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Kjørholt KE, Sundlisæter NP, Aga AB, Sexton J, Olsen IC, Fremstad H, Spada C, Madland TM, Høili CA, Bakland G, Lexberg Å, Hansen IJW, Hansen IM, Haukeland H, Ljoså MKA, Moholt E, Uhlig T, Kvien TK, Solomon DH, van der Heijde D, Haavardsholm EA, Lillegraven S. Effects of tapering conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs to drug-free remission versus stable treatment in rheumatoid arthritis (ARCTIC REWIND): 3-year results from an open-label, randomised controlled, non-inferiority trial. THE LANCET. RHEUMATOLOGY 2024; 6:e268-e278. [PMID: 38583450 DOI: 10.1016/s2665-9913(24)00021-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tapering of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) to drug-free remission is an attractive treatment goal for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, although long-term effects of tapering and withdrawal remain unclear. We compared 3-year risks of flare between three conventional synthetic DMARD treatment strategies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in sustained remission. METHODS In this open-label, randomised controlled, non-inferiority trial, we enrolled patients aged 18-80 years with rheumatoid arthritis who had been in sustained remission for at least 1 year on stable conventional synthetic DMARD therapy. Patients from ten hospitals in Norway were randomly assigned (2:1:1) with centre stratification to receive stable conventional synthetic DMARDs, half-dose conventional synthetic DMARDs, or half-dose conventional synthetic DMARDs for 1 year followed by withdrawal of all conventional synthetic DMARDs. The primary endpoint of this part of the study was disease flare over 3 years, analysed as flare-free survival and risk difference in the per-protocol population with a non-inferiority margin of 20%. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01881308) and is completed. FINDINGS Between June 17, 2013, and June 18, 2018, 160 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive stable-dose conventional synthetic DMARDs (n=80), half-dose conventional synthetic DMARDs (n=42), or half-dose conventional synthetic DMARDs tapering to withdrawal (n=38). Four patients did not receive the intervention and 156 patients received the allocated treatment strategy. One patient was excluded due to major protocol violation and 155 patients were included in the per-protocol analysis. 104 (67%) of 156 patients were women and 52 (33%) were men. 139 patients completed 3-years follow-up without major protocol violation; 68 (87%) of 78 patients in the stable-dose group, 36 (88%) of 41 patients in the half-dose group and 35 (95%) of 37 patients in the half-dose tapering to withdrawal group. During the 3-year study period, 80% (95% CI 69-88%) were flare-free in the stable-dose group, compared with 57% (41-71%) in the half-dose group and 38% (22-53%) in the half-dose tapering to withdrawal group. Compared with stable-dose conventional synthetic DMARDs, the risk difference of flare was 23% (95% CI 6-41%, p=0·010) in the half-dose group and 40% (22-58%, p<0·0001) in the half-dose tapering to withdrawal group, non-inferiority was therefore not shown. Adverse events were reported in 65 (83%) of 78 patients in the stable-dose group, 36 (90%) of 40 patients in the half-dose group, and 36 (97%) of 37 patients in the half-dose tapering to withdrawal group. One death occurred in the stable-dose conventional synthetic DMARD group (sudden death considered unlikely related to the study medication). INTERPRETATION Two conventional synthetic DMARD tapering strategies were associated with significantly lower rates of flare-free survival compared with stable conventional synthetic DMARD treatment, and the data do not support non-inferiority. However, drug-free remission was achiveable for a significant subgroup of patients. This trial provides information on risk and benefits of different treatment strategies important for shared decision making. FUNDING Research Council of Norway and South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaja E Kjørholt
- Center for treatment of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Nina Paulshus Sundlisæter
- Center for treatment of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anna-Birgitte Aga
- Center for treatment of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Joseph Sexton
- Center for treatment of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Inge C Olsen
- Clinical Trial Unit, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hallvard Fremstad
- Department of Rheumatology, Møre og Romsdal Hospital Trust, Ålesund, Norway
| | - Cristina Spada
- Department of Rheumatology, Rheumatism Hospital AS, Lillehammer, Norway
| | - Tor Magne Madland
- Department of Rheumatology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Gunnstein Bakland
- Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Science, UiT The Arctic University, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Åse Lexberg
- Department of Rheumatology, Drammen Hospital, Vestre Viken HF, Drammen, Norway
| | | | - Inger Myrnes Hansen
- Department of Rheumatology, Helgelandssykehuset Mo i Rana, Mo i Rana, Norway
| | - Hilde Haukeland
- Department of Rheumatology, Martina Hansens Hospital, Bærum, Norway
| | | | - Ellen Moholt
- Center for treatment of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Till Uhlig
- Center for treatment of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tore K Kvien
- Center for treatment of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Daniel H Solomon
- Division of Rheumatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Désirée van der Heijde
- Center for treatment of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Espen A Haavardsholm
- Center for treatment of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Siri Lillegraven
- Center for treatment of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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Contreras-Yáñez I, Guaracha-Basáñez GA, Cuevas-Montoya M, de Jesús Hernández-Bautista J, Pascual-Ramos V. Early persistence on therapy impacts drug-free remission: a case-control study in a cohort of Hispanic patients with recent-onset rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Res Ther 2022; 24:193. [PMID: 35962421 PMCID: PMC9373313 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-022-02884-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Medication adherence is suboptimal in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and impacts outcomes. DMARD-free remission (DFR) is a sustainable and achievable outcome in a minority of RA patients. Different factors have been associated with DFR, although persistence in therapy (PT), a component of the adherence construct, has never been examined. The study’s primary aim was to investigate the impact of PT’s characteristics on DFR in a cohort of Hispanic patients with recent-onset RA. Methods