Impact of tumour necrosis factor inhibitor treatment on radiographic progression in rheumatoid arthritis patients in clinical practice: results from the nationwide Danish DANBIO registry

Lykke Midtbøll Ørnbjerg, Mikkel Østergaard, Pernille Bøyesen, Niels Steen Krogh, Anja Thormann, Ulrik Tarp, Uta Engling Poulsen, Jakob Espesen, Vibeke Stevenius Ringsdal, Niels Graudal, Gina Birgitte Kollerup, Dorte Vendelbo Jensen, Ole Rintek Madsen, Bente Glintborg, Torben Steen Christensen, Hanne Lindegaard, Ditte Dencker, Annette Hansen, Anne Rødgaard Andersen, Merete Lund Hetland

    23 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Objectives: To compare radiographic progression during treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) and subsequent treatment with tumour necrosis factor α inhibitors (TNF-I) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in clinical practice. Methods: Conventional radiographs (x-rays) of hands and wrists were obtained ∼2 years before start (prebaseline), at baseline and ∼2 years after start (follow-up) of TNF-I. Clinical data were obtained from the DANBIO registry and the patient files. x-Rays were scored blinded to chronology according to the Sharp/van der Heijde method. Annual radiographic progression rates during the DMARD (prebaseline to baseline x-ray) and TNF-I (baseline to follow-up x-ray) periods were calculated. Results: 517 RA patients (76% women, 80% IgM rheumatoid factor positive, 65% anticyclic citrullinated peptide positive, 40% current smokers, age 54 years (range 21-86), median disease duration 5 years (range 0-57)) were included. Patients were treated with infliximab (61%), etanercept (15%) or adalimumab (24%). During the DMARD period 85% of patients received methotrexate, 51% sulphasalazine and 78% prednisolone. The median DMARD period was 733 days (IQR 484-1002) and the median TNF-I period was 562 days (IQR 405-766). The median radiographic progression rate decreased from 0.7 (IQR 0-2.9) total Sharp score units/year (dTSS) in the DMARD period to 0 (0-0.9) units/year in the TNF-I period (p<0.0001, Wilcoxon). Corresponding mean dTSS values were 2.1 (SD 3.7) versus 0.7 (SD 2.3) units/year (p<0.0001, paired t test). 305 patients progressed (dTSS >0) in the DMARD period compared with 158 patients in the TNF-I period (p<0.0001, χ2). Conclusion: This nationwide observational study of RA patients documented significantly reduced radiographic progression during TNF-I treatment compared with the previous period of DMARD treatment.

    Original languageEnglish
    JournalAnnals of the Rheumatic Diseases
    Volume72
    Issue number1
    Pages (from-to)57-63
    Number of pages7
    ISSN0003-4967
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Jan 2013

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