Maintenance of remission with combination etanercept-DMARD therapy versus DMARDs alone in active rheumatoid arthritis: results of an international treat-to-target study conducted in regions with limited biologic access.

In this transglobal, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, treat-to-target study, the maintenance of efficacy was compared between biologic-and biologic-free-disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) combination regimens after low disease activity (LDA) was achieved with biologic DMARD induction therapy. Patients with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis despite methotrexate therapy received open-label etanercept 50 mg subcutaneously once weekly plus methotrexate with or without other conventional synthetic (cs) DMARDs for 24 weeks. Patients achieving LDA [disease activity score in 28 joints based on erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR) <3.2] at week 24 were randomized to receive etanercept-methotrexate combination therapy or placebo-methotrexate combination therapy, with or without other csDMARDs, for 28 weeks. In the open-label period, 72% of patients achieved DAS28-ESR LDA at week 24. Patients enrolled in the double-blind period had long-standing rheumatoid arthritis and high disease activity at baseline (mean duration, 8.1 years; DAS28-ESR, 6.4). In the etanercept and placebo combination groups, 44% versus 17% achieved DAS28-ESR LDA and 34 versus 13% achieved DAS28-ESR remission at week 52 (p < 0.001). Adverse events were reported in 37 and 43%, serious adverse events in 0 and 4%, and serious infections in 0 and 2% in these groups, respectively, in the double-blind period. After induction of response with etanercept combination therapy following a treat-to-target approach in patients with long-standing rheumatoid arthritis and high disease activity at baseline, the etanercept combination regimen was significantly more effective in maintaining LDA and remission than a biologic-free regimen. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier. NCT01578850.

Correction: The impact of anti-drug antibodies on drug concentrations and clinical outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with adalimumab, etanercept, or infliximab: Results from a multinational, real-world clinical practice, non-interventional study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175207.].

The impact of anti-drug antibodies on drug concentrations and clinical outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with adalimumab, etanercept, or infliximab: Results from a multinational, real-world clinical practice, non-interventional study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence of anti-drug antibodies (ADA) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with the TNF inhibitors etanercept (ETN), adalimumab (ADL), or infliximab (IFX), and determine the potential relationship with trough drug concentration, efficacy, and patient-reported outcomes. METHODS: This multi-national, non-interventional, cross-sectional study (NCT01981473) enrolled adult patients with RA treated continuously for 6-24 months with ETN, ADL, or IFX. ADA and trough drug concentrations were measured by independent assays ≤2 days before the next scheduled dose. Efficacy measurements included Disease Activity Score 28-joint count (DAS28), low disease activity (LDA), remission, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Targeted medical histories of injection site/infusion reactions, serum sickness, and thromboembolic events were collected. RESULTS: Baseline demographics of the 595 patients (ETN: n = 200; ADL: n = 199; IFX: n = 196) were similar across groups. The mean duration of treatment was 14.6, 13.5, and 13.1 months for ETN, ADL, and IFX, respectively. All ETN-treated patients tested negative for ADA, whereas 31.2% and 17.4% patients treated with ADL and IFX, respectively, tested positive. In ADL- or IFX-treated patients, those with ADA had significantly lower trough drug concentrations. There were negative correlations between trough drug levels and both CRP and ESR in ADL- and IFX-treated patients. DAS28-ESR LDA and remission rates were higher in patients without ADA. The rate of targeted medical events reported was low. CONCLUSION: ADA were detected in ADL- and IFX-treated but not ETN-treated patients. Patients without ADA generally showed numerically better clinical outcomes than those with ADA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered on www.ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01981473).

