nablus, Khalil Suleiman Hospital-Jenin, Thabet Thatbet Hospital-Tulkarem, and Darweesh Nazzal Hospital-Qalqilia). EuroQoL-5 Dimension scale (EQ-5D-5L) was used to evaluate HRQoL, Health Assessment Questionnaire, Disability Index (HAQ-DI) to evaluate the functional disability, and the Health Assessment Questionnaire pain visual analog scale (HAQ-VAS) to evaluate pain.

RESULTS

300 patients were included in the study, 229(76.3%) were females, the mean ± standard deviation age was 49 ± 13.10 years, and the median RA duration (lower-upper quartiles) was 6 (4-12) years. The median EQ-5D-5L index value and Euro QOL visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) scores were 0.56 and 60, respectively. There was a significant strong positive correlation (R = 0.773; p < 0.001) between the EQ-5D-5L index values and the reported EQ-VAS scores. The median HAQ-DI and HAQ-VAS were 0.94 and 40, respectively. The results of multiple linear regression showed that treatment with biological DMARD (Etanercept), having work, higher income, absence of night pain, and absence of comorbid diseases were significantly associated with higher EQ-5D-5L index score (better HRQoL) and lower HAQ-DI scores (less disability). On the other hand, older age and the presence of morning stiffness were significantly associated with higher HAQ-DI scores (more disability).

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed the impact of treatment, clinical variables, and socio-demographic factors on disability and HRQoL in RA patients. Healthcare providers should be aware of the association between treatment with biological DMARD and improved HRQoL and functional status to make early interventions that reduce disability and improve HRQoL in susceptible patients.

Influence of aging, disease, exercise, and injury on human hand movements: A systematic review

The human hand is a versatile organ that performs a variety of activities in daily life. The coordination of digits allows them to deal with objects of various sizes and shapes with an appropriate range of motions (ROM). A systematic literature review was performed to identify the clinical and non-clinical factors which affected the normal ROM, grip strength (GS), and dexterity of hand. The overall outcomes of the systematic review showed that: the performance of the individual declined as the age progressed; the performance of the dominant hand (DH) of an individual was better compared to his/her non-dominant hand (NDH); the tasks performed by a healthy hand was more efficient compared to a diseased one; appropriate rehabilitation programs/exercise techniques after a disease or injury improved the ROM, GS, and dexterity of hand post-surgery on par to a healthy hand.

Importance of internal and external validity in clinical research: Comment on the Article by Fatima et al

In a recently published cohort study, Fatima et al. showed that the higher health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) score was associated with higher mortality among early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.¹ This study is prominent because the authors focused on early RA patients' functional disability measured by HAQ, which is more strongly associated with mortality than disease activity and joint damage in patients with established RA.².

Characterization of disease course and remission in early seropositive rheumatoid arthritis: results from the TACERA longitudinal cohort study

BACKGROUND

To characterise disease course and remission in a longitudinal observational study of newly diagnosed, initially treatment-naïve patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS

Patients with early untreated seropositive RA were recruited from 28 UK centres. Multiple clinical and laboratory measures were collected every 3 months for up to 18 months. Disease activity was measured using the 28-joint Disease Activity Score with C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) and Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI). Logistic regression models examined clinical predictors of 6-month remission and latent class mixed models characterised disease course.

RESULTS

We enrolled 275 patients of whom 267 met full eligibility and provided baseline data. According to SDAI definition, 24.3% attained 6-month remission. Lower baseline Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and SDAI predicted 6-month remission (p = 0.013 and 0.011). Alcohol intake and baseline prescribing of methotrexate with a second disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD; vs monotherapy without glucocorticoids) were also predictive. Three distinct SDAI trajectory subpopulations emerged; corresponding to an inadequate responder group (6.5%), and higher and lower baseline activity responder groups (22.4% and 71.1%). Baseline HAQ and Short Form-36 Health Survey - Mental Component Score (SF-36 MCS) distinguished these groups. In addition, a number of baseline clinical predictors correlated with disease activity severity within subpopulations. Beneficial effects of alcohol intake were found across subpopulations.

CONCLUSION

Three distinct disease trajectory subpopulations were identified. Differential effects of functional and mental well-being, alcohol consumption, and baseline RA medication prescribing on disease activity severity were found across subpopulations. Heterogeneity across trajectories cannot be fully explained by baseline clinical predictors. We hypothesise that biological markers collected early in disease course (within 6 months) may help patient management and better targeting of existing and novel therapies.

Cross-Cultural Validation of the 5-Item Compliance Questionnaire for Rheumatology to the Arabic Language in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

PURPOSE

A simple measure to assess drug adherence in Saudi patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is required. The aim of this study was to translate and validate the 5-Item Compliance Questionnaire for Rheumatology (CQR5) into Arabic.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The questionnaire was translated and culturally adapted to Arab patients in six steps: initial translation, synthesis of the translation, back translation, expert committee review, test of the pre-final version, and development of the Arabic CQR5 (ACQR-5). The resulting version was tested for validity in patients with RA.

RESULTS

A total of 103 adult patients with RA were recruited from rheumatology clinics at a university hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After extensive translation, the final tool (CQR) was piloted in 15 patients. The final validation was performed with 88 patients. Of these, 80 (90.9%) were female and 43.2% were seropositive. The mean (±SD) age and disease duration were 50 (±13) and 11.4 (±8.2) years, respectively. Cronbach's alpha reliability was 0.886, and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy for factor analysis was 0.870 (p<0.001). The mean ACQR-5 was 17.78 (2.70), with 14 (15.9%) classified as low adherents and the remaining 74 (84.1%) as high adherents. Binary logistic regression revealed that increasing age (odds ratio [OR] 1.082, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.025-1.142, p=0.005) and a trend toward the presence of other comorbidities (OR 3.111, 95% CI: 0.961-10.070, p=0.058) were associated with low adherence.

CONCLUSION

ACQR-5 is a simple and feasible tool for identifying adherence levels in patients with RA in Saudi Arabia. A high level of adherence was observed in this study. Additional studies are required to assess ACQR-5 validity and adherence levels in a larger, more diverse population.

Factors associated with disability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with persistent moderate disease activity: a retrospective cohort study

Background

Many patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) do not attain remission/low disease activity, remaining in a moderate disease activity state (MDAS) with ongoing disability and impaired quality of life (QoL). If patients in persistent MDAS with poor future outcomes could be prospectively identified, they could arguably be treated more intensively. We evaluated baseline factors predicting function (Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index [HAQ-DI] scores) and QoL (3-level EuroQol-5 dimensions questionnaire [EQ-5D-3L] index scores) at 12 months in patients with RA in persistent MDAS in a real-world setting.

