Current and emerging biologics for ulcerative colitis

Conventional medical treatment for ulcerative colitis can have limited efficacy or severe adverse reactions requiring additional treatment or colectomy. Hence, different biological agents that target specific immunological pathways are be-ing investigated for treating ulcerative colitis. Anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents were the first biologics to be used for treating inflammatory bowel disease. For example, infliximab and adalimumab, which are anti-TNF agents, are be-ing used for treating ulcerative colitis. Recently, golimumab, another anti-TNF agent, and vedolizumab, an anti-adhesion therapy, have been approved for ulcerative colitis by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In addition, new medications such as tofacitinib, a Janus kinase inhibitor, and etrolizumab, another anti-adhesion therapy, are emerging as therapeutic agents. Therefore, there is a need for further studies to select appropriate patient groups for these biologics and to improve the outcomes of ulcerative colitis treatment through appropriate medical usage.

Comparative effectiveness and survival of infliximab, adalimumab, and etanercept for rheumatoid arthritis patients in the Hellenic Registry of Biologics: Low rates of remission and 5-year drug survival

OBJECTIVE

To compare effectiveness, drug survival, and safety between infliximab, adalimumab, and etanercept, in a nationwide cohort of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

METHODS

This study is a prospective cohort study of 1208 active RA patients. Effectiveness, drug survival, and serious adverse events during entire follow-up (median 2.9 years) were monitored.

RESULTS

EULAR and CDAI responses were comparable between the three agents (EULAR good/moderate responses at 12 months ranged 76-79%). At 12 months, 15-23% achieved remission. For adalimumab and etanercept, adjusted hazard rate (HR) for EULAR/ACR remission (reference: infliximab) was 2.7 and 2.1 (95% confidence interval was 1.7-4.1 and 1.3-3.4, respectively); males (HR 1.6; 1.1-2.4), use of glucocorticoids (HR 2.0; 1.3-3.0), and swollen joint count >7 (HR 0.36; 0.24-0.55) were independent predictors. Five-year drug survival was 31%, 43%, and 49% for infliximab, adalimumab, and etanercept, respectively (p = 0.010). Infliximab was associated with significantly more withdrawals due to adverse events. Disease activity, CRP, and use of glucocorticoids predicted efficacy-related drug survival; age, use of methotrexate, and prior DMARDs failures predicted safety-related survival. Risk for serious infections was lower with adalimumab (odds ratio [OR] 0.62; 0.38-1.00) or etanercept (OR 0.39; 0.21-0.72) than infliximab, independent of the effects of age (OR 1.65; 1.37-2.00 per 10 years), tender joint count >10 (OR 1.86; 1.21-2.86), and glucocorticoids >35mg/week (OR 1.83; 1.12-2.99).

CONCLUSIONS

Response rates were comparable among anti-TNF agents. Overall, 5-year drug survival was below 50%, with infliximab demonstrating increased safety-related discontinuations. Remission rates are low in clinical practice. Strategies to increase effectiveness and long-term survival of anti-TNF agents in RA are needed.

Systemic rheumatic diseases: From biological agents to small molecules

The development of biologics and small oral molecules has recently changed the scenario of pharmacologic treatment of systemic rheumatic diseases and it has become a real revolution. These drugs have innovative mechanisms of action, based on the inhibition of specific molecular or cellular targets directly involved in disease pathogenesis. This new scenario has lead to a regular update of the management recommendations of several institutions, such as those for Rheumatoid Arthritis treatment that address the use of conventional and biologic therapies including TNF inhibitors (adalimumab, certolizumab pegol, etanercept, golimumab, infliximab), abatacept, rituximab, IL-6 inhibitors (tocilizumab and sarilumab), biosimilars and small oral molecules (the JAK inhibitors tofacitinib and baricitinib). Monotherapy, combination therapy, treatment strategies (such as treat-to-target) and the targets of sustained clinical remission or low disease activity are the final goal of the guidelines for rheumatic patients management. In another condition represented by Axial Spondyloarthritis guidelines suggest to start first with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to improve lifestyle and reduce spine inflammation, but if this is not achieved in 2-4 weeks it is important to consider the use of local therapies (i.e. glucocorticoid injections) or to start biologic therapy such as TNF inhibitors and then eventually switching to another TNF inhibitor or swapping to IL-17 inhibitor. In the case of active Psoriatic Arthritis, guidelines suggest to start with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and even local glucocorticoid injections especially for oligoarthritis, then to start conventional therapies if lack of efficacy, and finally start biologics or small oral molecules in the presence of drugs toxicity, unfavorable prognostic factors and still active arthritis. In several cases, active Psoriatic Arthritis patients develop a complex clinical condition with comorbidities such as diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease and high risk of infections, and for this reason the American College of Rheumatology and the National Psoriasis Foundation have developed specific guidelines for their management. Biologic and new small molecules therapies are very expensive, but the availability of biosimilars offers the opportunity of reducing the treatment cost and significantly decreasing the cost of originators as well. In fact, we live in a period characterized by the need to rationalize costs of these drugs, to allow treating a higher number of patients and to maintain a homogeneous possibility of treatment choice. For these reasons, we need to follow scientific guidelines and patients' clinical conditions to choose the correct treatment, also based on the economic burden of therapies.

