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Kakehasi AM, Duarte ALBP, Brenol CV, Domiciano DS, Laurindo IMM, Bonfiglioli KR, da Mota LMH, Buch MH, de Almeida Macêdo E, Xavier RM. Challenges in implementing treat-to-target in rheumatoid arthritis: a perspective from Brazilian rheumatologists. Adv Rheumatol 2024; 64:63. [PMID: 39187901 DOI: 10.1186/s42358-024-00403-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patient management in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has evolved to a "treat-to-target" (T2T) approach, which entails intensive treatment and regular follow-up with the goal of achieving low levels of disease activity or clinical remission. Even though a T2T approach is endorsed by professional organizations and yields superior outcomes, its implementation remains incomplete. EVEREST (EleVatE care in RhEumatoid arthritiS with Treat-to-target) is a quality-improvement initiative designed to improve the widespread implementation of a personalized T2T strategy and enable patients with RA to reach their full potential for remission. We describe the Brazilian results from the Global T2T Survey, first part of the EVEREST program. METHODS Between June and September 2022, we conducted an online survey targeting rheumatologists in Brazil. Our objective was to evaluate the barriers and knowledge gaps hindering the effective implementation of T2T strategies. To achieve this, we employed a set of multiple-choice questions specifically crafted to elicit responses categorized in a structured order. RESULTS 166 rheumatologists participated in the survey, 51% of them with more than 21 years of experience in rheumatology. Regarding the perceived challenges in the management of RA in clinical practice, the highest percentage of agreement/strong agreement among the participants was related to the contradictory results of disease activity measures (60%). In terms of the main barriers to assess the disease activity in clinical practice, the lack of adherence to treatment and contradictory assessments between patient-reported outcomes and composite measures were indicated by 75% and 59% of the participants, respectively, as a moderate/serious barrier. The most frequently knowledge and skill gaps related to the management of RA pointed out by the participants were on the difficulty to assess patients' health literacy (54% stated to have no more than intermediate knowledge on standardized methods to assess it and 43% no more than intermediate skills on determining the level of health literacy of the patients). In general, the use of tools to support the management of RA patients in clinical practice was indicated to be unusual by the participants. Self-reflection questionnaires, patient education materials and treatment consideration checklists were pointed out as the least frequently used tools (85%, 64% and 62% of the participants stated to use them never, rarely, or only sometimes, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate a greater need for design, selection, and uptake of practical strategies to further improve communication between healthcare providers and patients with RA, as well as for promoting well-informed, collaborative decision-making in their care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Maria Kakehasi
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Alfredo Balena, 190, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Maya H Buch
- NIHR Leeds Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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Huang Y, Li J, Agarwal SK. Economic and Humanistic Burden of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results From the US National Survey Data 2018-2020. ACR Open Rheumatol 2024. [PMID: 39105293 DOI: 10.1002/acr2.11728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Our objective was to estimate the economic and humanistic burden among US adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS This study analyzed results from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from 2018 to 2020. Adults (aged ≥18 years) self-reporting with RA or with the presence of the International Classification of Disease, 10th Revision clinical modification codes were identified. Healthcare expenditures (inpatient care, outpatient care, emergency department, office visits, prescription medications, home health, and others) were measured. The Short Form 12 Health Survey physical component summary (PCS), mental component summary (MCS), activities of daily living (ADL), and instrumental ADL (IADL) were measured. Two-part models assessed the incremental increase in the health care expenditures for the RA group compared to the non-RA group. In addition, the multivariable linear regression was used to evaluate the marginal difference in PCS and MCS between those with RA and those without RA, whereas the multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between ADL and IADL by RA status. RESULTS Annually, 4.27 million adults with RA were identified. The two-part model showed significantly higher total annual healthcare expenditures in the RA group than non-RA group (mean $3,382.971 [95% confidence interval (CI) $1,816.50-$4,949.44]). Compared to the non-RA group, the RA group was associated with lower PCS scores (mean 4.78 [95% CI 3.47-6.09]) and similarly lower MCS scores (mean -0.84 [95% CI -2.18 to 0.50]), as well as increased odds of requesting ADL (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.02 [95% CI 1.59-2.56]) and IADL assistance (aOR 2.11 [95% CI 1.57-2.84]). CONCLUSION RA was associated with higher health care expenditures, particularly prescription medication costs, and was associated with suboptimal quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinan Huang