The prevalence and clinical characteristics of nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis among patients with inflammatory back pain in rheumatology practices: a multinational, multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), who by definition have radiographic sacroiliitis, typically experience symptoms for a decade or more before being diagnosed. Yet, even patients without radiographic sacroiliitis (i.e., nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis [nr-axSpA]) report a significant disease burden. The primary objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of nr-axSpA among patients with inflammatory back pain (IBP) in rheumatology clinics in a number of countries across the world. A secondary objective was to estimate the prevalence of IBP among patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). METHODS: Data were collected from 51 rheumatology outpatient clinics in 19 countries in Latin America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. As consecutive patients with CLBP (N = 2517) were seen by physicians at the sites, their clinical histories were evaluated to determine whether they met the new Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society criteria for IBP. For those who did, their available clinical history (e.g., family history, C-reactive protein [CRP] levels) was documented in a case report form to establish whether they met criteria for nr-axSpA, AS, or other IBP. Patients diagnosed with nr-axSpA or AS completed patient-reported outcome measures to assess disease activity and functional limitations. RESULTS: A total of 2517 patients with CLBP were identified across all sites. Of these, 974 (38.70 %) fulfilled the criteria for IBP. Among IBP patients, 29.10 % met criteria for nr-axSpA, and 53.72 % met criteria for AS. The prevalence of nr-axSpA varied significantly by region (p < 0.05), with the highest prevalence reported in Asia (36.46 %) and the lowest reported in Africa (16.02 %). Patients with nr-axSpA reported mean ± SD Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Scores based on erythrocyte sedimentation rate and CRP of 2.62 ± 1.17 and 2.52 ± 1.21, respectively, indicating high levels of disease activity (patients with AS reported corresponding scores of 2.97 ± 1.13 and 2.93 ± 1.18). Similarly, the overall Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index score of 4.03 ± 2.23 for patients with nr-axSpA (4.56 ± 2.17 for patients with AS) suggested suboptimal disease control. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that, in the centers that participated in the study, 29 % of patients with IBP met the criteria for nr-axSpA and 39 % of patients with CLBP had IBP. The disease burden in nr-axSpA is substantial and similar to that of AS, with both groups of patients experiencing inadequate disease control. These findings suggest the need for early detection of nr-axSpA and initiation of available treatment options to slow disease progression and improve patient well-being.

Symptomatic efficacy of etanercept and its effects on objective signs of inflammation in early nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of etanercept in the treatment of early active nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID)-refractory nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis (SpA). METHODS: The study population consisted of patients who met the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) classification criteria for axial SpA but not the modified New York radiographic criteria for ankylosing spondylitis (as assessed by a radiologist at the central trial site), had a symptom duration of >3 months but <5 years, had a score of ≥4 on the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, and had been treated unsuccessfully with ≥2 NSAIDs. Patients were randomized to receive etanercept 50 mg/week or placebo and continued background NSAID treatment for 12 weeks (double-blind study); during the subsequent open-label period, all patients received etanercept 50 mg/week. The primary study end point was meeting the ASAS criteria for 40% improvement (ASAS40) at week 12. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the sacroiliac joints and spine was performed at baseline and week 12. RESULTS: One hundred six patients were randomized to the etanercept group and 109 to the placebo group. Of the 215 patients, the mean ± SD age at baseline was 32.0 ± 7.8 years, 154 (72%) were HLA-B27 positive, and 174 (81%) had MRI-confirmed sacroiliitis. At 12 weeks, the proportion of patients with improvement according to the ASAS40 was significantly higher in the etanercept group than in the placebo group (34 of 105 [32%] versus 17 of 108 [16%]; P = 0.006). Patients who received etanercept exhibited a greater reduction in MRI-based scores for sacroiliac joint inflammation (-46.9% versus -10.9%; P < 0.001) and spinal inflammation (-45.4% versus -33.4%; P = 0.04) compared with placebo-treated patients at week 12. Post hoc analyses suggested a possible association between higher baseline C-reactive protein levels or MRI sacroiliac joint inflammation scores and higher rates of ASAS40 response to etanercept. At week 24, patients in the placebo group who had switched to etanercept at 12 weeks exhibited improvement similar to that observed in patients who had received etanercept for 24 weeks. CONCLUSION: In patients with nonradiographic axial SpA, etanercept treatment was associated with rapid, significant improvement in symptomatic disease activity, function, and systemic and skeletal inflammation over 12 weeks; clinical/functional improvement was sustained over 24 weeks.