Regenerative therapies increase survivorship of avascular necrosis of the femoral head: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to document the available evidence on the use of regenerative techniques for the treatment of femoral head osteonecrosis (or avascular necrosis of femoral head, AVN) and to understand their benefit compared to core decompression (CD) alone in avoiding failure and the need for total hip replacement (THR).

METHODS

The search was conducted on three medical electronic databases according to PRISMA guidelines. The studies reporting number and timing of failures were included in a meta-analysis calculating cumulative survivorship with a Kaplan-Mayer curve. Moreover, the results on failures in treatment groups reported in RCT were compared with those documented in control groups, in order to understand the benefit of biological therapies compared to CD for the treatment of AVN.

RESULTS

Forty-eight studies were included in this systematic review, reporting results of different types of regenerative techniques: mesenchymal stem cell implantation in the osteonecrotic area, intra-arterial infiltration with mesenchymal stem cells, implantation of bioactive molecules, or platelet-rich plasma. Overall, reported results were good, with a cumulative survivorship of 80% after ten year follow-up, and better results when regenerative treatments were combined to CD compared to CD alone (89.9% vs 70.6%, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Regenerative therapies offer good clinical results for the treatment of AVN. The combination of CD with regenerative techniques provides a significant improvement in terms of survivorship over time compared with CD alone. Further studies are needed to identify the best procedure and the most suitable patients to benefit from regenerative treatments for AVN.

Safety and efficacy of infliximab in the treatment of refractory uveoretinitis in Behçet's disease: a large-scale, long-term postmarketing surveillance in Japan

Background

Infliximab, an anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha antibody, has been reported to have excellent efficacy for refractory uveoretinitis in Behçet’s disease (RUBD), and was approved for this indication in Japan. However, the long-term safety profile and efficacy in real-world clinical settings in patients with RUBD have not been fully clarified. The BRIGHT study, a prospective, large-scale, long-term postmarketing surveillance (PMS) study, was conducted to investigate the long-term safety and efficacy of infliximab in Japanese patients with RUBD.

Methods

All patients with RUBD who started infliximab treatment between January 2007 and January 2010 were enrolled. Safety was evaluated every 6 months for up to 24 months after initiation of therapy in 656 patients, and efficacy was evaluated in 650 patients. Patient characteristics were compared using the chi-square or Fisher’s exact test. The frequency of ocular attacks before and after infliximab treatment was compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Independent associated factors for safety or efficacy were identified using multiple logistic regression analysis. A two-sided p value <0.05 was considered significant.

Results

Among the 656 patients evaluated for safety, 555 (84.6%) completed the 24-month study period. The incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and serious ADRs were 32.32% and 6.10%, respectively, and the safety profile was comparable to that of Japanese PMS of infliximab for other diseases. The most common ADRs and serious ADRs were infections (11.89% and 3.66%). Tuberculosis was reported in two patients, and Pneumocystis jirovecii in one. Identified independent associated factors for infections were comorbid respiratory disease, history of allergic disease, and concomitant use of glucocorticoids. Although infusion reactions were observed in 11.13% of patients, most were non-serious. The response rate at 24 months by physician global assessment was 80.7%. Median frequency of ocular attacks per 6 months significantly decreased compared with that before infliximab treatment (2.0 to 0.0), and corrected visual acuity was maintained during the study.

Conclusions

Infliximab treatment had good tolerability and efficacy in Japanese patients with RUBD in this large-scale, long-term PMS. Infliximab treatment seemed to be a good treatment option for RUBD in real-world clinical settings.