Methods

Patients with persistent MDAS (Disease Activity Score for 28-joint count based on erythrocyte sedimentation rate [DAS28-ESR] 3.2–5.1 on at least two consecutive outpatient appointments over 12 months) were identified retrospectively from Guy’s Hospital RA Centre and analysed in two groups: (1) biologic naïve at baseline or (2) receiving/ever received biologics. The baseline timepoint was the second-visit MDAS DAS28-ESR score; the endpoint was the closest visit to 12 months. Linear regression analyses evaluated relationships between baseline variables and (1) 12-month HAQ-DI scores, (2) 12-month rank-transformed EQ-5D-3L index scores, (3) 12-month changes in HAQ-DI scores, and (4) 12-month changes in EQ-5D-3L index scores.

Results

The analysis included 207 biologic-naïve and 188 biologic-experienced patients. All patients had moderate disability (mean HAQ-DI 1.21 and 1.46) and impaired QoL (mean EQ-5D-3L index scores 0.52 and 0.50). Many reported moderate/severe pain (93 and 96%) and showed little change in HAQ-DI and EQ-5D-3L index scores over 12 months. In both biologic-naïve and biologic-experienced groups, multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between baseline HAQ-DI scores and endpoint HAQ-DI scores (β = 0.67, P < 0.001 and β = 0.76, P < 0.001, respectively), 12-month changes in HAQ-DI scores (both β = − 0.21, P < 0.001), and 12-month EQ-5D-3L index scores (β = − 0.57, P < 0.001 and β = − 0.29, P = 0.004, respectively). Baseline EQ-5D-3L index scores were significantly associated with 12-month changes in EQ-5D-3L index scores in both groups (β = − 0.73, P < 0.001 and β = − 0.40, P = 0.003, respectively).

Conclusions

Patients with RA in persistent MDAS experience substantial ongoing physical disability, poor QoL, and pain. HAQ-DI is an important predictor of future disability and reduced QoL, supporting current national recommendations to measure HAQ-DI in routine care.

Investigating musculoskeletal health and wellbeing; a cohort study protocol

Background

In an ageing population, pain, frailty and disability frequently coexist across a wide range of musculoskeletal diagnoses, but their associations remain incompletely understood. The Investigating Musculoskeletal Health and Wellbeing (IMH&W) study aims to measure and characterise the development and progression of pain, frailty and disability, and to identify discrete subgroups and their associations. The survey will form a longitudinal context for nested research, permitting targeted recruitment of participants for qualitative, observational and interventional studies; helping to understand recruitment bias in clinical studies; and providing a source cohort for cohort randomised controlled trials.

Methods

IMH&W will comprise a prospective cohort of 10,000 adults recruited through primary and secondary care, and through non-clinical settings. Data collection will be at baseline, and then through annual follow-ups for 4 years. Questionnaires will address demographic characteristics, pain severity (0–10 Numerical Rating Scale), pain distribution (reported on a body Manikin), pain quality (McGill Pain Questionnaire), central aspects of pain (CAP-Knee), frailty and disability (based on Fried criteria and the FRAIL questionnaire), and fracture risk. Baseline characteristics, progression and associations of frailty, pain and disability will be determined. Discrete subgroups and trajectories will be sought by latent class analysis. Recruitment bias will be explored by comparing participants in nested studies with the eligible IMH&W population.

Discussion

IMH&W will elucidate associations and progression of pain, frailty and disability. It will enable identification of people at risk of poor musculoskeletal health and wellbeing outcomes who might be suitable for specific interventions, and facilitate generalisation and comparison of research outcomes between target populations. The study will benefit from a large sample size and will recruit from diverse regions across the UK. Purposive recruitment will enrich the cohort with people with MSK problems with high representation of elderly and unwell people.

Trial registration

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03696134. Date of Registration: 04 October 2018.

Sociodemographic factors as determinants of disease, disability and quality of life trajectories in early rheumatoid arthritis: A multi-ethnic inception cohort study

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to describe the association between sociodemographic factors and trajectories of disease, disability and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA).

METHODS

Data were collected prospectively over 3 years in the Singapore Early Arthritis Cohort study. Trajectories were modeled using multi-trajectory group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) and determinants of trajectory membership were identified using multinomial logistic regression.

RESULTS

Two hundred and thirteen patients were included: 58.2% Chinese, 16.4% Malay, 21.6% Indian, mean (SD) age 51.3 (12.6) years and symptom duration 21.8 (15.3) weeks. In the multi-trajectory analysis, three groups of disease trajectories and corresponding disability and HRQoL trajectories were identified: group 1 (moderate disease rapid response, 49.9%), group 2 (high disease rapid response, 31.1%) and group 3 (high disease slow response, 19.1%). Malay patients had higher relative risk ratio (RRR) of being in trajectory groups 2 and 3 compared to group 1 (RRR = 2.30, 95% CI 1.05-3.98 and RRR = 4.02, 95% CI 1.45-6.43, respectively) while patients with tertiary education had lower relative risk (RRR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.45-0.89 and RRR = 0.33, (95% CI 0.14-0.83, respectively). In the analysis of individual outcomes, ethnicity, education level and body mass index were determinants of the heterogeneous disease activity trajectories. Gender and education level were determinants of the disability trajectories. Only gender was a determinant of the HRQoL trajectories. Further, 96.2% of the patients were treated with conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.

CONCLUSION

Disparities in sociodemographic factors should be taken into consideration in formulating treatment strategies in ERA.

Impact of the combined presence of erosions and ACPA on rheumatoid arthritis disease activity over time: results from the METEOR registry

Objective

To investigate associations between baseline presence of erosions and/or anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) on functional ability, disease activity and treatment survival over time.

Methods

Real life data from newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis patients were identified in the international METEOR registry. Patients were grouped according to presence/absence of ACPA and/or erosions at baseline. Associations between the presence of ACPA and/or erosions (four groups) with the change of Disease Activity Score (DAS) and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) over time were assessed using linear mixed models during maximum 6 or maximum 12 months from baseline. Treatment survival was assessed using multiple failure-times Cox regression.

Results

Data were included from 701 ACPA‒/erosions‒, 334 ACPA‒/erosions+, 1585 ACPA+/erosions‒ and 1993 ACPA+/erosions+ patients. We found statistically significant differences in DAS and HAQ change over time between the four groups, both after maximum follow-up durations of 6 and of 12 months, but after stratification differences proved small and not clinically meaningful. Patients in the ACPA‒/erosions‒ group were less likely to switch treatment compared with the ACPA+/erosions‒ reference group (p<0.001). The other two ACPA/erosions groups did not differ from the reference group.