- School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi
| | - Jieni Li
- College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
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3
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Doumen M, Diricks L, Hermans J, Bertrand D, De Meyst E, Westhovens R, Verschueren P. Definitions of rheumatoid arthritis flare and how they relate to patients' perspectives: A scoping review of qualitative and quantitative evidence. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2024; 67:152481. [PMID: 38815403 DOI: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2024.152481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by intermittent flares of disease activity with a significant impact on patients' lives. However, distinguishing flare from daily symptom variation may be approached differently by patients and healthcare providers, potentially hampering shared decision-making when treating RA. OBJECTIVES To provide a comprehensive overview of RA flare definitions reported in the published literature, and to compare these with patients' perceptions of the flare concept according to qualitative evidence. METHODS A systematic search was conducted on August 30th, 2022, and updated on September 30th, 2023, for both quantitative and qualitative studies reporting "flare" or related terms in the context of RA. We searched the following databases: Pubmed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL. Definitions of RA flare reported in quantitative studies were summarized descriptively. In parallel, a thematic synthesis of qualitative studies was performed to outline patients' views on the concept of flare, and to compare these with the currently used definitions. RESULTS Among 32,864 potentially eligible records, 304 studies were included, 5 of which used qualitative/mixed methods to study patients' perceptions of flare. Remarkably, 62 different definitions for RA flare were reported, with many studies reporting more than one. The most commonly used definitions (54 %) were based on disease activity indices, with DAS28-based definitions the most widely applied (84 %). For each of the disease activity indices, several different cutoffs to define flares were used. Various definitions based on physician report were applied in 24 % of cases, while patient-reported criteria represented only 15 % of the applied definitions. Thematic synthesis of the qualitative/mixed-methods studies highlighted the multidimensional impact of flares on patients' lives, resulting in five sequential overarching themes: "Living with RA: a balancing act", "Flare: a disturbance of this balance", "The biopsychosocial impact of flares", "Self-management: the first line of defense", and "Medical help: the last resort". In turn, these five themes were underpinned by a central theme of "Uncertainty and variability". CONCLUSION We found a striking heterogeneity regarding the conceptualization and measurement of RA flare in the published literature. Although qualitative evidence highlighted the considerable impact of flares on patients' wellbeing, the majority of reported flare definitions were not based on patient report. There is a need to bridge this gap by aligning patients' and healthcare professionals' views on what distinguishes a flare from acceptable symptom variability when living with RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaël Doumen
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Centre, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Lotte Diricks
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Centre, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joppe Hermans
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Centre, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Delphine Bertrand
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Centre, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Elias De Meyst
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Centre, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - René Westhovens
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Centre, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Patrick Verschueren
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Centre, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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4
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Edgerton C, Frick A, Helfgott S, Huston KK, Singh JA, Zueger P, Anyanwu SI, Patel P, Soloman N. Real-World Treatment and Care Patterns in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis Initiating First-Line Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor Therapy in the United States. ACR Open Rheumatol 2024; 6:179-188. [PMID: 38221639 PMCID: PMC11016569 DOI: 10.1002/acr2.11646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Treatment guidelines for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) recommend targeting low disease activity or remission and switching therapies for patients not reaching those targets. We evaluated real-world use of disease activity measures, treatment discontinuation, and switching patterns among patients with RA initiating a first-line tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi). METHODS Data from adult patients with RA initiating a first-line TNFi were collected from the American Rheumatology Network (January 2014-August 2021). The proportion of patients with recorded disease activity scores (Clinical Disease Activity Index [CDAI] or Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 [RAPID3]) at TNFi initiation was assessed. Among patients with moderate or severe RA at TNFi initiation, reasons for discontinuation and subsequent advanced therapy were evaluated. RESULTS Among TNFi initiators (n = 15,182), 44.8% recorded a CDAI/RAPID3 