Effects of golimumab, an anti-tumour necrosis factor-α human monoclonal antibody, on lipids and markers of inflammation.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of golimumab, with or without methotrexate (MTX), on serum lipids and inflammatory markers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in two phase 3, randomised, placebo-controlled trials (GO-BEFORE and GO-FORWARD). METHODS: Patients in GO-BEFORE (n=637, MTX-naïve) and GO-FORWARD (n=444, MTX-inadequate response) were randomised to placebo+MTX, golimumab 100 mg+placebo, golimumab 50 mg+MTX, or golimumab 100 mg+MTX. Subcutaneous injections (placebo and golimumab) were given every 4 weeks. Patients with an insufficient response entered early escape at week 16 (GO-FORWARD) or 28 (GO-BEFORE). All placebo+MTX patients in GO-FORWARD crossed over to golimumab 50 mg+MTX at week 24. Changes from baseline to weeks 14 (GO-FORWARD) or 24 (GO-BEFORE), and 52 in serum lipid levels and inflammatory markers were assessed. RESULTS: At week 14 in the GO-FORWARD trial, total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) increased in golimumab+MTX patients versus MTX-only patients (16.00 vs 2.00 (p<0.001); 3.00 vs 0.00 (p<0.05); 8.00 vs 4.00 (p<0.001); respectively); favourable changes in LDL subfractions were only observed in golimumab-treated patients. At week 24 in GO-BEFORE, TC and LDL increased, and LDL subfractions improved in the MTX-only and golimumab+MTX groups. Inflammatory markers of CVD risk improved significantly with golimumab+MTX versus placebo+MTX in both studies and were generally maintained through week 52. Atherogenic indices were generally stable. CONCLUSIONS: While TC and LDL levels increased mildly in RA patients receiving golimumab+MTX, atherogenic indices generally remained stable, favourable changes in LDL subfractions were observed, and inflammatory markers improved.

Changes in biomarkers after therapeutic intervention in temporal arteries cultured in Matrigel: a new model for preclinical studies in giant-cell arteritis.

BACKGROUND: Search for therapeutic targets in giant-cell arteritis (GCA) is hampered by the scarcity of functional systems. We developed a new model consisting of temporal artery culture in tri-dimensional matrix and assessed changes in biomarkers induced by glucocorticoid treatment. METHODS: Temporal artery sections from 28 patients with GCA and 22 controls were cultured in Matrigel for 5 days in the presence or the absence of dexamethasone. Tissue mRNA concentrations of pro-inflammatory mediators and vascular remodelling molecules was assessed by real-time RT-PCR. Soluble molecules were measured in the supernatant fluid by immunoassay. RESULTS: Histopathological features were exquisitely preserved in cultured arteries. mRNA concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines (particularly IL-1ß and IFNγ), chemokines (CCL3/MIP-1α, CCL4/MIP-1ß, CCL5/RANTES) and MMP-9 as well as IL-1ß and MMP-9 protein concentrations in the supernatants were significantly higher in cultured arteries from patients compared with control arteries. The culture system itself upregulated expression of cytokines and vascular remodelling factors in control arteries. This minimised differences between patients and controls but underlines the relevance of changes observed. Dexamethasone downregulated pro-inflammatory mediator (IL-1ß, IL-6, TNFα, IFNγ, MMP-9, TIMP-1, CCL3 and CXCL8) mRNAs but did not modify expression of vascular remodelling factors (platelet derived growth factor, MMP-2 and collagens I and III). CONCLUSIONS: Differences in gene expression in temporal arteries from patients and controls are preserved during temporal artery culture in tri-dimensional matrix. Changes in biomarkers elicited by glucocorticoid treatment satisfactorily parallel results obtained in vivo. This may be a suitable model to explore pathogenetic pathways and to perform preclinical studies with new therapeutic agents.

Risk of tuberculosis with anti-tumor necrosis factor-α therapy: substantially higher number of patients at risk in Asia.