Conclusions

In this analysis of worldwide real life data, we found statistically significant, but clinically irrelevant differences in treatment response to initial disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug therapies as measured by DAS and HAQ in ACPA‒/erosions‒, ACPA‒/erosions+, ACPA+/erosions‒ and ACPA+/erosions+ rheumatoid arthritis patients. However, after maximum follow-up durations of 6 and 12 months all groups had a similar response to initial treatment, but with a lower likelihood to switch treatment for ACPA‒/erosions‒ patients during the first year of follow-up.

[ADAPTHERA-Statewide cross-sectoral care network for patients with early rheumatoid arthritis shows sustained remission in standard care]

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

The majority of patients in Germany miss out on the necessity of early diagnosis and initiation of therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) caused by considerable structural deficits in the health care system. The challenge is to reconcile the individual demand for the best possible therapy result with a sustainable expenditure of resources.

METHODS

The cross-sectoral regional care network ADAPTHERA aims to improve early RA diagnosis and treatment in Rhineland-Palatinate. The retrospective triage analyses of suspected early onset RA patients was performed by tracing the selection process of all available enquiries (n = 1045). For analysis of the clinical course of the disease, a subset comprising 143 patients with a minimum observation time of 12 months (5 consecutive visits) was available. Clinical and laboratory parameters were collected quarter yearly, self-administered questionnaires were filled out and the treatment was adapted if necessary.

RESULTS

A total of 454 patients were included. The mean waiting time was 23.9 (SD = 18) days. The mean observation period in the subcohort was 29.2 (SD = 12.7) months, with about 50% of the patients presenting within 3 months. Almost 75% of the patients were in remission after 2 years. A sustained remission could be described for 74.8% (6 months) and 53.5% (12 months), respectively. Especially patients with rapid remission induction benefited in terms of longer remissions (p = 0.03). A very early stage of the disease (VERA) was associated with a rarely necessary biologic therapy (p = 0.022).

DISCUSSION

The approach of a supply network is not a panacea, but it might improve healthcare for patients with early onset RA. In order to minimize resource utilization, a pinpoint referral and accurate triage of potential cases are crucial.

Trends in Prevalence of Functional Disability in Rheumatoid Arthritis Compared With the General Population

The objective of the study was to assess trends in functional disability (FD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) vs individuals without RA. This retrospective population-based study included 586 patients with RA and 531 individuals without RA. Information on activities of daily living was obtained from self-report questionnaires. The prevalence of FD was higher in those with RA (586 [26%]) vs those without RA (531 [11%]) at RA incidence/index date (P<.001), with persistent excess over the follow-up and calendar time. Patients with RA had a 15% or higher prevalence of FD than individuals without RA in most age groups. Patients with RA have a higher prevalence of FD across RA duration, age, and calendar time than those without RA.

A Flexible Open-Source Decision Model for Value Assessment of Biologic Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis

OBJECTIVE

The nature of model-based cost-effectiveness analysis can lead to disputes in the scientific community. We propose an iterative and collaborative approach to model development by presenting a flexible open-source simulation model for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), accessible to both technical and non-technical end-users.

METHODS

The RA model is a discrete-time individual patient simulation with 6-month cycles. Model input parameters were estimated based on currently available evidence and treatment effects were obtained with Bayesian network meta-analysis techniques. The model contains 384 possible model structures informed by previously published models. The model consists of the following components: (i) modifiable R and C++ source code available in a GitHub repository; (ii) an R package to run the model for custom analyses; (iii) detailed model documentation; (iv) a web-based user interface for full control over the model without the need to be well-versed in the programming languages; and (v) a general audience web-application allowing those who are not experts in modeling or health economics to interact with the model and contribute to value assessment discussions.

RESULTS

A primary function of the initial version of RA model is to help understand and quantify the impact of parameter uncertainty (with probabilistic sensitivity analysis), structural uncertainty (with multiple competing model structures), the decision framework (cost-effectiveness analysis or multi-criteria decision analysis), and perspective (healthcare or limited societal) on estimates of value.

CONCLUSION

In order for a decision model to remain relevant over time it needs to evolve along with its supporting body of clinical evidence and scientific insight. Multiple clinical and methodological experts can modify or contribute to the RA model at any time due to its open-source nature.

Not all moderate disease is the same - Identification of disability trajectories among patients with rheumatoid arthritis and moderate disease activity

Background

United Kingdom guidelines for the use of biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDS) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) require patients to have active disease (Disease Activity Score [DAS28] >5.1) and have failed ≥2 previous conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARD). Patients with moderate disease activity (MDA) do not meet these criteria, yet often have poor outcomes. This study aimed to identify trajectory groups of disability scores over three years in RA patients with MDA.

Methods

The study included biologic-naïve patients receiving csDMARDs only with MDA (3.2 <DAS28≤ 5.1) when recruited to the control cohort of the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register–RA (BSRBR-RA). Disability scores, measured using the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), were recorded every six months for three years. Trajectories of HAQ scores over follow-up were assessed using latent class growth models (LCGMs). Baseline age, gender, DAS28, symptom duration, rheumatoid factor status, number of prior csDMARDs and co-morbidities were assessed as potential predictors of group membership.

Results

In total, 1274 patients were included (mean age: 61 years (standard deviation: 12), 71.4% women). The best fitting model included seven HAQ trajectories. These trajectories were horizontal over follow-up and were related to baseline HAQ: very-low (6.8%, baseline (BL) HAQ: 0.22), low (11.5%, BL HAQ: 0.41), low-moderate (17.0%, BL HAQ: 0.93), moderate (13.4%, BL HAQ: 1.09), high-moderate (19.5%, BL HAQ: 1.61), severe (23.2%, BL HAQ: 1.98) and very-severe (8.6%, BL HAQ: 2.54). Higher DAS28, older age, female gender, longer disease duration and more co-morbidities were independently associated with higher HAQ trajectory group.

Conclusion

There is substantial heterogeneity in baseline HAQ scores in this population, and the trajectories of HAQ scores after baseline are, on average, relatively flat. As bDMARD therapy has been shown to improve HAQ scores, patients with MDA but high HAQ scores may benefit from a more aggressive approach to therapy.

Assessing prognosis and prediction of treatment response in early rheumatoid arthritis: systematic reviews

BACKGROUND

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, debilitating disease associated with reduced quality of life and substantial costs. It is unclear which tests and assessment tools allow the best assessment of prognosis in people with early RA and whether or not variables predict the response of patients to different drug treatments.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review evidence on the use of selected tests and assessment tools in patients with early RA (1) in the evaluation of a prognosis (review 1) and (2) as predictive markers of treatment response (review 2).

DATA SOURCES

Electronic databases (e.g. MEDLINE, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science Conference Proceedings; searched to September 2016), registers, key websites, hand-searching of reference lists of included studies and key systematic reviews and contact with experts.