Trial registration

UMIN Clinical Trials Registry, UMIN000027733. Retrospectively registered on 6 June 2017.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13075-018-1793-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Biologics that inhibit the Th17 pathway and related cytokines to treat inflammatory disorders

INTRODUCTION

Advances in the understanding of TNF-α and IL-17 synergistic functions have recently led to the concept that patients who do not respond or who respond inadequately to TNF-α inhibitors may have IL-17-driven diseases, opening up the way for a new class of therapeutic development: Th17-inhibitors. Areas covered: In this review, the authors discuss the central role that the IL-23/Th17 axis plays in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory diseases, such as psoriasis, highlighting its position as a relevant therapeutic target. In particular, the authors start by giving a brief historical excursus on biologic agent development up until the success of TNF-α inhibitors, and continue with an overview of IL12/23 pathway inhibition. Next, they describe Th17 cell biology, focusing on the role of IL-17 in host defense and in human immune-inflammatory diseases, discussing the use and side effects of IL-17 inhibitors. Expert opinion: The IL-23/Th17 signaling pathway plays a central role in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory diseases, such as psoriasis. Recent data has demonstrated that biologics neutralizing IL-17 (ixekizumab, secukinumab) or its receptor (brodalumab) are highly effective with a positive safety profile in treating moderate to severe psoriasis, offering new treatment possibilities, especially for patients who do not respond adequately to anti-TNF-α therapies.

Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of Sjogren's syndrome

Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is a systemic autoimmune disease that primarily affects the exocrine glands, resulting in dryness of the eyes and mouth due to lymphocytic infiltration of the salivary and lacrimal glands along with arthritis, kidney, liver, and lung involvement, chronic fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, vasculitis, and so on. Considerable advance has been made for the classification and treatment of primary SS in the past few years. This article reviews the recent classification criteria for primary SS and briefly discusses the conventional and novel therapies of the disease.

Does immunosuppressive treatment entail an additional risk for children with rheumatic diseases? A survey-based study in the era of COVID-19

The aim of the research was to further extend current knowledge of whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) disease 2019 (COVID-19) entails a risk for children with various rheumatic diseases under immunosuppressive treatment. Telephone survey was administered by conducting interviews with the parents from May 1, 2020 to May 20, 2020. A message containing a link to the actual questionnaire was sent to their phones simultaneously. The medical records of the patients were reviewed for gathering information about demographic data, clinical follow-up, and treatments. Patients who were followed-up under immunosuppressive treatment (n = 439) were attempted to be contacted. The diagnostic distribution of patients (n = 414) eligible for the study was as follows: juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) (n = 243, 58.7%), autoinflammatory diseases (n = 109, 26.3%), connective tissue diseases (n = 51, 12.3%), and vasculitis (n = 11, 2.7%). In the entire cohort, the mean age was 12 ± 4.7 years, and 54.1% (n = 224) were female. Nine patients have attended the hospital for COVID-19 evaluation, 6 of whom were in close contact with confirmed cases. One patient with seronegative polyarticular JIA, previously prescribed methotrexate and receiving leflunomide during pandemic was identified to be diagnosed with COVID-19. None, including the confirmed case, had any severe symptoms. More than half of the patients with household exposure did not require hospitalization as they were asymptomatic. Although circumstances such as compliance in social distancing policy, transmission patterns, attitude following contact may have influenced the results, immunosuppressive treatment does not seem to pose an additional risk in terms of COVID-19.

Pro-inflammatory Cytokines and Resistant Hypertension: Potential for Novel Treatments?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To gather data from studies evaluating the pro-inflammatory profile of individuals with resistant hypertension (RH), and bring a clinical update of new and potential complementary therapies to treat inflammation in RH.

RECENT FINDINGS

Increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines are related to elevated blood pressure and target organ damage in RH patients. Clinical and experimental studies have shown that some biological therapies, especially TNF-α inhibitors, regulated pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines associated with improvements in clinical outcomes, although they are not yet reported in RH. New emerging therapies to treat inflammation in RH, although promising, are still hypotheses that have not been scientifically confirmed in clinical trials. For this reason, inflammation-target treatments, such as the TNF-α and IL-6 inhibitors, should be encouraged for testing as complementary therapies in RH in order to elucidate their potential benefits.

Safety and immunogenicity of BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in adolescents with rheumatic diseases treated with immunomodulatory medications

OBJECTIVES

Adolescents with juvenile-onset autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRD) could be at-risk for disease flare secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection or to withholding anti-inflammatory therapy. While vaccination can protect against COVID-19, safety and immunogenicity data regarding anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines among adolescents with AIIRD are limited. This international, prospective, multicentre study evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of the BNT162b2 anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine among adolescents and young adults with juvenile-onset AIIRD, 80% of whom are on chronic immunomodulatory therapy.

METHODS

Vaccine side effects, disease activity, and short-term efficacy were evaluated after 3 months in 91 patients. Anti-spike S1/S2 IgG antibody levels were evaluated in 37 patients and 22 controls, 2-9 weeks after the second dose.