A single data abstractor reviewed the charts from 209 early (symptoms duration ≤ 1 year) RA patients. All the patients had prospective assessments of disease activity and PT and at least 1 year of follow-up, which was required for the DFR definition. DFR was defined when patients achieved ≥ 1 year of continuous Disease Activity Score-28 joints evaluated ≤ 2.6, without DMARDs and corticosteroids. PT was defined based on pre-specified criteria and recorded through an interview from 2004 to 2008 and thereafter through a questionnaire. Cases (patients who achieved ≥ 1 DFR status) were paired with controls (patients who never achieved DFR during their entire follow-up) according to ten relevant variables (1:2). Cox regression analysis estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for DFR according to two characteristics of PT: the % of the patient follow-up PT and early PT (first 2 years of patients’ follow-up). Results In March 2022, the population had 112 (55–181) patient/years follow-up. There were 23 patients (11%) with DFR after 74 months (44–122) of follow-up, and the DFR status was maintained during 48 months (18–82). Early PT was associated with DFR, while the % of the patient follow-up PT was not: HR = 3.84 [1.13–13.07] when the model was adjusted for cumulative N of DMARDs/patient and 3.16 [1.14–8.77] when also adjusted for baseline SF-36 physical component score. A lower N of cumulative DMARDs/patient was also retained in the models. Receiving operating curve to define the best cutoff of patient follow-up being PT to predict DFR was 21 months: sensitivity of 0.739, specificity of 0.717, and area under the curve of 0.682 (0.544–0.821). Conclusions DFR status might be added to the benefits of adhering to prescribed treatment. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13075-022-02884-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irazú Contreras-Yáñez
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador-Zubirán (INCMyN-SZ), Vasco de Quiroga 15, colonia Belisario Domínguez Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Guillermo Arturo Guaracha-Basáñez
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador-Zubirán (INCMyN-SZ), Vasco de Quiroga 15, colonia Belisario Domínguez Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080, Mexico City, Mexico.,Emergency Medicine Department, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador-Zubirán (INCMyN-SZ), Vasco de Quiroga 15, colonia Belisario Domínguez Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Maximiliano Cuevas-Montoya
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador-Zubirán (INCMyN-SZ), Vasco de Quiroga 15, colonia Belisario Domínguez Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - José de Jesús Hernández-Bautista
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador-Zubirán (INCMyN-SZ), Vasco de Quiroga 15, colonia Belisario Domínguez Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Virginia Pascual-Ramos
- Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador-Zubirán (INCMyN-SZ), Vasco de Quiroga 15, colonia Belisario Domínguez Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080, Mexico City, Mexico.
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Bozzalla-Cassione E, Grignaschi S, Xoxi B, Luvaro T, Greco MI, Mazzucchelli I, Bugatti S, Montecucco C, Manzo A. Insights Into the Concept of Rheumatoid Arthritis Flare. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:852220. [PMID: 35372374 PMCID: PMC8968115 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.852220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Identification of a pathological change in the course of systemic chronic immune-inflammatory diseases is key to delivering effective treatment strategies. In this context, one of the most compelling issues is the concept of flare. The multifaceted expression of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) makes it challenging to provide an omni-comprehensive definition of flare, encompassing the pathology's different objective and subjective domains. Our incomplete understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this process contributes to the partial comprehension of its potential clinical expression. This review focuses on the proposed pathophysiological processes underlying disease recrudescence in RA and the variable definitions adopted to capture flare in clinical practice through its objective, subjective, and temporal domains. Overall, what emerges is a complex landscape far from being unraveled.
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Defining the Optimal Strategies for Achieving Drug-Free Remission in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Narrative Review. Healthcare (Basel) 2021; 9:healthcare9121726. [PMID: 34946453 PMCID: PMC8701994 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9121726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: It is now accepted that the optimum treatment goal for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is sustained remission, as this has been shown to be associated with the best patient outcomes. There is little guidance on how to manage patients once remission is achieved; however, it is recommended that patients can taper therapy, with a view to discontinuing and achieving drug-free remission if treatment goals are maintained. This narrative review aims to present the current literature on drug-free remission in rheumatoid arthritis, with a view to identifying which strategies are best for disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) tapering and to highlight areas of unmet clinical need. Methods: We performed a narrative review of the literature, which included research articles, meta-analyses and review papers. The key search terms included were rheumatoid arthritis, remission, drug-free remission, b-DMARDS/biologics, cs-DMARDS and tapering. The databases that were searched included PubMed and Google Scholar. For each article, the reference section of the paper was reviewed to find additional relevant articles. Results: It has been demonstrated that DFR is possible in a proportion of RA patients achieving clinically defined remission (both on cs and b-DMARDS). Immunological, imaging and clinical associations with/predictors of DFR have all been identified, including the presence of autoantibodies, absence of Power Doppler (PD) signal on ultrasound (US), lower disease activity according to composite scores of disease activity and lower patient-reported outcome scores (PROs) at treatment cessation. Conclusions: DFR in RA may be an achievable goal in certain patients. This carries importance in reducing medication-induced side-effects and potential toxicity, the burden of taking treatment if not required and cost effectiveness, specifically for biologic therapy. Prospective studies of objective biomarkers will help facilitate the prediction of successful treatment discontinuation.
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