THU0365 Work Productivity in a Cohort of Employed Ankylosing Spondylitis Patients Treated with Etanercept
Authors: A. Boonen, C. Boone, A. Albert, H. Mielants
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2013)

<h3>Background</h3> Patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and jobs can experience difficulties in coping with the demands of their work. <h3>Objectives</h3> To assess the effect of etanercept (ETN) after 6 and 12 months on work-related outcomes in patients with active AS and paid employment. <h3>Methods</h3> A prospective, multicenter, open-label, observational study. The effect of ETN on work outcomes was assessed using the change from baseline (BL) at 6 and 12 months in the Work Productivity &amp; Activity Impairment (WPAI) scale components (absenteeism, impairment, overall work impairment and activity impairment). In addition, the following assessments were performed at BL, 6 and 12 months: Physician Global Assessment (PGA), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Patient Global Score (BAS-G), Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS)-CRP, ASDAS-ESR, EuroQoL-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) utility score and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Short Form (SF)-36 health survey; regression models were used to determine how the change from BL in these assessments influenced the outcome of WPAI. <h3>Results</h3> 80 patients with AS and jobs were included in the study; 40 (50%) were male, with a mean age of 38.1 years (SD, 9.1) and mean disease duration (symptoms) of 10.8 years (SD, 8.8). WPAI scores were 35% for absenteeism, 49% for impairment, 54% for overall work impairment and 63% for activity impairment at BL. At follow-up, 74 (93%) and 67 (84%) patients participated at 6 and 12 months, respectively. After 6 months of ETN treatment, significant improvements from BL were observed in all WPAI components (P&lt;0.0001; <b>Table</b>). The significant improvements in WPAI components continued to 12 months (P&lt;0.0001 for all). Improvements across all WPAI components at 6 months were associated with improvements in BASDAI, BASFI, BAS-G, ASDAS-ESR, SF-role physical, SF-bodily pain and SF-role emotional (r=0.27 to 0.64; P&lt;0.05 for all) but were not associated with changes in PGA, BASMI, ASDAS-CRP, EQ-5D VAS, EQ-5D utility, SF-physical functioning, SF-general health, SF-vitality, SF-social functioning or SF-mental health. After 12 months, improvements in all WPAI components showed correlations with improvements in BASDAI, SF-physical functioning and SF-role physical (r=0.28 to 0.66; P&lt;0.05 for all) but not with any other outcome measure. <h3>Conclusions</h3> In this study, ETN treatment for 6 and 12 months effectively reduced the work-related difficulties experienced in patients with AS. Improvements from BL in a number of measures of pain, disease activity, and physical function were associated with improvements across all WPAI components. <h3>Acknowledgements</h3> This study was sponsored by Pfizer Inc. Medical writing support was provided by Kim Brown of UBC Scientific Solutions and was funded by Pfizer Inc. <h3>Disclosure of Interest</h3> A. Boonen Grant/research support from: MSD, Pfizer, Amgen, Abbott, Speakers bureau: Pfizer, UCB, C. Boone Employee of: Pfizer Inc, A. Albert Grant/research support from: Pfizer Inc., H. Mielants Consultant for: MSD, UCB and Pfizer, Speakers bureau: MSD, UCB and Pfizer