RESULTS

Ninety-one patients and 40 healthy controls were included. Safety profile was good, with 96.7% (n = 88) of patients reporting mild or no side-effects, and no change in disease activity. However, 3 patients had transient acute symptoms: 2 following the first vaccination (renal failure and pulmonary haemorrhage) and 1 following the second dose (mild lupus flare vs viral infection). Seropositivity rate was 97.3% in the AIIRD group compared with 100% among controls. However, anti-S1/S2 antibody titres were significantly lower in the AIIRD group compared with controls (242 ± 136.4 vs 387.8 ± 57.3 BAU/ml, respectively; p< 0.0001). No cases of COVID-19 were documented during the 3-month follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Vaccination of juvenile-onset AIIRD patients demonstrated good short-term safety and efficacy, high seropositivity rate, but lower anti-S1/S2 antibody titres compared with healthy controls. These results should encourage vaccination of adolescents with juvenile-onset AIIRD, even while on immunomodulation.

Review of local injection of anti-TNF for perianal fistulising Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND

Perianal fistulising Crohn's disease (PFCD) affects a third of Crohn's disease patients and represents a disabling phenotype with poor outcome. The anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF) therapies have been shown to maintain clinical remission in a third of patients after 1 year of treatment. Maintenance therapy with systematic administration schedules confers greatest benefit, but exposes patients to risks/side effects of continued systemic use and led to consideration of local drug delivery (first described in 2000). In this review, we analyse all published articles on local anti-TNF therapy in the treatment of PFCD.

METHODS

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used to systematically search Medline and Embase using the medical subject headings 'fistula', 'anus', 'Crohn disease', 'infliximab' and 'adalimumab'. This was combined with free text searches, e.g. 'local injection' and 'Crohn's perianal disease'. Studies/abstracts describing local injection treatment with anti-TNF were included in this review.

RESULTS

Six pilot studies including a total of 92 patients were included in this review. Outcomes reported were mostly clinical and included 'complete/partial response' to therapy and short-term results varied between 40 and 100%. There were no significant adverse events and the local injections were well tolerated.

CONCLUSIONS

There is paucity of data assessing this treatment modality. Local anti-TNF therapy appears safe, but outcome reporting is heterogeneous, subjective and long-term data are unavailable. Our review suggests a potential role may be in those in whom systemic treatment is contraindicated and calls for standardised reporting of outcomes in this field to enable better data interpretation.

Subcutaneous dosing regimens of tocilizumab in children with systemic or polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Objectives

To determine s.c. tocilizumab (s.c.-TCZ) dosing regimens for systemic JIA (sJIA) and polyarticular JIA (pJIA).

Methods

In two 52-week phase 1 b trials, s.c.-TCZ (162 mg/dose) was administered to sJIA patients every week or every 2 weeks (every 10 days before interim analysis) and to pJIA patients every 2 weeks or every 3 weeks with body weight ≥30 kg or <30 kg, respectively. Primary end points were pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and safety; efficacy was exploratory. Comparisons were made to data from phase 3 trials with i.v. tocilizumab (i.v.-TCZ) in sJIA and pJIA.

Results

Study participants were 51 sJIA patients and 52 pJIA patients aged 1–17 years who received s.c.-TCZ. Steady-state minimum TCZ concentration (C_trough) >5th percentile of that achieved with i.v.-TCZ was achieved by 49 (96%) sJIA and 52 (100%) pJIA patients. In both populations, pharmacodynamic markers of disease were similar between body weight groups. Improvements in Juvenile Arthritis DAS-71 were comparable between s.c.-TCZ and i.v.-TCZ. By week 52, 53% of sJIA patients and 31% of pJIA patients achieved clinical remission on treatment. Safety was consistent with that of i.v.-TCZ except for injection site reactions, reported by 41.2% and 28.8% of sJIA and pJIA patients, respectively. Infections were reported in 78.4% and 69.2% of patients, respectively. Two sJIA patients died; both deaths were considered to be related to TCZ.

Conclusion

s.c.-TCZ provides exposure and risk/benefit profiles similar to those of i.v.-TCZ. S.c. administration provides an alternative administration route that is more convenient for patients and caregivers and that has potential for in-home use.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, http://clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01904292 and NCT01904279

Impact of tapering targeted therapies (bDMARDs or JAKis) on the risk of serious infections and adverse events of special interest in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or spondyloarthritis: a systematic analysis of the literature and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

To systematically review the impact of tapering targeted therapies (bDMARDs or JAKis) on the risk of serious infections and severe adverse events (SAEs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) in remission or low disease activity (LDA) state.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A meta-analysis based on a systematic review of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, until August 2019, as well as relevant databases of international conferences, was used to evaluate the risk difference (RD) at 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of incidence density of serious infections, SAEs, malignancies, cardiovascular adverse events (CV AEs), or deaths after tapering (dose reduction or spacing) compared to continuation of targeted therapies.