score at treatment initiation; of those who did not, 47.0% had recorded a tender and/or swollen joint count or pain score. Among patients with moderate or severe RA (n = 1,651), 52% discontinued their initial TNFi during follow-up, of which 15%, 46%, 28%, and 12% initiated the same TNFi, another TNFi, a non-TNFi biologic, or a Janus kinase inhibitor, respectively. The proportion of patients restarting the same TNFi or initiating another TNFi varied according to TNFi discontinuation reason. CONCLUSION In clinical practice, over half of patients with RA initiating a first-line TNFi did not have baseline disease activity assessments. Many patients cycled through TNFi despite citing lack of efficacy as the most common reason for discontinuation. Consistent, objective monitoring of treatment response and timely switch to effective therapy is needed in patients with RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Edgerton
- Articularis Healthcare Group and American Rheumatology NetworkCharlestonSouth Carolina
| | | | | | | | - Jasvinder A. Singh
- University of Alabama at Birmingham and Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center
| | | | | | | | - Nehad Soloman
- Arizona Arthritis and Rheumatology AssociatesPhoenixArizona
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Avagimyan A, Fogacci F, Pogosova N, Kakturskiy L, Jndoyan Z, Faggiano A, Bairamyan T, Agati L, Sattar Y, Mkrchyan L, Avetisyan G, Ginosyan K, Aznauryan A, Sahakyan K, Trofimenko A, Urazova O, Mikhaleva L, Vandysheva R, Kogan E, Demura T, Kc M, Shafie D, Nicola S, Brussino L, Cicero A, Biondi-Zoccai G, Sarrafzadegan N. Methotrexate & rheumatoid arthritis associated atherosclerosis: A narrative review of multidisciplinary approach for risk modification by the international board of experts. Curr Probl Cardiol 2024; 49:102230. [PMID: 38040221 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2023.102230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an idiopathic, autoimmune connective tissue disorder that primarily affects the synovial joints, causing symmetric, erosive-deforming polyarthritis. It is also associated with extra-articular manifestations, particularly cardiovascular (CV) diseases (CVD). CV risk modification in RA remains unsolved despite recent advances in the management of RA. RA is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. RA and atherosclerosis share similar pathophysiological features (such as the pro-inflammatory cascade activation including interleukin-6) and risk factors (such as microflora dysbacteriosis and smoking). Patients with RA experience an exacerbation of atherogenesis, with atheromas destabilization, endothelial dysfunction, vasculitis, and hypercytokinemia. Consequently, the inflammatory response associated with RA is the basis for CVD development. The treat-to-target strategy not only improved RA control but also had a favorable effect on the morpho-functional state of the CV system in patients living with RA. Thus, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) - in particular methotrexate - may have a beneficial effect on the prevention of CV events in RA. It must be mentioned that RA is a serious multi-system disease, not only because of a window period during which the course of RA can be reversed, but also due to early damage to the heart and blood vessels. For this reason, a thorough cardiological assessment must be performed for all patients with RA, regardless of sex, age, disease stage, and disease activity score.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashot Avagimyan
- MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomical Pathology and Clinical Morphology, Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia.
| | - Federica Fogacci
- MD, Research Fellow, Atherosclerosis and Metabolic Disorders Research Unit, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Nana Pogosova
- MD, PhD, Professor, Head of Laboratory of Preventive Cardiology, Deputy Director for Science and Preventive Cardiology, National Medical Research Center of Cardiology named after academician E. Chazov, Moscow, Russia
| | - Lev Kakturskiy
- MD, Ph.D, Scientific Director, A. P. Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Petrovskiy NRCS, Moscow, Russia
| | - Zinaida Jndoyan
- MD, PhD, Head of Internal Diseases Propaedeutic Department, Head of Internal Medicine Unit of University Clinical Hospital, Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Andrea Faggiano
- MD, PhD, Department of Cardio-Thoracic-Vascular Diseases, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Italy; Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milano, Italy
| | - Tamara Bairamyan
- MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Rheumatology, Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Luciano Agati
- MD, PhD, Head of Cardiology Unit Aziendo Umberto II, Department of Cardiology, La Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Yasar Sattar
- MD, Department of Cardiology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Lusine Mkrchyan
- MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Cardiology, Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Gayane Avetisyan
- MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Topographical Anatomy and Operative Surgery, Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Knarik Ginosyan
- MD, PhD, Head of Rheumatology Department, Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Anahit Aznauryan
- PhD, Associate Professor, Histology Department, Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Karmen Sahakyan
- PhD, Professor, Head of Histology Department, Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Artem Trofimenko
- MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Pathophysiology, Kuban State Medical University, Krasnodar, Russia