STUDY SELECTION

Review 1 - primary studies on the development, external validation and impact of clinical prediction models for selected outcomes in adult early RA patients. Review 2 - primary studies on the interaction between selected baseline covariates and treatment (conventional and biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs) on salient outcomes in adult early RA patients.

RESULTS

Review 1 - 22 model development studies and one combined model development/external validation study reporting 39 clinical prediction models were included. Five external validation studies evaluating eight clinical prediction models for radiographic joint damage were also included. c-statistics from internal validation ranged from 0.63 to 0.87 for radiographic progression (different definitions, six studies) and 0.78 to 0.82 for the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). Predictive performance in external validations varied considerably. Three models [(1) Active controlled Study of Patients receiving Infliximab for the treatment of Rheumatoid arthritis of Early onset (ASPIRE) C-reactive protein (ASPIRE CRP), (2) ASPIRE erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ASPIRE ESR) and (3) Behandelings Strategie (BeSt)] were externally validated using the same outcome definition in more than one population. Results of the random-effects meta-analysis suggested substantial uncertainty in the expected predictive performance of models in a new sample of patients. Review 2 - 12 studies were identified. Covariates examined included anti-citrullinated protein/peptide anti-body (ACPA) status, smoking status, erosions, rheumatoid factor status, C-reactive protein level, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, swollen joint count (SJC), body mass index and vascularity of synovium on power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS). Outcomes examined included erosions/radiographic progression, disease activity, physical function and Disease Activity Score-28 remission. There was statistical evidence to suggest that ACPA status, SJC and PDUS status at baseline may be treatment effect modifiers, but not necessarily that they are prognostic of response for all treatments. Most of the results were subject to considerable uncertainty and were not statistically significant.

LIMITATIONS

The meta-analysis in review 1 was limited by the availability of only a small number of external validation studies. Studies rarely investigated the interaction between predictors and treatment.

SUGGESTED RESEARCH PRIORITIES

Collaborative research (including the use of individual participant data) is needed to further develop and externally validate the clinical prediction models. The clinical prediction models should be validated with respect to individual treatments. Future assessments of treatment by covariate interactions should follow good statistical practice.

CONCLUSIONS

Review 1 - uncertainty remains over the optimal prediction model(s) for use in clinical practice. Review 2 - in general, there was insufficient evidence that the effect of treatment depended on baseline characteristics.

STUDY REGISTRATION

This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42016042402.

FUNDING

The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

Discrete Trajectories of Resolving and Persistent Pain in People With Rheumatoid Arthritis Despite Undergoing Treatment for Inflammation: Results From Three UK Cohorts

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an example of human chronic inflammatory pain. Modern treatments suppress inflammation, yet pain remains a major problem for many people with RA. We hypothesized that discrete RA subgroups might display favorable or unfavorable pain trajectories when receiving treatment, and that baseline characteristics will predict trajectory allocation. Growth mixture modelling was used to identify discrete trajectories of Short Form-36 bodily pain scores during 3 years in 3 RA cohorts (Early RA Network (n = 683), British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register Biologics (n = 7,090) and nonbiologics (n = 1,720) cohorts. Logistic regression compared baseline predictor variables between trajectories. The role of inflammation was examined in a subgroup analysis of people with normal levels of inflammatory markers after 3 years. The mean Short Form-36 bodily pain scores in each cohort improved but remained throughout 3 years of follow-up of >1 standard deviation worse than the UK general population average. Discrete persistent pain (59-79% of cohort participants) and resolving pain (19-27%) trajectories were identified in each cohort. In Early RA Network, a third trajectory displaying persistently low pain (23%) was also identified. In people with normal levels of inflammatory markers after 3 years, 65% were found to follow a persistent pain trajectory. When trajectories were compared, greater disability (adjusted odds ratio = 2.3-2.5 per unit baseline Health Assessment Questionnaire score) and smoking history (adjusted odds ratio = 1.6-1.8) were risk factors for persistent pain trajectories in each cohort. In conclusion, distinct trajectories indicate patient subgroups with very different pain prognosis during treatment for RA. Inflammation does not fully explain the pain trajectories, and noninflammatory factors as well as acute phase response predict which trajectory an individual will follow. Targeted treatments additional to those which suppress inflammation might reduce the long-term burden of arthritis pain. PERSPECTIVE: Immunosuppression decreases inflammation in RA, but pain outcomes are less favorable. Discrete persistent and resolving pain trajectories were identified after treatment, both in early and established RA. Smoking and greater disability at baseline predicted persistent pain. Identifying patient subgroups with a poor pain prognosis could enable adjunctive treatment to improve outcomes.

A Swedish register-based, long-term inception cohort study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis - results of clinical relevance

PURPOSE

At the end of the twentieth century, the outcome of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was shown to be unsatisfactory and new therapeutic strategies were introduced. This initiated a register-based long-term study of early RA, the Better Anti-Rheumatic PharmacOTherapy (BARFOT) study. The aims were to evaluate the disease course and to acquire knowledge for improved care.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

BARFOT is a multicentre observational study of patients with early RA, consecutively included 1992-2006. The patients are followed in daily practice according to a structured protocol for 15 years and data recorded in a web-based register. Also, through linkage of the BARFOT register to national registers we have acquired information on comorbidity and mortality.

RESULTS

In all, 2857 patients have been included and over 80 scientific articles have been published. Phenotypic characteristics at disease onset, i.e. gender, smoking habits and autoantibody profiles have been addressed. The disease course over 15 years was described. Early predictors for persistent disease activity, impaired function, joint damage and co-morbidities have been identified. Treatment strategies have been studied. A randomized sub-study gave strong support for the treatment of recent RA with low-dose prednisolone in combination with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug. Furthermore, the impact of lifestyle factors, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, body weight and physical activity has been addressed.

CONCLUSION

A register-based study like BARFOT has provided a basis for optimal long-term management of patients with RA. In addition, the register has made it possible to perform a diversity of studies of RA addressing various issues of major relevance to the patients.

