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Study links CRP levels to long-term AS progression among patients treated with golimumab
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Results from this study indicated serum C-reactive protein level as a predictive biomarker for long-term progression of ankylosing spondylitis among patients who underwent treatment with golimumab.
Researchers included 356 patients with ankylosing spondylitis from the GO-RAISE trial and randomized them to receive golimumab (GOL) for either 16 weeks or 24 weeks or to receive placebo treatment. Following treatment, patients were given GOL for 4 years. Through week 208, sera and images were collected. The modified Stoke AS Spine score (mSASSS) and the AS spine MRI activity score (ASspiMRI-a) were used to score lateral spinal radiographs and spinal MRI. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and mSASSS progression differences were determined with ANOVA. Investigators used Spearman correlation and logistic regression to assess the association between CRP levels and mSASSS/ ASspiMRI-a.
Results showed 299 patients had pre- and post-treatment spinal radiographs. Investigators noted most patients with CRP levels greater than or equal to 0.5/dL at week 104 compared with less than 0.5 mg/dL had changes in mSASSS of greater than or equal to 2 at week 104. There were weak correlations between serum CRP and change in mSASSS. However, there were moderate correlations with a change in ASspiMRI-a.
According to researchers, a higher chance for syndesmophytes at week 104 and week 208 was seen with a higher baseline CRP. Investigators also noted short-term decreases in CRP from baseline to week 14 and week 24 were linked with a higher risk of syndesmophyte formation. ‒ by Monica Jaramillo
Disclosure: The research was supported by Janssen Research and Development LLD, and Merck/Schering-Plough Research Institute Inc.
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