RESULTS

Of the 1957 studies initially identified, 13 controlled trials (9 RA and 4 SpA trials) were included in the meta-analysis. 1174 patient-years were studied in the tapering group (TG) versus 1086 in the usual care group (UC). There were 1.7/100 patient-year (p-y) serious infections in TG versus 2.6/100 p-y in UC (RD (95% CI) 0.01 (0.00 to 0.02), p = 0.13) and 7.4/100 p-y SAEs in TG versus 6.7/100 p-y in UC (RD 0.00 (- 0.02 to 0.02), p = 0.82). The risk of malignancies, CV AEs, or deaths did not differ between the tapering and the usual care groups. Subgroup analysis (RA and SpA) detected no significant differences between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

We could not show significant impact of tapering bDMARD or JAKi over continuation concerning the risk of serious infections, SAEs, malignancies, CV AEs, or deaths in RA and SpA patients in remission or LDA state.

Biological therapy for dermatological manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are the two forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The advent of biological drugs has significantly changed the management of these conditions. Skin manifestations are not uncommon in IBD. Among the reactive lesions (immune-mediated extraintestinal manifestations), erythema nodosum (EN) and pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) are the two major cutaneous ills associated with IBD, while psoriasis is the dermatological comorbidity disease observed more often. In particular, in the last few years, anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α agents have been successfully used to treat psoriasis, especially these kinds of lesions that may occur during the treatment with biological therapies. The entity of the paradoxical manifestations has been relatively under reported as most lesions are limited and a causal relationship with the treatment is often poorly understood. The reason for this apparent side-effect of the therapy still remains unclear. Although side effects may occur, their clinical benefits are undoubted. This article reviews the therapeutic effects of the two most widely used anti-TNF-α molecules, infliximab (a fusion protein dimer of the human TNF-α receptor) and adalimumab (a fully human monoclonal antibody to TNF-α), for the treatment of the major cutaneous manifestations associated with IBD (EN, PG and psoriasis).

The burden of depressive disorders in musculoskeletal diseases: is there an association between mood and inflammation?

IMPORTANCE

Evidence emerged concerning how inflammatory arthritis and mood disorders can often occur in the same patient and show a similar clinical pattern. An overview of the rheumatological and psychiatric aspects of these diseases can certainly be useful for the improvement of patients' clinical and therapeutic management.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this narrative review was to summarize existing literature about common pathogenetic and clinical aspects as a means of improving management and therapeutic approach in patients affected by rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and spondyloarthritis. Outcomes such as disease activity indexes and patient reported outcomes (PROs) were considered.

FINDINGS

Common pathogenetic pathways emerged between inflammatory arthritis and mood disorders. Pro-inflammatory mechanisms, such as TNFα, IL-6, IL-17 and oxidative stress factors as well as neurotransmitter alterations at the level of CNS and blood-brain barrier (BBB) cells are involved. The activation of these common pathogenetic pathways is, also, affected by the same triggers, such as smoking, stress, lifestyle, and evidence has emerged concerning the possibility of the clinical efficacy of using the same therapeutic approaches.

CONCLUSIONS

The main causes of the variability in clinical studies outcomes are the rheumatological diseases considered, the prevalence of depression in the general population and in patients with rheumatological diseases and the type of depressive symptom examined. Patients affected by inflammatory arthritis can present symptoms and signs in common with mood disorders, leading to possible clinical overlap. There are still few studies analyzing this concept: they are extremely heterogeneous, both in the characteristics of the population taken into consideration and in the methods used for the definition of depressive disorder, but the suggestions of the data obtained so far are promising and deserve to be pursued.

Delivery of paediatric rheumatology care: a survey of current clinical practice in Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific regions

BACKGROUND

Paediatric rheumatic diseases are a leading cause of acquired disability in Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific Countries (SE ASIA/ASIAPAC). The aims of this study were to identify and describe the challenges to the delivery of patient care and identify solutions to raise awareness about paediatric rheumatic diseases.

METHODS

The anonymised online survey included 27 items about paediatric rheumatology (PR) clinical care and training programmes. The survey was piloted and then distributed via Survey-Monkey™ between March and July 2019. It was sent to existing group lists of physicians and allied health professionals (AHPs), who were involved in the care pathways and management of children with rheumatic diseases in SE ASIA/ASIAPAC.

RESULTS

Of 340 participants from 14 countries, 261 participants had been involved in PR care. The majority of the participants were general paediatricians. The main reported barriers to providing specialised multidisciplinary service were the absence or inadequacy of the provision of specialists and AHPs in addition to financial issues. Access to medicines was variable and financial constraints cited as the major obstacle to accessing biological drugs within clinical settings. The lack of a critical mass of specialist paediatric rheumatologists was the main perceived barrier to PR training.