Sarilumab for Previously-Treated Moderate or Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Evidence Review Group Perspective of a NICE Single Technology Appraisal

As part of its single technology appraisal (STA) process, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) invited the manufacturer (Sanofi Genzyme) of sarilumab (SAR; Kevzara^®) to submit evidence of its clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness for previously treated moderate or severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The School of Health and Related Research Technology Appraisal Group at the University of Sheffield was commissioned to act as the independent Evidence Review Group (ERG). The ERG produced a detailed review of the evidence for the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the technology, based upon the company's submission to NICE. The clinical effectiveness evidence in the company's submission for SAR was based predominantly on five randomised controlled trials comparing the efficacy of SAR against adalimumab, tocilizumab or placebo. The clinical effectiveness review identified no head-to-head evidence on the efficacy of SAR against all the comparators within the scope. Therefore, the company performed three network meta-analyses (NMAs) in two different populations: two in patients who had had an inadequate response to conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (cDMARDs) (one for combination therapies and one for monotherapies) and the other one in patients who had had an inadequate response to tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis). The company's NMAs concluded that SAR in combination with cDMARDs or as monotherapy has a statistically superior efficacy to cDMARDs and a comparable efficacy to most biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) in both populations. The company submitted a Markov model that assessed the cost-effectiveness of SAR from the perspective of the National Health Service (NHS) and Personal Social Services in seven different populations: (1) patients with severe RA who have had an inadequate response to cDMARDs (cDMARD-IR); (2) cDMARD-IR patients with severe RA for whom methotrexate (MTX) is contraindicated or not tolerated; (3) patients with severe RA who have had an inadequate response to a TNFi (TNFi-IR); (4) TNFi-IR patients with severe RA for whom rituximab (RTX) is not an option; (5) TNFi-IR patients with severe RA for whom MTX is contraindicated or not tolerated; (6) TNFi-IR patients after RTX; and (7) cDMARD-IR patients with moderate RA whose 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28) is between 4.0 and 5.1. The company's economic evaluation resulted in incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) lower than £20,000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained for SAR in combination with MTX or as monotherapy versus its comparators when the comparators were less effective, and it resulted in cost savings higher than £60,000 per QALY lost when SAR was less effective, except in TNFi-IR patients who are RTX eligible (where the ICER for SAR + MTX compared with RTX + MTX was £130,691 per QALY gained) and in patients with moderate RA and a DAS28 of > 4.0 (where the ICER of SAR + MTX compared with MTX was £38,254 per QALY gained). Following a critique of the model, the ERG undertook exploratory analyses after applying two changes to the company's model: (1) use of a latent class approach to model Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) progression for patients on cDMARDs; and (2) amendment of the company's modelling of patient progression from moderate to severe RA. The ICERs estimated by the ERG's exploratory analyses for SAR + MTX increased to £171,466 per QALY gained when compared with RTX + MTX in TNFi-IR patients who are RTX eligible, and to £63,438 per QALY gained when compared with MTX in patients with moderate RA and a DAS28 of > 4.0. The Appraisal Committee concluded that SAR in combination with MTX or as monotherapy is a cost-effective use of NHS resources in the considered populations, except in TNFi-IR patients who are RTX eligible and in patients with moderate RA and a DAS28 of > 4.0.

Predictive factors for radiographic progression of large joint damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs): Results of 3 to 4 years of follow-up

Objectives: Little information is available regarding long-term follow-up of radiographic progression of damage (RPD) to large joints during treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs). We evaluated 3- to 4-year follow-up results and the associations between RPD and patient background and Larsen grade (LG) of joints.Methods: Seventy-one RA patients receiving bDMARDs for 3 to 4 years or who achieved bDMARD-free status were included. The mean age and disease duration at the start of bDMARDs were 62.4 years and 10.8 years, respectively. A total of 314 joints, including shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, and ankles, were evaluated to determine whether RPD was present by comparing radiographs before and after treatment.Results: RPD was observed in 24 patients (33.8%) and 34 joints (10.8%). Joints with an LG of III or higher had significantly higher rates of RPD than those with LGs I and II. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that stage and health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) score at 18-months were independent risk factors for RPD (cut-off value: 2.5, odds ratio: 7.222 for stage; cut-off value: 0.9375, odds ratio: 6.278 for HAQ at 18-months).Conclusion: Stage, HAQ at 18-months, and LG at the start of bDMARDs were predictive of RPD after 3 to 4 years. bDMARDs should be started before both stage and LG exceed III and the therapeutic strategy should be determined so that HAQ does not exceed 1.0 during treatment.

Instruments for the functional assessment of elderly persons in palliative care: an integrative review

Abstract Objective: to identify validated instruments that can be used for the functional assessment of elderly persons in Palliative Care. Method: an integrative review focused on identifying instruments for the functional assessment of elderly persons in palliative care was carried out by searching publications in periodicals indexed in seven electronic databases. Descriptors, keywords and Boolean operators were used for a cross-database search in November 2017. A total of 357 abstracts were identified, from which 53 articles were selected for reading, of which 21 met the inclusion criteria. Results: this strategy allowed the identification of eight scales and one test for the functional assessment of elderly persons in palliative care. Conclusion: eight scales and a functional test which also provide guidelines for improving the quality of life of elderly people in palliative care were identified, demonstrating that it is practically impossible to disassociate physical functional performance from social and psychological aspects.

Tofacitinib for Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis After the Failure of Disease-Modifying Anti-rheumatic Drugs: An Evidence Review Group Perspective of a NICE Single Technology Appraisal

As part of its Single Technology Appraisal process, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) invited the manufacturer (Pfizer) of tofacitinib (TOF; Xeljanz^®) to submit evidence of the drug's clinical and cost-effectiveness in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after the failure of conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (cDMARDs). The School of Health and Related Research Technology Appraisal Group at the University of Sheffield was commissioned to act as the independent Evidence Review Group (ERG). The ERG produced a detailed review of the evidence for the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the technology, based upon the company's submission to NICE. The clinical effectiveness evidence in the company's submission for TOF is based predominantly on four randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the efficacy of TOF against placebo. Three RCTs investigated TOF in combination with methotrexate (MTX), and one RCT investigated TOF monotherapy. All four RCTs compared TOF with placebo plus cDMARDs, one RCT also included adalimumab as a comparator. The study population in the four RCTs comprised patients who were MTX inadequate responders or cDMARD inadequate responders (cDMARD-IR). The company performed network meta-analyses (NMA) to assess the relative efficacy of TOF compared with biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs) in patients who were cDMARD-IR or bDMARD-IR with moderate-to-severe RA for European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) response and change in the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index at 6 months. The company's NMA concluded that TOF had comparable efficacy to bDMARDs currently recommended by NICE. The company submitted a de novo model that assessed the cost-effectiveness of TOF versus its comparators in six different populations: (1) cDMARD-IR with severe RA; (2) cDMARD-IR with severe RA for whom MTX is contraindicated or not tolerated; (3) bDMARD-IR; (4) bDMARD-IR for whom rituximab (RTX) is contraindicated or not tolerated; (5) bDMARD-IR for whom MTX is contraindicated or not tolerated; and, (6) cDMARD-IR with moderate RA. According to the company's economic analyses, in cDMARD-IR with severe RA, TOF plus MTX dominates or extendedly dominates most comparators, whilst TOF monotherapy is slightly less effective and less expensive than its comparators, with the cost saved per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) lost always higher than £50,000. In bDMARD-IR with severe RA, RTX plus MTX dominated TOF plus MTX, but in patients for whom RTX was not an option, TOF plus MTX dominated all comparators included in the analysis (four comparators recommended by NICE were not included). In cDMARD-IR with moderate RA, the cost per QALY for TOF in combination with MTX or as monotherapy compared with a sequence of cDMARDs was estimated to be greater than £50,000/QALY. The ERG identified a number of limitations in the company's analyses, including use of a fixed-effects model in the NMA and the use of treatment sequences in the cost-effectiveness model which did not reflect NICE recommendations. These limitations were addressed partly by the company during the clarification round and partly by the ERG. The exploratory analyses undertaken by the ERG resulted in similar conclusions: (1) TOF plus MTX was dominated by RTX plus MTX; (2) TOF in combination with MTX or as monotherapy dominates or extendedly dominates some of its comparators in cDMARD-IR and bDMARD-IR with severe RA for whom RTX plus MTX was not an option; and (3) in cDMARD-IR with moderate RA, the cost per QALY of TOF in combination with MTX or as a monotherapy versus cDMARDs was in excess of £47,000. The NICE Appraisal Committee consequently recommended TOF plus MTX as an option for patients whose disease has responded inadequately to intensive therapy with a combination of cDMARDs only if (1) disease is severe [a Disease Activity Score (DAS28) of more than 5.1] and (2) the company provides TOF with the discount agreed in the Patient Access Scheme (PAS). TOF plus MTX is also recommended as an option for adults whose disease has responded inadequately to, or who cannot have, other DMARDs, including at least one bDMARD, only if (1) disease is severe, (2) they cannot have RTX, and (3) the company provides TOF with the discount agreed in the PAS. For patients who are intolerant of MTX, or where MTX is contraindicated, TOF monotherapy is recommended where TOF plus MTX would be recommended.

