BackgroundTocilizumab (TCZ), a humanized interleukin-6 receptor inhibitor, has been shown effective in suppressing symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In U-Act-Early, a significantly greater proportion of patients with early RA who initiated TCZ (84%) or TCZ plus MTX therapy (86%) achieved sustained remission (Disease Activity Score assessing 28 joints (DAS28) <2.6 with ≤4 swollen joints for ≥24 weeks), when compared to those initiating MTX (44%).[1]ObjectivesTo determine the effect of treat-to-target TCZ therapy, with or without MTX, on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARD)-naïve patients with early RA.MethodsPatients (n=317) were randomized to initiate TZC, TCZ+MTX or MTX therapy and treated according to a step-up strategy. TCZ was given (8 mg/kg) every 4 weeks and MTX (oral) was started at 10 mg/week and increased with steps of 5 mg steps 4 weekly up to 30 mg/week (or maximum tolerable dose) until remission. If after 20 weeks remission was not achieved, hydroxychloroquine was added and discontinued 12 weeks thereafter if the target still was not achieved. Patients who originally initiated monotherapy then switched to TCZ+MTX therapy and those already on this combination therapy switched to a tumour necrosis factor inhibitor. To evaluate the effect of TCZ on HRQoL, we used the 36-item Short-Form (SF-36), which can be summarized into a physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component score. HRQoL was measured at baseline and after 12, 24, 52, and 104 weeks. A linear mixed effect model with a random intercept was used to evaluate differences between treatment strategies over time with visit (time), strategy, baseline SF-36 score, baseline DAS28 level (i.e., DAS28 <5.1 or ≥5.1) and centre as fixed effects. The proportions of patients exceeding the minimum clinically important differences (MCID, ≥2.5-point increase from baseline) were tested for significance using the two-sided Pearson's chi-squared test.ResultsWe found significantly greater improvements over time in the SF-36 PCS in patients initiating treatment with TCZ (TCZ vs MTX; p=0.041, TCZ+MTX vs MTX; p=0.011, Fig. 1). For the SF-36 MCS, no significant differences over time were noted between the treatment arms (p≥0.11). A significantly higher proportion of patients initiating treatment with TCZ (76%; p=0.016, 89%; p=0.030) or TCZ+MTX (73%; p=0.049, 89%; p=0.027) achieved MCID in the SF-36 PCS at week 12 and week 52, when compared to those initiating treatment with MTX (59% and 73%, respectively). Although the proportions of patients achieving MCID in the SF-36 MCS were numerically higher in the TCZ arms, no significant differences were found (p≥0.06).ConclusionsInitiation of TCZ, with or without MTX, at start of therapy resulted in statistically significant and clinically relevant improvements in the HRQoL when compared to initiation of MTX alone and may be considered as a valuable treatment strategy in DMARD-naïve patients with early RA.References Bijlsma JW, Welsing PM, Woodworth TG, et al. Early rheumatoid a...
BackgroundRapidly reducing disease activity is of major importance in the management of newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients as early response strongly correlates with long-term clinical outcomes. To select patients for whom it would be favourable to initiate a biological drug from start of therapy, it is crucial to study biological pathways and biomarkers involved in treatment response.ObjectivesTo identify biological networks and signature genes among disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD)-naïve early RA patients achieving sustained drug-free remission (sDFR) after initiating treatment with tocilizumab (TCZ).MethodsData was used from DMARD-naïve early RA patients in the U-Act-Early trial who had been randomized to initiate TCZ therapy. The study design and details have previously been described.[1] Briefly, TCZ (8 mg/kg) was given every 4 weeks and if remission was not achieved, methotrexate (oral) was added. When the target was achieved, therapy was tapered and subsequently discontinued provided remission persisted. sDFR was reached when patients remained ≥3 months in remission while being drug-free until the end of the two-year study period. Before the first dose of medication, whole blood samples were collected and RNA was isolated from CD4 cells and analyzed using RNA sequencing. The DESeq2 package was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between responders (achieving sDFR, n=13) and non-responders (not able to taper medication, n=11). Subsequently, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to study clusters (modules) within the 1000 most relevant DEGs.ResultsIn total, eight modules with varying sizes (10–470 genes) were identified. The module best correlated (Pearson correlation coefficient 0.52, p=0.009) with achieving sDFR included 26 genes and was used for further functional analysis. Within this module, we found three significantly enriched pathways in the Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. These were calcium signalling pathway (p=5.81E-04), carbohydrate digestion & absorption (p=4.46E-02), and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction (p=2.61E-02). In addition, we identified 83 overrepresented Gene Ontology (GO) terms of which granulocyte migration (p=2.70E-04), myeloid leukocyte migration (p=8.95E-04) and G-protein coupled amine receptor activity (p=1.25E-03) were most significant. The genes in the module of interest showing the highest connectivity were the upregulated testis expressed 22 (TEX22), doublecortin lie kinase 2 (DCLK2), and the downregulated Williams Beuren syndrome chromosome region 27 (WBSCR27) gene (Fig. 1).ConclusionsWhen performing network analyses of the DEGs between responders and non-responders, TEX22 and DCLK2 were identified as signature genes for treatment response to TCZ therapy. WBSCR27 was found to be associated with less chance of achieving sDFR.References Bijlsma JW, Welsing PM, Woodworth TG, et al. Early rheumatoid arthritis treated with tocilizumab, methotrexate, or their combination (U-Act-E...
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