AB1392-HPR GO-BEYOND: A REAL-WORLD PERSISTENCE STUDY WITH GOLIMUMAB IN PATIENTS WITH AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IN TURKEY
Authors: Servet Akar, Umut Kalyoncu, Ediz Dalkılıç, Hakan Emmungil
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2019)

<h3>Background</h3> Axial spondyloarthritis (ax-SpA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are chronic inflammatory diseases and associated with substantial health and economic burden since these conditions affect individuals in their productive years<sup>1,2</sup>. Adherence to treatment is a major problem for inflammatory rheumatic diseases<sup>3</sup>. <h3>Objectives</h3> In the present study, we aimed to evaluate rates of persistence with golimumab (GLM) therapy in ax-SpA and RA patients using real-world data. <h3>Methods</h3> This multicenter, non-interventional, retrospective study enrolled 329 patients diagnosed with ax-SpA (n=269) and RA (n=60) who currently receive or have received golimumab therapy for at least 3 months either as first-line treatment (biologic nave group) or as second-line treatment after failure to another anti-TNF or biologic agent (biologic-experienced group). In addition to the patients demographic and clinical characteristics, data on drug continuation and disease activity scores such as ASDAS/BASDAI and DAS-28 scores were retrieved from the patient records. A regression analysis was conducted to determine the factors associated with drug discontinuation including age, gender, smoking status, disease duration, presence of comorbidities, disease activity measures, concomitant csDMARD use. <h3>Results</h3> Only 28 (10.4%) axSpA and 7 (11.6%) RA patients were biologic-experienced. The changes in disease activity scores of RA and axSpA patients on therapy during 2-years of follow-up are presented in figure a and b. Golimumab therapy provided good and long-term improvement in the disease activity scores in both RA and ax-SpA patients. At 6, 12 and 24 months treatment persistence rates were 86.4%, 74.5% and 65.5% for RA and 93.5%, 81.9% and 75.5% for axSpA patients, respectively. Persistence with GLM was similar between biologic-nave and -experienced patients. GLM persistence was also similar in RA and axSpA groups (figure c). Regression analysis revealed that smoking (HR 0.523; p= 0.006), presence of comorbidity (HR 2.731, p&lt;0.001) and disease duration (HR 0.957, p=0.036) were significant predictors of drug persistence in GLM treated patients. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Our results show that GLM therapy is an effective treatment option with high drug retention rates in both RA and ax-SpA patients independent of previous biologic exposure. Smoking, co-morbidities and disease duration may affect the continuation of golimumab treatment in inflammatory rheumatic diseases. <h3>References</h3> [1] Strand V, Singh JA. Patient Burden of Axial Spondyloarthritis. J Clin Rheumatol. 2017 Oct;23(7):383-391. [2] Scott DL, Wolfe F, Huizinga TW. Rheumatoid arthritis. Lancet. 2010 Sep 25;376(9746):1094-108. [3] Anghel LA, Farcaş AM, Oprean RN. Medication adherence and persistence in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases: a narrative review. Patient Prefer Adherence. 2018 Jul 3;12:1151-116 <h3>Disclosure of Interests</h3> Servet Akar Grant/research support from: MSD, Abbvie, Roche, UCB, Novartis, Pfizer, Amgen, Consultant for: MSD, Abbvie, Roche, UCB, Novartis, Pfizer, Amgen, Speakers bureau: Pfizer, Umut Kalyoncu Grant/research support from: MSD, Roche, UCB, Novartis and Pfizer, Consultant for: MSD, Abbvie, Roche, UCB, Novartis, Pfizer and Abdi Ibrahim, Speakers bureau: MSD, Abbvie, Roche, UCB, Novartis, Pfizer and Abdi Ibrahim, Ediz Dalkılı Grant/research support from: MSD and Abbvie, Consultant for: MSD, Abbvie,Roche, UCB, Pfizer and Novartis, Speakers bureau: MSD, Abbvie,Roche, UCB, Pfizer and Novartis, Hakan Emmungil Grant/research support from: MSD, Roche, Pfizer, Abbvie, Consultant for: Novartis, Roche, Speakers bureau: MSD, Roche, Pfizer, Abbvie,Celltrion, Novartis