CONCLUSIONS

There are multiple challenges to PR services in SE ASIA/ASIAPAC countries. There is need for more specialist multidisciplinary services and greater access to medicines and biological therapies. The lack of specialist paediatric rheumatologists is the main barrier for greater access to PR training.

Risk of flare after tapering or withdrawal of b-/tsDMARDs in patients with RA or axSpA: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate flare risk when tapering or withdrawing biological or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b-/tsDMARDs) compared to continuation in patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA) in sustained remission or low disease activity.

METHODS

Articles were identified in Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science. Eligible trials were randomised, controlled trials comparing tapering and/or withdrawal of b- and/or tsDMARDs with standard dose in IA. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed with risk ratio (RR), or Peto's Odds Ratio (POR) for sparse events, and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI).

RESULTS

The meta-analysis comprised 22 trials: 11 assessed tapering and 7 addressed withdrawal (4 assessed both). Only trials with a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) population were identified. An increased flare risk was demonstrated when b-/tsDMARD tapering was compared to continuation, RR = 1.45 (95%CI: 1.19 to 1.77, I2 = 42.5%), and potentially increased for persistent flare, POR = 1.56 (95%CI: 0.97 to 2.52, I2 = 0%). Comparing tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) withdrawal to continuation, a highly increased flare risk (RR = 2.28, 95%CI: 1.78 to 2.93, I2 = 78%) and increased odds of persistent flare (POR = 3.41, 95%CI: 1.91 to 6.09, I2 = 49%) was observed. No clear difference in flare risk between RA or axSpA was observed.

CONCLUSION

A high risk for flare and persistent flare was demonstrated for TNFi withdrawal whereas an increased risk for flare but not for persistent flare was observed for b-/tsDMARD tapering. Thus, tapering seems to be the more favourable approach.

REGISTRATION

PROSPERO (CRD42019136905).

Vascular imaging of patients with refractory Takayasu arteritis treated with tocilizumab: post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

Tocilizumab, an anti-interleukin-6 receptor antibody, was investigated in patients with refractory Takayasu arteritis (TAK) in a phase 3 randomized controlled trial. In this post hoc analysis, we investigated whether tocilizumab treatment inhibited the progression of vascular lesions caused by TAK in these patients.

METHODS

Included patients received at least one dose of tocilizumab and underwent computed tomography (CT) at baseline and at week 48 after tocilizumab initiation. Three radiologists not involved in the original trial independently evaluated the CT images. Twenty-two arteries from each patient were assessed for change from baseline in wall thickness (primary end point), dilatation/aneurysm, stenosis/occlusion or wall enhancement for at least 96 weeks after tocilizumab initiation. Patient-level assessments were also conducted.

RESULTS

In 28 patients, 86.7% of 22 arteries had improved/stable wall thickness at week 96. Proportions of patients with improved/stable, partially progressed or newly progressed lesions were 57.1%, 10.7% and 28.6% for wall thickness; proportions with improved/stable lesions were 92.9% for dilatation/aneurysm and 85.7% for stenosis/occlusion. Patients with newly progressed lesions, reflecting more refractory disease, were prescribed glucocorticoids at dosages that could not be reduced below 0.1 mg/kg/day at week 96.

CONCLUSIONS

∼60% of patients with TAK did not experience progression in wall thickness within 96 weeks after initiation of tocilizumab treatment. Few patients experienced progressed dilatation/aneurysm or stenosis/occlusion. Wall thickness progression likely resulted from refractory TAK. Patients who experience this should be monitored regularly by imaging, and additional glucocorticoid or immunosuppressive treatment should be considered to avoid vascular progression.

HIV-Associated Psoriasis

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence is increasing worldwide as people on antiretroviral therapy are living longer. These patients are often susceptible to debilitating inflammatory disorders that are frequently refractory to standard treatment. Psoriasis is a systemic inflammatory disorder, associated with both physical and psychological burden, and can be the presenting feature of HIV infection. In this population, psoriasis tends to be more severe, to have atypical presentations and higher failure rates with the usual prescribed treatments. Management of moderate and severe HIV-associated psoriasis is challenging. Systemic conventional and biologic agents may be considered, but patients should be carefully followed up for potential adverse events, like opportunist infections, and regular monitoring of CD4 counts and HIV viral loads.

Quality of life in patients with gastroenteropancreatic tumours: A systematic literature review

BACKGROUND

Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP-NETs) are slow-growing cancers that arise from diffuse endocrine cells in the gastrointestinal tract (GI-NETs) or the pancreas (P-NETs). They are relatively uncommon, accounting for 2% of all gastrointestinal malignancies. The usual treatment options in advanced GEP-NET patients with metastatic disease include chemotherapy, biological therapies, and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy. Understanding the impact of treatment on GEP-NET patients is paramount given the nature of the disease. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is increasingly important as a concept reflecting the patients’ perspective in conjunction with the disease presentation, severity and treatment.

