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Golimumab reduced occurrence, disease activity of acute anterior uveitis in AS
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The occurrence rate and disease activity of acute anterior uveitis in ankylosing spondylitis decreased significantly during treatment with golimumab, according to data published in the Journal of Rheumatology.
“The TNF [inhibitor] golimumab was approved for the treatment of AS in 2009, after it was proven to be both effective and safe in a large phase 3 controlled trial,” Rianne E. van Bentum, MD, of the Amsterdam Rheumatology and Immunology Center, and colleagues wrote. “The first reports on the occurrence of [acute anterior uveitis] during [golimumab] treatment seemed positive, but only a few studies have been performed and the included patient numbers are small. Further, data on the efficacy of [golimumab] in routine daily practice are currently still lacking.”
To evaluate the occurrence rate of acute anterior uveitis among patients with AS during treatment with golimumab (Simponi, Janssen), as well as the drug’s efficacy in daily clinical practice, van Bentum and colleagues conducted a multicenter, prospective study of adults with AS who had received the drug for 12 months. The researchers recruited 93 participants from the Amsterdam Rheumatology and Immunology Center and nine large outpatient rheumatology clinics in the Netherlands.
van Bentum and colleagues noted the occurrence of acute anterior uveitis in the year prior to the initial TNF-inhibitor treatment, as well as during treatment with golimumab. They then calculated for the period at risk for new acute anterior uveitis. In addition, the researchers collected measures for disease activity, using the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS), and treatment response, based on Assessment of Spondyloarthritis international Society (ASAS20) score.
According to the researchers, the occurrence rate of acute anterior uveitis decreased from 11.1 per 100 patient-years to 2.2 per 100 patient-years (RR = 0.2; 95% CI, 0.040.91) during golimumab treatment. After 3 months of treatment, 41% of participants demonstrated a clinically significant improvement in ASDAS score (P < .001). In that same time, 36% of participants experienced an improvement ASDAS20 response (P < .001). At 1 year, 49% of participants had achieved an ASAS20 response (P < .001).
“Our study was the first, to our knowledge, to prospectively assess the occurrence of [acute anterior uveitis] during [golimumab] treatment in AS, demonstrating a significant decrease in the number of [acute anterior uveitis] attacks,” van Bentum and colleagues wrote. “In addition, our study shows a good efficacy of [golimumab] in a large group of patients with AS in a real-world setting, including both TNF [inhibitor]-naive and -experienced patients.” – by Jason Laday
Disclosure: The researchers report grant funding from MSD, the Netherlands.
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