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Early Humira treatment may prevent disease progression in patients with axial spondyloarthritis
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After 2 years of follow-up, many patients with axial spondyloarthritis who received early treatment with Humira were found to have low disease activity or be in remission, according to the results of a study.
Thirty-seven patients with early, active, non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) who received one or more NSAIDs for at least 3 months were administered 40 mg Humira (adalimumab, AbbVie) every other week between 2007 and 2014. Two patients met the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society (ASAS) criteria, and all remaining patients met the European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group (ESSG) criteria for nr-axSpA. Twenty-five patients were women, and the mean age of participants was 49.4 years. Median disease duration was 4.5 years.
Previously, methotrexate had been administered to 24 patients, sulfasalazine was administered to 10 patients and three patients had received hydroxychloroquine. During the study period, nine patients received concomitant methotrexate and three received sulfasalazine. Patients were treated for 24 months or more, with evaluations completed at baseline and at 6, 12 and 24 months.
The number of patients who achieved a Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index response of 50% improvement at 6 months was 51.3%, which increased to 70.3% at 12 months and to 76.8% at 24 months. The mean Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index at 24 months was 1.464, down from a mean of 3.644 at baseline.
Patients underwent MRI at a mean of 18.7 months and had radiographic examinations at a mean of 23.7 months. Improvement that did not reach statistical significance was seen in Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada and modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine scores, according to the researchers.
No unexpected adverse events occurred, and compliance remained high throughout the study, the researchers reported. – by Shirley Pulawski
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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