Associations between fatigue and physical capacity in people moderately affected by rheumatoid arthritis

To explore the contribution of physical capacity in explaining variations in fatigue among people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study included participants recruited for a physical activity intervention. Data were collected from the Swedish Rheumatology Quality Registers, from questionnaires on fatigue, activity limitation, perceived health, pain and anxiety/depression and from physical capacity tests (lower limb function, grip strength, and aerobic capacity). We used logistic regression to estimate the association between severe fatigue (≥ 50, visual analogue scale 0–100) and (A) independent variables related to disease and disease impact and (B) model A plus physical capacity tests. Pooled odds ratio tests compared model fit. Out of the 269 participants (mean age 60 years, mean disease activity score [DAS28] 2.8), severe fatigue was reported by 35%. The three variables which were statistically significantly associated with severe fatigue (p < 0.05) in both models were perceived health, pain and anxiety/depression. Anxiety/depression demonstrated the largest effect size with odds ratios of 2.43 (95% CI 1.20, 4.94) in model A and 2.58 (95% CI 1.25, 5.32) in model B. The likelihood ratio test indicated that model B was a better fit to the data than model A with Χ² (df 3) = 2.65, p = 0.048. Severe fatigue in people with RA is associated with self-rated health, pain and anxiety/depression rather than with physical capacity. Future studies should be prospective, use multidimensional assessments of fatigue to explore the influence of physical capacity and control for possible influence of comorbidities associated with fatigue.

Prediction of primary non-response to methotrexate therapy using demographic, clinical and psychosocial variables: results from the UK Rheumatoid Arthritis Medication Study (RAMS)

Background

Methotrexate (MTX) remains the disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug of first choice in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but response varies. Predicting non-response to MTX could enable earlier access to alternative or additional medications and control of disease progression. We aimed to identify baseline predictors of non-response to MTX and combine these into a prediction algorithm.

Methods

This study included patients recruited to the Rheumatoid Arthritis Medication Study (RAMS), a UK multi-centre prospective observational study of patients with RA or undifferentiated polyarthritis, commencing MTX for the first time. Non-response to MTX at 6 months was defined as “no response” using the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) response criteria, discontinuation of MTX due to inefficacy or starting biologic therapy. The association of baseline demographic, clinical and psychosocial predictors with non-response was assessed using logistic regression. Predictive performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and calibration plots.

Results

Of 1050 patients, 449 (43%) were classified as non-responders. Independent multivariable predictors of MTX non-response (OR (95% CI)) were rheumatoid factor (RF) negativity (0.62 (0.45, 0.86) for RF positivity versus negativity), higher Health Assessment Questionnaire score (1.64 (1.25, 2.15)), higher tender joint count (1.06 (1.02, 1.10)), lower Disease Activity score in 28 joints (0.29 (0.23, 0.39)) and higher Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale anxiety score (1.07 (1.03, 1.12)). The optimism-corrected AUC was 0.74.

Conclusions

This is the first model for MTX non-response to be developed in a large contemporary study of patients commencing MTX in which demographic, clinical and psychosocial predictors were considered. Patient anxiety was a predictor of non-response and could be addressed at treatment commencement.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13075-018-1645-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Pain, sleep and emotional well-being explain the lack of agreement between physician- and patient-perceived remission in early rheumatoid arthritis

BACKGROUND

Clinical response and remission are defined in multiple ways and measured with different instruments, resulting in substantial variation of the proportion of patients classified as being in remission. Therefore, the agreement between patient-perceived, physician-perceived remission and clinical response and remission definitions was determined in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. And secondly, differences in clinical and patient-reported outcomes, in patients in physician-perceived remission, between patients in and not in self-perceived remission were assessed.

METHODS

In 84 early RA patients, who received methotrexate and glucocorticoids, DAS44, ACR/EULAR Boolean-based remission, EULAR good and ACR70 response were determined after 12 weeks. Agreement between patient-perceived (phrased: "Would you say that, at this moment, your disease activity is as good as gone?"), physician-perceived remission (based on a visual analogue scale for global disease severity) and clinical response and remission definitions were calculated with the percentage of agreement and with kappa values (which corrects for change). In patients in physician-perceived remission, improvement in clinical and patient-reported outcomes (RAID) were compared between patients in and not in self-perceived remission.

RESULTS

Agreement between the assessed outcome measures differed enormously. The agreement between physician-perceived and patient-perceived remission was 64% (kappa 0.25, p < 0.01). Physician-perceived remission had the best agreement with EULAR good response (79%), and patient-perceived remission with EULAR good and ACR70 response (both 69%). Patients not in self-perceived remission improved less on RAID components, especially on pain, sleep and emotional well-being.

CONCLUSION

One-third of the early RA patients disagreed with the physician on being in remission. Those patients had less improvement on RAID components, especially on pain, sleep and emotional well-being. Together with the variability in clinical response and remission definitions, these results highlight the need to increase patient involvement in their own health care decisions.

