Impact of Stopping Tumor Necrosis Factor-inhibitors on Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients' Burden of Disease

Marjan Ghiti Moghadam, Peter M. ten Klooster, Harald E. Vonkeman, Eva L. Kneepkens, Ruth Klaasen, Jan N. Stolk, Ilja Tchetverikov, Simone A. Vreugdenhil, Jan M. van Woerkom, Yvonne P. M. Goekoop-Ruiterman, Robert B. M. Landewé, Piet L. C. M. van Riel, Mart A. F. J. van de Laar, Tim L. Jansen

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Abstract

To determine the impact of stopping tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of physical and mental health status, health utility, pain, disability and fatigue in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the pragmatic 12-month POET trial, 817 RA patients with ≥6 months of remission or stable low disease activity were randomized 2:1 to stopping or continuing TNFi. In case of flare, TNFi was restarted at the discretion of the rheumatologist. PROs were assessed every 3 months. TNFi was restarted within 12 months in 252/531 patients (47.5%) in the stop group. At 3 months, mean PRO scores were significantly worse in the stop group and a larger proportion of patients experienced a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) on all PROs. Effect sizes (ES) were strongest for health utility (ES = -0.24) and pain (ES = -0.30). Mean scores improved again after this point but disability scores remained significantly different at 12 months. After 12 months, the relative risk of experiencing a MCID ranged from 1.16 for mental health status to 1.58 for fatigue. Mean PRO scores for patients restarting TNFi within 6 months were no longer significantly different from those that did not restart TNFi at 12 months. Stopping TNFi had a significant negative short-term impact on a broad range of PROs. Long-term negative consequences appeared to be limited and outcomes in patients needing to restart TNFi within the first 6 months tended to be restored at 12 months. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)516-524
JournalArthritis care & research
Volume70
Issue number4
Early online date2017
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018

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