ABSTRACT
To compare the effectiveness of retreatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with rituximab (RTX) following the treat-to-target retreatment (TTr) or fixed interval retreatment (FIr) strategy. RA patients starting RTX treatment between January 2008 and June 2016, and receiving at least three infusion cycles were grouped by strategy (TTr, FIr or both). Primary outcome (between strategy difference in DAS28-CRP (Disease Activity Score in 28 joints calculated with C-reactive protein)) and secondary outcomes (flares, use of co-medication and mean yearly dose of RTX) were analyzed by group using linear mixed models to account for different strategies within patients. A total of 213 patients, 59 TTr (of whom 32 switched from TTr to FIr) and 186 FIr were included. No between-group difference in mean DAS28-CRP was found (0.10 DAS28-CRP point (95% CI - 0.07 to 0.26)). The TTr strategy did not result in more flares (IRR 1.13, 95%CI 0.87 to 1.47), conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug use (difference - 11.7%, 95%CI - 26.3% to 2.9%), or lower mean yearly RTX dose (difference 172 mg/yr, 95%CI - 355 to 11.7 mg/yr). RTX retreatment with either a TTr or FIr strategy does not seem to lead to better disease control and/or less drug use when used in a DAS28-CRP treat-to-target context. Choice of either strategy can, therefore, be made based on patient and physician preferences and logistical context.
ABSTRACT
Objectives: To investigate the added value of MTX-HCQ combination therapy (CTG) in early RA in a controlled cohort study. MTX monotherapy (MTG) is recommended as (part of) first choice treatment but no head-to-head comparisons are available comparing MTX-HCQ CTG with MTG. Methods: RA patients from the Sint Maartenskliniek and Radboudumc Nijmegen who started MTX with or without concomitant HCQ from April 2010 to October 2015 were included. The primary outcome was the between-group ΔDAS28-CRP at 6 months, and secondary outcomes were ΔDAS28-CRP at 12 months, EULAR response at 6 and 12 months, and treatment intensification. Regression modelling was used to correct for confounding. Results: We included 325 patients, with only small between-group differences at baseline. The DAS28-CRP improvement at 6 months was larger in the CTG (Δ = 0.38 (CI: 0.01, 0.76)), and the difference between groups in DAS28-CRP improvement was smaller at 12 months (Δ = 0.22 points (CI:-0.19, -0.62)). At 6 months, a higher percentage of patients had a good EULAR response in the CTG (Δ = 15% (CI: 2.7%, 27%)). This difference was reduced at 12 months (Δ = 6% (CI -6.4%, 19%)). Treatment intensification with conventional synthetic DMARDs was more likely in the MTG (Δ = 31% (CI: -43%, 19%)). The proportion of patients starting biologic DMARD treatment during the observation period was comparable (Δ = 2% (CI: -8%, 12%)). Discussion: In contrast to indirect comparison review data, MTX-HCQ seems somewhat more effective after 6 months than MTX monotherapy in early RA patients. After 12 months, we observed no significant differences between the two strategies, probably due to treat-to-target efforts.