Factors contributing to disability in rheumatoid arthritis patients: An Egyptian multicenter study

OBJECTIVE

Minimizing disability and enhancing physical function to its optimal levels is still a challenge in management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim is to identify factors leading to disability in RA.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional Egyptian multicenter study carried out on 215 RA patients attending to our inpatient and outpatient rheumatology clinics during 4 months starting from April to July 2017 who agreed to participate in the study; 170 patients were from Cairo University hospitals and 45 from Zagazig University hospitals. We recorded a number of possible risk factors including demographic, clinical, serological and therapeutic factors. The assessment of patients' disability was done using Modified HAQ (MHAQ).

RESULTS

A significant positive correlation was found between MHAQ and different markers of activity in addition to age and depression score (P<0.001). Illiteracy accounted for higher MHAQ scores (P=0.001). A higher MHAQ was found in patients with ischemic heart disease (P<0.05). Patients with erosions on X-rays had significantly higher MHAQ scores. Subluxations also accounted for higher MHAQ scores (P=0.000).

CONCLUSION

Aging, illiteracy, disease activity, erosions, subluxations, depression and ischemic heart disease were all related to higher disability. Good control of disease activity which in turn reduces erosions and subluxations is mandatory. Screening for depression and proper use of anti-depressants is of great value. Proper screening and prophylaxis is recommended against ischemic heart disease by controlling modifiable risk factors like obesity, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, smoking and sedentary lifestyle.

General and disease-specific pain trajectories as predictors of social and political outcomes in arthritis and cancer

BACKGROUND

While the heterogeniety of pain progression has been studied in chronic diseases, the extent to which patterns of pain progression among people in general as well as across different diseases affect social, civic and political engagement is unclear. We explore these issues for the first time.

METHODS

Using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, latent class growth models were used to estimate trajectories of self-reported pain in the entire cohort, and within subsamples reporting diagnoses of arthritis and cancer. These were compared at baseline on physical health (e.g. body mass index, smoking) and over time on social, civic and political engagement.

RESULTS

Very similar four-trajectory models fit the whole sample and arthritis subsamples, whereas a three-trajectory model fit the cancer subsample. All samples had a modal group experiencing minimal chronic pain and a group with high chronic pain that showed slight regression (more pronounced in cancer). Biometric indices were more predictive of the most painful trajectory in arthritis than cancer. In both samples the group experiencing the most pain at baseline reported impairments in social, civic and political engagement.

CONCLUSIONS

The impact of pain differs between individuals and between diseases. Indicators of physical and psychological health differently predicted membership of the trajectories most affected by pain. These trajectories were associated with differences in engagement with social and civic life, which in turn were associated with poorer health and well-being.

Baseline patient reported outcomes are more consistent predictors of long-term functional disability than laboratory, imaging or joint count data in patients with early inflammatory arthritis: A systematic review

Objective

To assess baseline predictors of long-term functional disability in patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA).

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of the literature from 1990 to 2017 using MEDLINE and EMBASE. Studies were included if (i) they were prospective observational studies, (ii) all patients had IA with symptom duration ≤2 years at baseline, (iii) follow-up was at least 5 years, and (iv) baseline predictors of HAQ score at long-term follow-up (i.e., ≥5 years following baseline) were assessed. Information on the included studies and estimates of the association between baseline variables and long-term HAQ scores were extracted from the full manuscripts.

Results

Of 1037 abstracts identified by the search strategy, 37 met the inclusion/exclusion criteria and were included in the review. Older age at baseline and female gender were reported to be associated with higher long-term HAQ scores in the majority of studies assessing these relationships, as were higher baseline HAQ and greater pain scores (total patients included in analyses reporting significant associations/total number of patients analysed: age 9.8k/10.7k (91.6%); gender 9.9k/11.3k (87.4%); HAQ 4.0k/4.0k (99.0%); pain 2.8k/2.9k (93.6%)). Tender joint count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and DAS28 were also reported to predict long-term HAQ score; other disease activity measures were less consistent (tender joints 2.1k/2.5k (84.5%); erythrocyte sedimentation rate 1.6k/2.2k (72.3%); DAS28 888/1.1k (79.2%); swollen joints 684/2.6k (26.6%); C-reactive protein 279/510 (54.7%)). Rheumatoid factor (RF) and erosions were not useful predictors (RF 546/4.6k (11.9%); erosions 191/2.7k (7.0%)), whereas the results for anti-citrullinated protein antibody positivity were equivocal (ACPA 2.0k/3.8k (52.9%)).

Conclusions

Baseline age, gender, HAQ and pain scores are associated with long-term disability and knowledge of these may aid the assessment of prognosis.

Effect of Fatigue, Older Age, Higher Body Mass Index, and Female Sex on Disability in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Treatment-to-Target Era

OBJECTIVE

To compare disease activity and disability over 2 years in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) before and after implementation of treat-to-target therapy and identify predictors of adverse outcome.

METHODS

The Yorkshire Early Arthritis Register (YEAR) recruited 725 patients with early RA between 2002 and 2009, treated with a step-up approach. The Inflammatory Arthritis Continuum study (IACON) recruited cases between 2010 and 2014 and treated to target. A total of 384 IACON cases met 2010 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism criteria. Latent growth curves of change in Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28) and the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) were compared between YEAR and IACON. Latent class growth analysis identified trajectories of change. Baseline predictors of trajectories were identified using logistic regression.

RESULTS

The mean DAS28 over 2 years was lower in IACON than in YEAR. Latent trajectories of HAQ change in YEAR were high stable (21% of cohort), moderate reducing (35%), and low reducing (44%). Only moderate reducing (66%) and low reducing (34%) were seen in IACON. In both cohorts, female sex and fatigue predicted adverse HAQ trajectories (high stable and moderate reducing). Odds ratios (ORs) for moderate reducing compared to low reducing for women were 2.58 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.69, 4.49) in YEAR and 5.81 (95% CI 2.44, 14.29) in IACON. ORs per centimeter fatigue visual analog score were 1.13 (95% CI 1.07, 1.20) in YEAR and 1.16 (95% CI 1.12, 1.20) in IACON.

CONCLUSION

Treat-to-target therapy gave more favorable trajectories of change in DAS28 and HAQ, but adverse HAQ trajectory was more likely in women with greater fatigue, suggesting such patients would benefit from interventions to improve function as well as reduce inflammation.

Latent classes of resilience and psychological response among only-child loss parents in China

Only-child loss parents in China recently gained extensive attention as a newly defined social group. Resilience could be a probable solution out of the psychological dilemma. Using a sample of 185 only-child loss people, this study employed latent class analysis (a) to explore whether different classes of resilience could be identified, (b) to determine socio-demographic characteristics of each class, and (c) to compare the depression and the subjective well-being of each class. The results supported a three-class solution, defined as 'high tenacity-strength but moderate optimism class', 'moderate resilience but low self-efficacy class' and 'low tenacity but moderate adaption-dependence class'. Parents with low income and medical insurance of low reimbursement type and without endowment insurance occupied more proportions in the latter two classes. The latter two classes also had a significant higher depression scores and lower subjective well-being scores than high tenacity-strength but moderate optimism class. Future work should care those socio-economically vulnerable bereaved parents, and an elastic economic assistance policy was needed. To develop targeted resilience interventions, the emphasis of high tenacity-strength but moderate optimism class should be the optimism. Moderate resilience but low self-efficacy class should be self-efficacy, and low tenacity but moderate adaption-dependence class should be tenacity.

