Anxiety prior to methotrexate therapy may result in non-response at 6 months

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who experience anxiety prior to the start of methotrexate therapy may have non-response at 6 months due to poor adherence, according to results presented at the EULAR Annual Congress.

Researchers collected data on potential predictors of response to methotrexate among 781 participants (70% women) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Researchers used questionnaires, case notes and blood samples to predict non-response to methotrexate at 6 months, defined as failing to fulfil the EULAR criteria for good response.

Suzan Verstappen

Results showed 70% of participants were non-responders. Researchers noted an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.70 in the full model and an AUC of 0.69 in the final model, which included BMI, current smoking status, the DAS28 and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale anxiety score.

“From a long list of lifestyle, clinical and psychosocial predictors at baseline, BMI, smoking and DAS28 score were each shown to significantly predict non-response 6 months after patients had started treatment with methotrexate,” Suzan Verstappen, of the Centre for Musculoskeletal Research at the University of Manchester, United Kingdom, said in a press release. “Of particular interest, however, is the role of participant anxiety on starting treatment with methotrexate in predicting response, which is likely to be the result of its negative effect on adherence.”

Reference:

Sergeant JC, et al. Abstract #OP0013. Presented at: EULAR Annual Congress; June 8-11, 2016; London.

Disclosure: Verstappen reports no relevant financial disclosures.