AIM: To assess the potential risk of tuberculosis (TB) in patients treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) agents in Asia. METHODS: Absolute risk increase (ARI) of TB was estimated for three widely used anti-TNF-α therapies using published standardized incidence ratios (SIR) from the French Research Axed on Tolerance of bIOtherapies registry and incidence (absolute risk [AR]) of TB in Asia. Assuming an association of increased TB risk with anti-TNF-α therapy and country TB AR (incidence), the ARI of TB by country was calculated by multiplying the SIR of the anti-TNF-α therapy by the country's TB AR. The numbers needed to harm (NNH) for each anti-TNF-α agent and numbers needed to treat (NNT) to reduce one TB event using etanercept therapy instead of adalimumab or infliximab were also calculated for each country. RESULTS: The ARI of TB with anti-TNF-α therapies in Asian countries is substantially higher than Western Europe and North America and the difference between etanercept versus the monoclonal antibodies becomes more evident. The NNH for Asian countries ranged from 8 to 163 for adalimumab, 126 to 2646 for etanercept and 12 to 256 for infliximab. The NNT to reduce one TB event using etanercept instead of adalimumab therapy ranged from 8 to 173, and using etanercept instead of infliximab therapy the NNT ranged from 13 to 283. CONCLUSION: Higher numbers of patients are at risk of developing TB with anti-TNF-α therapy in Asia compared with Western Europe and North America. The relative lower risk of TB with etanercept may be particularly relevant for Asia, an endemic area for TB.

Effect of golimumab on carotid atherosclerotic disease measures and cardiovascular events in inflammatory arthritides.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the effect of golimumab on carotid ultrasound measures and cardiovascular serious adverse events (SAEs) in patients with inflammatory arthritides. METHODS: An exploratory carotid artery ultrasound substudy was performed in the GO-BEFORE study of methotrexate (MTX)-naive rheumatoid arthritis patients, with ultrasounds performed at weeks 0, 24, and 52 to measure common carotid artery intima-media thickness, distensibility coefficient, interadventitial diameter, and plaque count. Cardiovascular SAEs reported over 2 years of follow-up were assessed in 5 golimumab phase 3 clinical trials of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (GO-BEFORE, GO-FORWARD, and GO-AFTER), psoriatic arthritis (GO-REVEAL), and ankylosing spondylitis (GO-RAISE). In GO-BEFORE and GO-FORWARD, patients received placebo + MTX, golimumab 50 mg + MTX, or golimumab 100 mg +/- MTX at baseline and every 4 weeks; in the other 3 trials, patients received placebo or golimumab 50 or 100 mg. RESULTS: The carotid ultrasound substudy showed inconsistent changes in common carotid artery intima-media thickness in the golimumab + MTX groups over time, and there was large variability in the measurements. Increases in interadventitial diameter were observed in the golimumab 100 mg + placebo group, but not in the golimumab + MTX groups. There were no significant differences in the distensibility coefficient and plaque count between the golimumab and placebo groups. Very few patients overall experienced a cardiovascular SAE, and the incidence of cardiovascular SAEs was not statistically different between the golimumab and placebo groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the carotid ultrasound substudy were inconclusive, and no increase or decrease in cardiovascular SAEs was observed following 2 years of treatment with golimumab with or without MTX.

The effect of golimumab on haemoglobin levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of golimumab on haemoglobin levels in patients with RA, PsA or AS. METHODS: Secondary analysis was performed on integrated data from five randomized controlled studies: three RA, one PsA and one AS (2303 patients total). Golimumab 50 or 100 mg was injected s.c. every 4 weeks with or without MTX. Control groups received placebo injections plus MTX or background therapy. Patients with haemoglobin levels below the age- and sex-specific normal ranges were considered to have anaemia. Ferritin levels were used to distinguish anaemia of mixed aetiology (≥ 15 and <60 ng/ml) and anaemia of inflammation (≥ 60 ng/ml). Changes from baseline to weeks 14 and 24 in haemoglobin level were compared between treatment groups using an analysis of variance on the van der Waerden normal scores. RESULTS: At baseline, 21% of RA patients, 9% of PsA patients and 15% of AS patients had anaemia. Of these, 24%, 57% and 25%, respectively, had anaemia of inflammation. The median increase from baseline to week 14 in the haemoglobin level of anaemic patients was 0.3 g/dl in the control group and 0.9 g/dl in the golimumab group (P < 0.001). Haemoglobin levels improved within the subgroups of patients with anaemia of mixed aetiology (control, 0.4 g/dl vs golimumab, 0.7 g/dl) (P = 0.305) and with anaemia of inflammation (0.2 vs 1.4 g/dl, respectively) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Compared with the control group, patients receiving golimumab treatment had significantly improved haemoglobin levels, particularly among patients with anaemia of inflammation.