| | - Olga Urazova
- MD, PhD, Professor, Head of Pathophysiology Department, Siberian State Medical University, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Liudmila Mikhaleva
- MD, PhD, Director, A. P. Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Petrovskiy NRCS, Moscow, Russia
| | - Rositsa Vandysheva
- MD, PhD, A. P. Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Petrovskiy NRCS, Moscow, Russia
| | - Eugenia Kogan
- MD, PhD, Professor, Head of Anatomical Pathology Department, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Tatiana Demura
- MD, PhD, Professor, Director of Institute of Clinical Morphology and Digital Pathology, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Manish Kc
- MD, North Alabama Medical Centre, Florence, Alabama, USA
| | - Davood Shafie
- MD, PhD, Director of Heart Failure Research Center, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Stefania Nicola
- MD, PhD, Immunology and Allergy Unit, AO Ordine Mauriziano di Torino and Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Italy
| | - Luisa Brussino
- MD, PhD, Director of the Allergy and Immunology unit AO Ordine Mauriziano di Torino - Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Italy
| | - Arrigo Cicero
- MD, PhD, Professor, Atherosclerosis and Metabolic Disorders Research Unit, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Biondi-Zoccai
- MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy; Mediterranea Cardiocentro, Napoli, Italy
| | - Nizal Sarrafzadegan
- MD, Professor, Director of Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center (WHO Collaboration Center), Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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Sarzi-Puttini P, Zen M, Arru F, Giorgi V, Choy EA. Reprint of "Residual pain in rheumatoid arthritis: Is it a real problem?". Autoimmun Rev 2024; 23:103516. [PMID: 38272434 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2024.103516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Pain is a significant issue in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and can have a negative impact on patients' quality of life. Despite optimal control of inflammatory disease, residual chronic pain remains a major unmet medical need in RA. Pain in RA can be secondary to inflammation but can also generate neuroendocrine responses that initiate neurogenic inflammation and enhance cytokine release, leading to persistent hyperalgesia. In addition to well-known cytokines such as TNFα and IL-6, other cytokines and the JAK-STAT pathway play a role in pain modulation and inflammation. The development of chronic pain in RA involves processes beyond inflammation or structural damage. Residual pain is often observed in patients even after achieving remission or low disease activity, suggesting the involvement of non-inflammatory and central sensitization mechanisms. Moreover, fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is prevalent in RA patients and may contribute to persistent pain. Factors such as depression, sleep disturbance, and pro-inflammatory cytokines may contribute to the development of fibromyalgia in RA. It is essential to identify and diagnose concomitant FMS in RA patients to better manage their symptoms. Further research is needed to unravel the complexities of pain in RA. Finally, recent studies have shown that JAK inhibitors effectively reduce residual pain in RA patients, suggesting pain-reducing effects independent of their anti-inflammatory properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piercarlo Sarzi-Puttini
- IRCCS Galeazzi-S.Ambrogio Hospital, Rheumatology Department, Milan, Italy; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
| | - Margherita Zen
- Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Federico Arru
- Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Valeria Giorgi
- IRCCS Galeazzi-S.Ambrogio Hospital, Rheumatology Department, Milan, Italy
| | - Ernest A Choy
- Rheumatology and Translational Research, Institute of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, Wales, UK; Cardiff Regional Experimental Arthritis Treatment and Evaluation (CREATE) Centre, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, Wales, UK
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7
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Sarzi-Puttini P, Zen M, Arru F, Giorgi V, Choy EA. Residual pain in rheumatoid arthritis: Is it a real problem? Autoimmun Rev 2023; 22:103423. [PMID: 37634676 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2023.103423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Pain is a significant issue in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and can have a negative impact on patients' quality of life. Despite optimal control of inflammatory disease, residual chronic pain remains a major unmet medical need in RA. Pain in RA can be secondary to inflammation but can also generate neuroendocrine responses that initiate neurogenic inflammation and enhance cytokine release, leading to persistent hyperalgesia. In addition to well-known cytokines such as TNFα and IL-6, other cytokines and the JAK-STAT pathway play a role in pain modulation and inflammation. The development of chronic pain in RA involves processes beyond inflammation or structural damage. Residual pain is often observed in patients even after achieving remission or low disease activity, suggesting the involvement of non-inflammatory and central sensitization mechanisms. Moreover, fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is prevalent in RA patients and may contribute to persistent pain. Factors such as depression, sleep disturbance, and pro-inflammatory cytokines may contribute to the development of fibromyalgia in RA. It is essential to identify and diagnose concomitant FMS in RA patients to better manage their symptoms. Further research is needed to unravel the complexities of pain in RA. Finally, recent studies have shown that JAK inhibitors effectively reduce residual pain in RA patients, suggesting pain-reducing effects independent of their anti-inflammatory properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piercarlo Sarzi-Puttini