Functional limitations in the phase of clinically suspect arthralgia are as serious as in early clinical arthritis; a longitudinal study

Introduction

A phase of arthralgia may precede the emergence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Although several studies have focused on biomarkers, the relevance of this phase for patients is less studied. It is unknown if patients already have functional limitations and if this is correlated to the extent of subclinical inflammation. Therefore, we assessed functional disability in patients with clinically suspect arthralgia (CSA), its association with MRI-detected subclinical inflammation and its course during progression to clinical arthritis.

Methods

From April 2012 to March 2015, 241 patients had arthralgia for <1 year and were, based on clinical presentation, considered at risk for RA by their rheumatologists. At baseline, Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) scores were determined and unilateral 1.5 T MRI of metacarpophalangeal, wrist and metatarsophalangeal joints were made. Presence of MRI-detected subclinical inflammation was assessed by summing synovitis, tenosynovitis and bone marrow oedema scores (range 0–189). Patients were followed on arthritis development and HAQ scores were repeated when clinical arthritis had developed.

Results

The median HAQ score at presentation with CSA was 0.50. Higher MRI-inflammation scores were associated with higher HAQ scores (β=0.017, 95% CI=0.004 to 0.030). During median 103 weeks follow-up, 44 patients progressed to clinical arthritis. HAQ scores ≥1.0 were associated with arthritis development (HR=2.50, 95% CI=1.03 to 6.10). Within converters, median HAQ scores did not increase from presentation with CSA to arthritis development (0.88 and 0.75, p=0.36).

Conclusions

HAQ scores ≥1.0 at presentation were associated with the development of clinical arthritis. Functional limitations in the prearthritis phase of CSA were as serious as in the early clinical phase, demonstrating the relevance of CSA from patients’ perspectives.

Quality of life and functional capacity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis - Cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the Health related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and physical function in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and compare it with the general population. We also intended to analyze about disease activity influence in HRQoL and functional capacity, as well as determine potential determinants for these outcomes.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in RA patients from a university hospital of Portugal. We obtained Short Form 36, EuroQoL 5D, health assessment questionnaire, visual analog scale for pain and patient's assessment of disease activity. Comparisons between SF-36 and EQ-5D values with our population reference values were conducted using the Mann-Whitney test. Data were compared in different levels of disease activity, using Kruskal Wallis test and Fisher's exact test. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify the potential determinants of outcomes.

RESULTS

RA sample showed significantly lower values than the portuguese general population on physical summary measure of SF-36 (median=32 vs. 50, p<0.001) and EQ-5D (median=0.620 vs. 0.758 respectively; p<0.001). Lower disease activity levels had better PROs and this was true even when compared patients achieving remission with those in low disease activity. The HAQ (r²=67%), VAS-P (r²=62%) and VAS-DA (r²=58%) were the variables that strongly related to SF-36. Considering HAQ, the strongest relation was found with VAS-P, VAS-DA and age (r²=60%, 61% and 33%, respectively). Multiple regression analysis identified HAQ, VAS-P and educational status as determinants of the HRQoL; age, female gender, employment, VAS-P and VAS-DA as determinants of physical function.

CONCLUSION

Impairment of HRQoL in RA patients is enormous. We found significant differences between different levels of disease activity, showing higher HRQoL and functional capacity at lower disease activity levels.

Health assessment questionnaire-disability index (HAQ-DI) score at the start of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARD) therapy is associated with radiographic progression of large joint damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVES

Radiographic progression of damage (RPD) to large joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has not been fully studied. We previously demonstrated that Larsen grade of the large joints was associated with RPD of large joints in patients treated with biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs); however, no factors associated with background characteristics of patients were identified.

METHODS

A total of 400 large joints in the upper and lower extremities, including the shoulder, elbow, knee, and ankle, of 88 patients with RA treated with bDMARDs for 1-3 years were investigated. Radiographs of tender and/or swollen large joints were acquired at least twice during the study period (mean, 16.4 months), and the RPD was evaluated.

RESULTS

A multivariate analysis revealed that health assessment questionnaire-disability index (HAQ-DI) score at the start of bDMARD treatment was associated with RPD. The cutoff value that discriminated progression from non-progression, determined by a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, was 1.4375 (sensitivity: 0.778, specificity: 0.894).

CONCLUSIONS

HAQ-DI score at the start of bDMARD treatment was associated with RPD to large joints during a therapeutic period of 1-3 years. Progressive damage is expected to increase when functional disability exceeds an HAQ-DI score of 1.5.

Discordant inflammation and pain in early and established rheumatoid arthritis: Latent Class Analysis of Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Network and British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register data

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity is often measured using the 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28). We aimed to identify and independently verify subgroups of people with RA that may be discordant with respect to self-reported and objective disease state, with potentially different clinical needs.

Methods

Data were derived from three cohorts: (1) the Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Network (ERAN) and the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register (BSRBR), (2) those commencing tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitors and (3) those using non-biologic drugs. In latent class analysis, we used variables related to pain, central pain mechanisms or inflammation (pain, vitality, mental health, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, swollen joint count, tender joint count, visual analogue scale of general health). Clinically relevant outcomes were examined.

Results

Five, four and four latent classes were found in the ERAN, BSRBR TNF inhibitor and non-biologic cohorts, respectively. The proportions of people assigned with >80% probability into latent classes were 76%, 58% and 72% in the ERAN, TNF inhibitor and non-biologic cohorts, respectively. The latent classes displayed either concordance between measures indicative of mild, moderate or severe disease activity; discordantly worse patient-reported measures despite less markedly elevated inflammation; or discordantly less severe patient-reported measures despite elevated inflammation. Latent classes with discordantly worse patient-reported measures represented 12%, 40% and 21% of the ERAN, TNF inhibitor and non-biologic cohorts, respectively; contained more females; and showed worse function. In those latent classes with worse scores at baseline, DAS28 and function improved over 1 year (p < 0.001 for all comparisons), and scores differed less at follow-up than at baseline.

Conclusions

Discordant latent classes can be identified in people with RA, and these findings are robust across three cohorts with varying disease duration and activity. These findings could be used to identify a sizeable subgroup of people with RA who might gain added benefit from pain management strategies.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13075-016-1186-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.