Effects of subcutaneous and intravenous golimumab on inflammatory biomarkers in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: results of a phase 1, randomized, open-label trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of the anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibody golimumab, administered by s.c. injection or i.v. infusion, on markers of inflammation in patients with RA. METHODS: In this phase 1, open-label study, patients with active RA were randomized to receive s.c. golimumab 100 mg at baseline and every 4 weeks through week 20 (n = 33; group 1) or i.v. golimumab 2 mg/kg at baseline and week 12 (n = 16; group 2). Serum levels of CRP, IL-6, serum amyloid A (SAA), TNF receptor II (TNFRII), MMP-3, hyaluronic acid, haptoglobin, ferritin and haemoglobin and serum/urine hepcidin were measured at various time points. Associations between the biomarkers were assessed with Spearman's correlations. RESULTS: In both groups 1 and 2, decreases in mean serum levels of CRP, IL-6, SAA, TNFRII, MMP-3, haptoglobin, ferritin and hepcidin, and mean urine levels of hepcidin occurred within 1 week and were sustained through week 8. Decreases in concentrations of serum CRP, IL-6, SAA, MMP-3, hepcidin, ferritin and haptoglobin and urine hepcidin were maintained through week 24 in group 1, but began to reverse after week 8 in group 2. Among all patients, decreases in serum hepcidin correlated significantly with decreases in serum CRP and ferritin. CONCLUSION: Decreases in serum and urine concentrations of markers of inflammation occurred as early as 24 h after treatment with golimumab, and most of these improvements were sustained through week 24 in group 1.

Increased IL-17A expression in temporal artery lesions is a predictor of sustained response to glucocorticoid treatment in patients with giant-cell arteritis.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin 17A (IL-17A) exerts pivotal proinflammatory functions in chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. OBJECTIVE: To investigate IL-17A expression in temporal artery lesions from patients with giant-cell arteritis (GCA), and its relationship with disease outcome. METHODS: Fifty-seven patients with biopsy-proven GCA were prospectively evaluated, treated and followed for 4.5 years (52-464 weeks). Relapses, time (weeks) required to achieve a maintenance prednisone dose <10 mg/day, and time (weeks) to complete prednisone withdrawal were prospectively recorded. IL-17A mRNA was measured by real-time quantitative RT-PCR in temporal arteries from all patients and 19 controls. IL-17 protein expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry/immunofluorescence. RESULTS: IL-17A expression was significantly increased in temporal artery samples from GCA patients compared with controls (6.22±8.61 vs 2.50±3.9 relative units, p=0.016). Surprisingly, patients with strong IL-17A expression tended to experience less relapses, and required significantly shorter treatment periods (median 25 vs 44 weeks to achieve <10 mg prednisone/day, p=0.0079). There was no correlation between IL-17A and RORc or RORα expression suggesting that these transcription factors may not exclusively reflect Th17 differentiation, and that cells other than Th17 cells might contribute to IL-17 expression in active patients. Accordingly, FoxP3(+)IL-17A(+) cells were identified in lesions by confocal microscopy and were dramatically reduced in specimens from treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: IL-17A expression is increased in GCA lesions, and is a predictor of response to glucocorticoid treatment. The contribution of FoxP3+ cells to IL-17A production in untreated patients suggests that induced-Tregs may facilitate disease remission when proinflammatory cytokine production is downregulated by glucocorticosteroids.

Comprehensive tuberculosis screening program in patients with inflammatory arthritides treated with golimumab, a human anti-tumor necrosis factor antibody, in Phase III clinical trials.