- IRCCS Galeazzi-S.Ambrogio Hospital, Rheumatology Department, Milan, Italy; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
| | - Margherita Zen
- Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Federico Arru
- Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Valeria Giorgi
- IRCCS Galeazzi-S.Ambrogio Hospital, Rheumatology Department, Milan, Italy
| | - Ernest A Choy
- Rheumatology and Translational Research, Institute of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, Wales, UK; Cardiff Regional Experimental Arthritis Treatment and Evaluation (CREATE) Centre, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, Wales, UK
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8
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Doumen M, Pazmino S, Verschueren P, Westhovens R. Viewpoint: Supporting mental health in the current management of rheumatoid arthritis: time to act! Rheumatology (Oxford) 2023; 62:SI274-SI281. [PMID: 37871921 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/kead248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Although clinical outcomes of RA have vastly improved in recent years, the disease's mental health impact has seemingly not decreased to the same extent. Even today, learning to live with RA is an active process involving several psychological, cognitive, behavioural and emotional pathways. Consequently, mental health disorders are more common in the context of RA than in the general population, and can be particularly detrimental both to patients' quality of life and to clinical outcomes. However, mental health is a spectrum and represents more than the absence of psychological comorbidity, and supporting patients' psychological wellbeing should thus involve a more holistic perspective than the mere exclusion or specific treatment of mental health disorders. In this viewpoint article, we build on mechanistic and historical insights regarding the relationship between RA and mental health, before proposing a practical stepwise approach to supporting patients' mental health in daily clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaël Doumen
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Centre, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium, Leuven
| | - Sofia Pazmino
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Centre, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Patrick Verschueren
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Centre, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium, Leuven
| | - René Westhovens
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Centre, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium, Leuven
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9
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Tanaka Y, Genovese MC, Matsushima H. Long-Term Safety, Efficacy, and Patient-Centered Outcomes of Filgotinib in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Current Perspectives. Patient Prefer Adherence 2023; 17:2499-2516. [PMID: 37822545 PMCID: PMC10563783 DOI: 10.2147/ppa.s417677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Filgotinib is an orally administered, preferential Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor indicated for the treatment of moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The short-term safety, efficacy, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) with filgotinib from Phase 2b/3 clinical trials (DARWIN 1 and 2; FINCH 1, 2, and 3) are described in patients who inadequately responded to methotrexate (MTX) and biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs or who were naïve to MTX. This article reviews the safety and efficacy from the long-term extension (LTE) trials, DARWIN 3 (N=739) and FINCH 4 (N=2731), and PROs across the filgotinib development program in RA. Overall, in the DARWIN clinical trials (conducted from 2013-2023), patients received their LTE treatment for ≤8 years, while in the FINCH trials (ongoing from 2016-2025), patients received filgotinib treatment for ≤6 years in the LTE. The longer-term safety profile and consistent, sustained efficacy (American College of Rheumatology 20/50/70, Clinical Disease Activity Index, and Disease Activity Scale in 28 joints with C-reactive protein response rates) of filgotinib were largely similar to those observed in the shorter-term parent trials ≤52 weeks. PRO results from the parent trials showed improvements in patients' quality of life with filgotinib treatment, which compared to or exceeded improvements seen with placebo and active comparators (adalimumab, MTX). Filgotinib has a higher specificity for JAK1 compared with other therapeutic treatments, leading to reduced inhibition of JAK2/3-dependent pathways, potentially providing a distinct safety profile. Filgotinib is approved in Europe and Japan for treatment of people with moderate-to-severe RA, though it has not been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, due to concerns around the benefit/risk profile of the filgotinib 200-mg dosage and the potential impact on semen parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiya Tanaka
- The First Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Mark C Genovese
- Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Gilead Sciences, Inc, Foster City, CA, USA
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