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Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a heterogeneous disease with established poor prognostic factors such as seropositivity, joint damage, and high disease activity at an early, treatment-naïve stage of disease. However, few studies have examined if specific joint locations are correlated with these factors in such a population. This analysis explored the potential correlation of individual swollen and erosive joints with other disease characteristics at baseline and with remission rates in a post-hoc analysis of the Phase III randomized AGREE study. Methods Methotrexate (MTX)-naïve, erosive, RF- and/or ACPA-positive early RA patients (N = 509) were retrospectively evaluated. Baseline joint swelling was analyzed for large and small joints. Baseline erosions were analyzed for wrist, MCP1–5, IP1, PIP2–5 and MTP1–5. Remission rates were assessed after 6 months of treatment with abatacept (ABA) + MTX (N = 256) or MTX (N = 253). The following statistical tests were used: Chi-Square or Fisher’s exact test (categorical variables); Student’s t-test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test (continuous variables); continuity-corrected Chi-square test (efficacy remission endpoints). Results Baseline swelling was most frequent in wrist (91.9%) and MCP2 joint (89.1%), while baseline erosion was most frequent in MTP5 joint (43.5%). Swollen shoulder was significantly correlated (p < 0.0001) with swelling of almost all other large or medium joints. Baseline swelling in the knee, temporomandibular joint (TMJ), wrist and elbow was highly correlated (p < 0.001) with higher tender and swollen joint counts, higher DAS28(CRP) and higher SDAI and CDAI. Baseline swelling was not correlated with erosion per joint, except for MCP2. The largest difference in mean Boolean remission rates at 6 months was in patients with baseline swollen wrist favoring ABA + MTX (14.0% vs 4.4%; p < 0.001). Conclusions Swelling in the large and medium joints (knee, TMJ, elbow and wrist) was highly correlated with severe di

Background: Drug-free remission is a desirable goal in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for both patients and clinicians. The aim of this post hoc analysis was to investigate whether clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) variables in patients with early RA who achieved remission with methotrexate and/or abatacept at 12 months could predict disease flare following treatment withdrawal. Methods: In the AVERT study of abatacept in early RA, patients with low disease activity at month 12 entered a 12-month period with all treatment discontinued (withdrawal, WD). This post hoc analysis assessed predictors of disease flare at WD+6months (mo) and WD+12mo of patients with Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28)-defined remission (DAS28[C-reactive protein (CRP)] <2.6) at withdrawal using univariate and multivariable regression models. Predictors investigated included the Health Assessment Questionnaire–Disability Index (HAQ-DI), pain, Patient Global Assessment; MRI synovitis, erosion, bone edema, and combined (synovitis + bone edema) inflammation scores. Results: Remission was achieved by 172 patients; 100 (58%) and 113 (66%) patients had experienced a flare at WD+6mo and WD+12mo, respectively. In univariate analyses, higher HAQ-DI and MRI synovitis, erosion, bone edema, and combined inflammation scores at WD were identified as potential predictors of flare (P ≤ 0.01). In multivariable analysis, high scores at WD for HAQ-DI and MRI erosion were confirmed as independent predictors of flare at WD+6mo and WD+12mo (P < 0.01). Conclusion: In patients with early RA achieving clinical remission, patient function (HAQ-DI), and MRI measures of bone damage (erosion) predicted disease flare 6 and 12 months after treatment withdrawal. These variables may help identify patients with early RA in clinical remission as candidates for successful treatment withdrawal. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01142726 (date of registration: June 11, 2010)

Favorable efficacy and safety profiles have been demonstrated for abatacept in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in randomized controlled trials, but these data require validation during long-term follow-ups in routine clinical practice. This study explored long-term safety and retention rates in RA patients treated with intravenous abatacept in the Belgian cohort of the international AbataCepT In rOutiNe clinical practice (ACTION) study (NCT02109666). This non-interventional, observational, longitudinal study included Belgian patients aged ≥ 18 years with moderate-to-severe RA who started intravenous abatacept treatment as first- or second/further-line biologic therapy in routine clinical practice. Between October 2010 and December 2012, 141 patients were enrolled in this cohort, of whom 135 evaluable patients (6 biologic-naïve; 129 previously exposed to ≥ 1 prior biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs) were eligible for the descriptive analysis; 131/135 were included in the effectiveness analysis. Mean disease duration was 10.5 years (standard deviation 9.7) before abatacept initiation. RA patients presented with high disease activity and comorbidity rate, having failed multiple previous treatment options. In this cohort, the 5-year abatacept retention rate was 34% (95% confidence interval, 23-45%) per protocol, and 51% (95% confidence interval, 40-61%) when temporary discontinuations of abatacept > 84 days (n = 24) were not considered as treatment discontinuations. After 5 years of abatacept treatment, clinical outcomes were favorable [good/moderate European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) responses in 91.7% patients]. No new safety signals were detected for abatacept in routine clinical practice. In this difficult-to-treat Belgian RA population, high retention rates, good clinical outcomes and favorable safety profile were observed with abatacept., SCOPUS: ar.j, SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Background: Methotrexate (MTX) remains the anchor drug in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment, but is poorly tolerated or contraindicated in some patients. There is a wealth of data supporting the use of abatacept in combination with MTX, but data on alternative conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (csDMARD) combinations with abatacept are scarce. Methods: In this post-hoc exploratory analysis, efficacy and safety data were extracted from abatacept RA studies in which combination with csDMARDs other than MTX was permitted: three interventional trials (ATTAIN, ASSURE, and ARRIVE) and one real-world study (ACTION). Patients with moderate-to-severe RA received abatacept in combination with MTX, hydroxychloroquine, sulfasalazine, azathioprine, or leflunomide for 6 months to 2 years according to the study design. Change from baseline in physical function (Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI); all studies) and 28-joint Disease Activity Score (C-reactive protein) (DAS28 (CRP); ATTAIN, ARRIVE, and ACTION), American College of Rheumatology response rates (ATTAIN), and safety were assessed for individual and pooled csDMARD combinations for each trial. A meta-analysis was also performed on pooled data for HAQ-DI and DAS28 (CRP) across interventional trials. Results: Across all four studies, 731 patients received abatacept plus one non-MTX csDMARD (hydroxychloroquine n = 152; sulfasalazine n = 123; azathioprine n = 59; and leflunomide n = 397) and 2382 patients received abatacept plus MTX. Mean changes from baseline in HAQ-DI scores for abatacept plus MTX (all csDMARDs pooled) vs abatacept plus a nonMTX csDMARD were -0.54 vs -0.44 (ATTAIN), -0.43 vs -0.43 (ASSURE), and -0.39 vs -0.36 (ARRIVE). Mean changes from baseline in DAS28 (CRP) and ACR response rates were also similar with abatacept plus MTX or non-MTX csDMARDs. Data for individual non-MTX csDMARDs (pooled across studies) and real-world data were consistent with these findings.