OBJECTIVE: Reactivation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is a major complication in patients treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agents. We report on the 5 cases of active tuberculosis (TB) that developed in the Golimumab Phase III Program (3 with rheumatoid arthritis, 1 with psoriatic arthritis, and 1 with ankylosing spondylitis) through 1 year among 2,210 patients receiving golimumab. METHODS: Data from global studies were used for an in-depth evaluation of the 5 cases of TB through week 52. Integrated safety data were evaluated for potential hepatotoxicity in patients treated with anti-TB therapy. RESULTS: No active TB developed among 317 patients receiving golimumab and treated for latent TB with isoniazid. Active TB occurred in 5 patients not treated with isoniazid by week 52 (in 2 patients by week 24); all of the patients had negative TB screening tests (per the local guidelines) and resided in countries with high background rates of TB. No deaths were due to TB. Across all of the groups (placebo and golimumab), alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase elevations occurred in greater proportions of patients treated for latent TB infection versus not treated; elevations were largely mild (<3 times the upper limit of normal). CONCLUSION: Comprehensive TB screening kept the number of active TB cases relatively low despite conducting the studies in TB-endemic regions. Treatment for latent TB infection appeared effective, since no patients treated for latent TB had TB reactivation. Concurrent treatment with golimumab and anti-TB medication was generally well tolerated. Clinicians should remain vigilant for development of active TB after initiation of TNF inhibitors, since prompt diagnosis and treatment can improve outcomes.

Effect of golimumab on patient-reported outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis: results from the GO-FORWARD study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of golimumab on physical function, general health, and fatigue in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) despite methotrexate (MTX) therapy. METHODS: In the multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled GO-FORWARD study, 444 adults with active RA despite MTX received subcutaneous placebo + MTX (crossover to golimumab 50 mg at Week 24), golimumab 100 mg + placebo, golimumab 50 mg + MTX, or golimumab 100 mg + MTX every 4 weeks. Physical function and general health were assessed using the Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI) and Physical and Mental Component Summary (PCS, MCS) scores of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 questionnaire (SF-36), respectively, through Week 52. Fatigue was measured through Week 24 using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-Fatigue) questionnaire. RESULTS: Mean improvements from baseline in HAQ-DI, SF-36 PCS, and FACIT-Fatigue scores (Weeks 14 and 24) were significantly greater for golimumab 50 mg + MTX and 100 mg + MTX versus placebo + MTX. Significantly greater proportions of patients treated with golimumab + MTX achieved clinically meaningful improvements from baseline to Weeks 14 and 24 in HAQ-DI, PCS, and FACIT-Fatigue scores. Mean improvements in SF-36 PCS (Week 14), MCS (Week 24), and FACIT-Fatigue (Weeks 14 and 24) scores were significantly greater for golimumab 100 mg + placebo versus placebo + MTX. Mean improvements from baseline in HAQ-DI, SF-36 PCS, and MCS scores through Week 24 were sustained through Week 52. CONCLUSION: Patients with active RA despite MTX had significant improvement in physical function, general health, and fatigue following golimumab + MTX therapy; improvements in physical function and general health were maintained through Week 52. (Clinical Trials Registration NCT00264550).

Golimumab in psoriatic arthritis: one-year clinical efficacy, radiographic, and safety results from a phase III, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Golimumab, administered subcutaneously every 4 weeks, has been shown to be effective in reducing the signs and symptoms of active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) through week 24 of the GO-REVEAL study. Herein we report 1-year clinical, radiographic, and safety findings. METHODS: Adult patients with active PsA (≥3 swollen and ≥3 tender joints) were randomly assigned to receive subcutaneous placebo, golimumab 50 mg, or golimumab 100 mg every 4 weeks through week 20. At week 16, patients with <10% improvement from baseline in swollen and tender joint counts entered a blinded early escape phase, with placebo crossover to golimumab 50 mg, golimumab 50 mg increased to 100 mg, and golimumab 100 mg continued at 100 mg. Patients receiving placebo who did not enter the early escape phase crossed over to golimumab 50 mg at week 24. Findings through 1 year are reported, including the second of 2 coprimary end points (i.e., change from baseline to week 24 in PsA-modified Sharp/van der Heijde score [SHS]). RESULTS: A total of 405 patients were randomized: 113 to placebo and 146 each to the golimumab 50 mg and 100 mg groups. Mean changes in PsA-modified SHS from baseline to week 24 for the combined golimumab 50 mg and 100 mg group (-0.09) and the golimumab 50 mg group (-0.16) were significantly different versus placebo (0.27) (P = 0.015 and P = 0.011, respectively). Radiographic benefit was maintained through week 52 with golimumab. Clinical efficacy, including improvement in joint and skin responses and physical function, was maintained through 1 year. The frequency/types of adverse events were similar to those reported through week 24. CONCLUSION: Treatment of PsA with golimumab inhibited structural damage progression and demonstrated continued clinical efficacy and safety through 1 year.