AIM

To conduct a systematic literature review to identify literature reporting HRQoL data in patients with GEP-NETs between January 1985 and November 2019.

METHODS

The PRISMA guiding principles were applied. MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane library were searched. Data extracted from the publications included type of study, patient population data (mid-gut/hind-gut/GI-NET/P-NET), sample size, intervention/comparators, HRQoL instruments, average and data spread of overall and sub-scores, and follow-up time for data collection.

RESULTS

Forty-three publications met the inclusion criteria. The heterogeneous nature of the different study populations was evident; the percentage of female participants ranged between 30%-60%, whilst average age ranged from 53.8 to 67.0 years. Eight studies investigated GI-NET patients only, six studies focused exclusively on P-NET patients and the remaining studies involved both patient populations or did not report the location of the primary tumour. The most commonly used instrument was the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30 (n = 28) with consistent results across studies; the GI-NET-specific module Quality of Life Questionnaire-GINET21 was used in six of these studies. A number of randomised trials demonstrated no HRQoL changes between active treatment and placebo arms. The Phase III NETTER-1 study provides the best data available for advanced GEP-NET patients; it shows that peptide receptor radionuclide therapy can significantly improve GEP-NET patients’ HRQoL.

CONCLUSION

HRQoL instruments offer a means to monitor patients’ general disease condition, disease progression and their physical and mental well-being. Instruments including the commonly used European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30 and GINET21 lack, however, validation and a defined minimal clinical important difference specifically for GI-NET and P-NET patients.

Real-Life Effectiveness of Benralizumab, Mepolizumab and Omalizumab in Severe Allergic Asthma Associated with Nasal Polyps

Biological therapies are available for the treatment of the severe allergic asthma (SAA) with blood eosinophil count ≥ 0.3 × 10⁹/L. Several of them also showed benefits on nasal polyps (NP), one of the most frequent comorbidities of the severe asthma, but comparative studies on their effectiveness in the association SAA-NP are currently lacking. The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of benralizumab, mepolizumab and omalizumab in patients with SAA-NP in real-life settings. A retrospective, observational, multicenter real-life study was realized including patients with SAA-NP treated by benralizumab, mepolizumab or omalizumab for 6 months. We analysed the nasal and respiratory symptoms, the number of asthma attacks and salbutamol use/week, acute sinusitis and severe exacerbation rates, the asthma control score, the lung function parameters, the NP endoscopic score, the sinus imaging and the blood eosinophil count 6 months before and after treatment. Seventy-two patients with SAA-NP were included: 16 treated by benralizumab, 21 by mepolizumab and 35 by omalizumab. After 6 months of treatment, almost all studied parameters were improved (except sinus imaging) with a greater effect of omalizumab on the nasal pruritus (p = 0.001) and more benefits of benralizumab on exacerbations rate, asthma attacks per week and lung function (all p < 0.05). Benralizumab and mepolizumab were more effective to improve the NP endoscopic score and the blood eosinophil count (both p < 0.001). All three biological therapies showed effectiveness by improving asthma and nasal outcomes in patients with SAA-NP. Several differences have been found that should be confirmed by larger comparative studies.

The UltraSound-CLinical ARthritis Activity (US-CLARA) index: Properties of a new composite disease activity index for rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVE

To assess validity, responsiveness and interpretability of the UltraSound-CLinical ARthritis Activity (US-CLARA) index in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS

In this longitudinal study were involved RA patients starting treatment with abatacept. Subjects were followed along three visits in the first 6 months of therapy and underwent a comprehensive clinimetric evaluation. Validity was explored correlating the baseline scores and the cumulative inflammatory burden of the US-CLARA with the other composite indices applied. Sensitivity to change was assessed after 6 months of treatment in terms of internal and external responsiveness. Interpretability was defined in terms of determination of cutoffs against external criteria for remission (REM), low disease activity (LDA), moderate disease activity (MDA), and high disease activity (HDA) of SDAI.

RESULTS

One-hundred and thirty patients completed the study.

VALIDITY

moderate correlations were observed between US-CLARA and both DAS28-CRP and DAS28-ESR. Higher correlations were also found between US-CLARA and both SDAI and CDAI scores. Responsiveness: internal responsiveness was wide, with SRM and ES ranging from 0.91 to 1.51. US-CLARA responsiveness was similar to that of DAS28, SDAI, or CDAI. Similarly, the area under ROC curve (AUC-ROC) of US-CLARA gives identical results. The AUC of cumulative inflammatory burden, calculated during the 6-months follow-up of all combinations were highly correlated (p < 0.0001). Interpretability: cutoff values for REM, US-CLARA <2.0; for LDA, 2.0 ≤US-CLARA <3; for MDA, 3 ≤US-CLARA ≤4.8; for HDA, US-CLARA >4.8.

CONCLUSION

The US-CLARA is valid and sensitive tool to assess disease activity in RA.

Modeled Health Economic Impact of a Hypothetical Certolizumab Pegol Risk-Sharing Scheme for Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis in Finland

PURPOSE

To model the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and budget impact of certolizumab pegol (CZP) (with and without a hypothetical risk-sharing scheme at treatment initiation for biologic-naïve patients) versus the current mix of reimbursed biologics for treatment of moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Finland.

METHODS

A probabilistic model with 12-week cycles and a societal approach was developed for the years 2015-2019, accounting for differences in ACR responses (meta-analysis), mortality, and persistence. The risk-sharing scheme included a treatment switch and refund of the costs associated with CZP acquisition if patients failed to achieve ACR20 response at week 12. For the current treatment mix, ACR20 at week 24 determined treatment continuation. Quality-adjusted life years were derived on the basis of the Health Utilities Index.

RESULTS

In the Finnish target population, CZP treatment with a risk-sharing scheme led to a estimated annual net expenditure decrease ranging from 1.7% in 2015 to 5.6% in 2019 compared with the current treatment mix. Per patient over the 5 years, CZP risk sharing was estimated to decrease the time without ACR response by 5%-units, decrease work absenteeism by 24 days, and increase the time with ACR20, ACR50, and ACR70 responses by 5%-, 6%-, and 1%-units, respectively, with a gain of 0.03 quality-adjusted life years. The modeled risk-sharing scheme showed reduced costs of €7866 per patient, with a more than 95% probability of cost-effectiveness when compared with the current treatment mix.

CONCLUSION

The present analysis estimated that CZP, with or without the risk-sharing scheme, is a cost-effective alternative treatment for RA patients in Finland. The surplus provided by the CZP risk-sharing scheme could fund treatment for 6% more Finnish RA patients.

FUNDING

UCB Pharma.

Serum TNFα levels at 24 h after certolizumab pegol predict effectiveness at week 12 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis from TSUBAME study

Objective

To estimate the relationship between serum TNFα, IL-6, and serum CZP levels and the clinical response to CZP in RA patients in the TSUBAME study.

Methods

One hundred patients with RA who received CZP were enrolled and multiple clinical parameters, serum TNFα, IL-6, and CZP levels, were assessed at 0, 24, and 48 h and 12 weeks after first administration of CZP.

Results

The CZP therapy significantly improved the DAS28(ESR) at 12 weeks. Serum TNFα and IL-6 levels significantly decreased from baseline at 24 h after the first administration of CZP. Serum TNFα levels at baseline were not related to clinical parameters at baseline and improvement in DAS28(ESR) at week 12 of the CZP therapy. However, serum levels of CZP at 24 h were strongly and negatively correlated with TNFα levels at 24 h, which were negatively correlated with improved rate in DAS28(ESR) at week 12. Only serum levels of TNFα, but not IL-6, at 24 h had a negative correlation with achievement of DAS28(ESR)<2.6 at week 12 by the multivariate analysis (odds ratio 0.01, 95% confidence interval 0.04e−2–0.22, p < 0.01). A receiver operating characteristic analysis was conducted to estimate the achievement of DAS28(ESR)<2.6 at week 12 after the CZP therapy and cut-off value of 0.76 pg/ml for serum levels of TNFα at 24 h was yielded (area under the curve=0.75). DAS28(ESR)<2.6 was achieved at week 12 significantly more patients with lower serum TNF levels (≦0.76 pg/ml) at 24 h than those with higher TNF levels.

Conclusions

CZP was highly effective in RA patients who had low serum TNFα levels at 24 h after the initial administration of CZP. Therefore, we propose that serum TNFα levels at 24 h could serve as a biomarker predicting effectiveness to CZP at week 12 in patients with RA.

Trial registration

Clinical trial registration number: UMIN ID:000022831

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13075-021-02547-2.

Role of conventional therapies in the era of biological treatment in Crohn’s disease

Outstanding progress regarding the pathophysiology of Crohn’s disease (CD) has led to the development of innovative therapeutic concepts. Numerous controlled trials have been performed in CD. This review concentrates on the results of randomized, placebo-controlled trials, and meta-analyses when available, that provide the highest degree of evidence. Current guidelines on the management of CD recommend a step-up approach to treatment involving the addition of more powerful therapies as the severity of disease and refractoriness to therapy increase. The advent of biological drugs has opened new therapeutic horizons for treating CD, modifying the treatment goals. However, the large majority of patients with CD will be managed through conventional therapy, even if they are a prelude to biological therapy.