Interferon-γ release assay versus tuberculin skin test prior to treatment with golimumab, a human anti-tumor necrosis factor antibody, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of an interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) versus the standard tuberculin skin test (TST) as a screening tool for latent tuberculosis (TB) infection prior to the initiation of anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy in patients with autoimmune inflammatory diseases. METHODS: This integrated analysis involved screening of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, those with psoriatic arthritis, and those with ankylosing spondylitis from phase III trials of golimumab. The IGRA used to screen for latent TB was the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube test. RESULTS: In this pooled analysis, 2,282 patients underwent both IGRA and TST screening prior to golimumab treatment. Among these patients, 13.8% had at least one test yielding positive findings for latent TB, including 9.4% with positive results by TST, 7.0% with positive results by IGRA, and 2.6% with positive results on both tests. The rate of indeterminate results for TB on IGRA was 1.8%. Agreement between the TST and IGRA results, measured by the kappa coefficient, was 0.22 (95% confidence interval 0.157-0.279; P=0.021). Among the patients with positive IGRA findings, 36.9% had positive TST findings. Among the patients with positive TST findings, 27.4% had positive IGRA findings. Overall, 781 (34.2%) of the 2,282 patients had previously received the bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine; among this vaccinated group, the rate of positivity for latent TB by TST was 15.2% (119 of 781), compared to a rate of positivity of 9.1% (71 of 781) by IGRA (P=0.0002). Among patients who had not received the BCG vaccine, the rate of positivity by TST was 5.0% (62 of 1,248) and the rate of positivity by IGRA was 5.8% (72 of 1,248) (P=0.3745). When the IGRA was repeated in patients whose results were initially indeterminate, the rate of indeterminate IGRA findings for latent TB was much lower than has been previously reported. CONCLUSION: In the absence of a true gold standard test for latent TB infection, results of this comparison of IGRA and TST in a large cohort of patients with rheumatic diseases suggest that the IGRA provides greater specificity and possibly greater sensitivity than the TST.

Significant improvement in synovitis, osteitis, and bone erosion following golimumab and methotrexate combination therapy as compared with methotrexate alone: a magnetic resonance imaging study of 318 methotrexate-naive rheumatoid arthritis patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of golimumab on inflammation/structural damage detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Methotrexate (MTX)-naive RA patients (n = 637) were randomized to placebo plus MTX, golimumab 100 mg plus placebo, golimumab 50 mg plus MTX, or golimumab 100 mg plus MTX (subcutaneous golimumab every 4 weeks). Of these, 318 patients participated in an MRI substudy. MRIs (contrast-enhanced; 1.5T) of the wrist and second through fifth metacarpophalangeal joints of the dominant hand were obtained at baseline and weeks 12 and 24. MRIs were scored by 2 independent readers (blinded to image sequence/chronology, patient identity, and treatment group) for synovitis, bone edema/osteitis, and bone erosions using the Rheumatoid Arthritis Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scoring (RAMRIS) system. Radiographs (hands, wrists, forefeet at baseline and week 28) were scored by 2 other readers (blinded as above) using the modified Sharp/van der Heijde (SvdH) scoring system. Changes from baseline were compared between treatment groups (two-sided analysis of variance on van der Waerden normal scores). RESULTS: At weeks 12 and 24, combined therapy with golimumab plus MTX versus placebo plus MTX significantly improved RAMRIS scores for synovitis (mean -1.92 versus 0.14 [P < 0.001] at week 12; -2.45 versus -1.04 [P < 0.001] at week 24), osteitis (mean -1.82 versus 0.56 [P < 0.001] at week 12; -2.27 versus -0.32 [P < 0.001] at week 24), and bone erosion (mean -0.40 versus 0.24 [P = 0.016] at week 12; -0.40 versus -0.24 [P = 0.010] at week 24). Results of sensitivity analyses (no missing doses/data and using linear extrapolation) were generally consistent with results of the primary analyses. Changes in SvdH scores among the MRI substudy patients at week 28 showed no significant difference between golimumab plus MTX therapy and placebo plus MTX (mean 0.49 versus 0.92; P = 0.19). Radiographic SvdH scores demonstrated inhibition of structural damage progression by treatment with golimumab plus MTX as compared with placebo plus MTX in the overall study population but required double the number of patients (637 versus 318) and double the length of followup (28 versus 12 weeks) as needed for MRI to demonstrate this. CONCLUSION: Improvements in inflammation (synovitis and osteitis) and erosions with golimumab plus MTX therapy exceeded those with placebo plus MTX therapy from week 12 onward, confirming the overall clinical/radiologic findings. MRI was more sensitive than conventional radiography in detecting the progression of erosions.

Exploratory analyses of the association of MRI with clinical, laboratory and radiographic findings in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate relationships between MRI and clinical/laboratory/radiographic findings in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: 637 methotrexate-naive patients (GO-BEFORE) and 444 patients with active RA despite methotrexate (GO-FORWARD) were randomly assigned to subcutaneous placebo + methotrexate, golimumab 100mg + placebo, golimumab 50mg + methotrexate, or golimumab 100mg + methotrexate every-4-weeks. In GO-BEFORE(n=318) and GO-FORWARD(n=240) substudies, MRI of dominant wrist/metacarpophalangeal joints were scored for synovitis, bone oedema and bone erosion (RA MRI scoring (RAMRIS) system). Relationships between RAMRIS scores and serum C-reactive protein (CRP), 28-joint count disease activity score (DAS28-CRP) and van der Heijde modified Sharp (vdH-S) scores were assessed. RESULTS: Baseline and weeks 24/28 DAS28-CRP, CRP, and vdH-S generally correlated well with baseline and week 24 RAMRIS synovitis, oedema and erosion scores. Early (week 4) CRP changes correlated with later (week 12) RAMRIS synovitis/oedema change scores; earlier (week 12) changes in some RAMRIS scores correlated with later (weeks 24/28) changes in vdH-S. Significant correlations between RAMRIS change scores and clinical/radiographic change scores were weak. CONCLUSIONS: MRI and clinical/laboratory/radiographic measures generally correlated well. Associations between earlier changes in CRP and later changes in RAMRIS synovitis/osteitis were observed. Changes in MRI and clinical/radiographic measures did not correlate well, probably because MRI is more sensitive than radiographs and more objective than DAS28-CRP.

Tissue and serum markers of inflammation during the follow-up of patients with giant-cell arteritis--a prospective longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between inflammatory markers and relapse in GCA patients longitudinally assessed in a clinical trial of infliximab and glucocorticosteroids. METHODS: Forty-four newly diagnosed GCA patients in glucocorticosteroid-induced remission were randomized to receive infliximab 5 mg/kg or placebo plus daily glucocorticosteroids, tapered using a standardized schedule. Sera were analysed for inflammatory markers at multiple, pre-defined time points. Temporal artery biopsies were performed in four patients before and after treatment to analyse changes in inflammatory and vascular remodelling marker expression. RESULTS: Thirteen of 44 patients relapsed. Similar proportions of relapsed patients were present in both treatment arms. ESR, CRP, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, TNF-α, and IL-12p40 were significantly elevated near relapse. In post-treatment biopsies, mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines decreased, while vascular remodelling factors increased relative to baseline biopsies. Tissue IL-12p40 and IFN-γ mRNA remained elevated in relapsing vs remitting patients. CONCLUSION: Despite prior findings of high concentrations of TNF-α in temporal artery biopsies of GCA patients, infliximab plus glucocorticosteroids did not result in improved clinical outcomes. Increased measures of this biomarker did not provide useful insight into the relative importance of TNF-α in the pathogenesis of GCA. Gene expression analysis in paired temporal artery biopsies pre- and post-treatment revealed decreased inflammatory activity and active vascular remodelling following treatment. In relapsing patients, increased expression of IFN-γ and IL-12p40 in post-treatment biopsies suggests a role in sustaining disease and setting the stage for relapse during treatment withdrawal. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov; http://www.clinicaltrials.gov; NCT00076726.