Systematic literature review and meta-analysis informing the EULAR points to consider on the initiation of targeted therapies in patients with inflammatory arthritis and a history of cancer.

Background: Targeted therapies have been associated with potential risk of malignancy, which is a common concern in daily rheumatology practice in patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA) and a history of cancer.

Objectives: To perform a systematic literature review to inform a Task Force formulating EULAR points to consider on the initiation of targeted therapies in patients with IA and a history of cancer.

Methods: Specific research questions were defined within the Task Force before formulating the exact research queries with a librarian.

2024 EULAR points to consider on the initiation of targeted therapies in patients with inflammatory arthritis and a history of cancer.

Background: Potential associations between targeted therapies and a new cancer in patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA) and a previous malignancy are a frequent concern in daily rheumatology practice.

Objectives: To develop points to consider (PTC) to assist rheumatologists when initiating a targeted therapy in the context of a previous malignancy.

Methods: Following EULAR standardised operating procedures, a task force met to define the research questions for a systematic literature review and to formulate the overarching principles (OPs) and the PTC.

Development of a Maturity Model for Medical Patient Registries - A Community Approach.

Objective: Development of a generic model to visualize the potential for use and further development of registries to assess the suitability of the registry for a specific purpose.

Methods: Multi-stage community approach.

Results: The maturity model has 9 categories with 105 items.

No difference in clinical parameters and drug retention in PsA patients receiving b/tsDMARD monotherapy versus combination with methotrexate: data from the RABBIT-SpA registry.

Background: The potential benefit of methotrexate (MTX) in combination with biologic (b) and targeted synthetic (ts) disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is still a matter of debate.

Objectives: To compare clinical and patient reported characteristics as well as drug retention rates in PsA patients receiving b/tsDMARD monotherapy or in combination with MTX.

Methods: RABBIT-SpA is a prospective longitudinal cohort study including axSpA and PsA patients.

[The German COVID-19 rheumatism register].

At the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in December 2019 there was no available evidence regarding the management of immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory treatment and the potential outcomes of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections in inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD). As a result, the Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Germany, in collaboration with the German Society for Rheumatology, established the German COVID-19 register ( www.covid19-rheuma.

The protective effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors in COVID-19 in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases compared to the general population-A comparison of two German registries.

Objectives: To investigate, whether inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) inpatients are at higher risk to develop a severe course of SARS-CoV-2 infections compared to the general population, data from the German COVID-19 registry for IRD patients and data from the Lean European Survey on SARS-CoV-2 (LEOSS) infected patients covering inpatients from the general population with SARS-CoV-2 infections were compared.

Methods: 4310 (LEOSS registry) and 1139 cases (IRD registry) were collected in general. Data were matched for age and gender.

Characterization of patients with psoriatic arthritis in dermatologic and rheumatologic care: analysis of two registries.

Background And Objective: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease affecting the musculoskeletal system, skin and nails. The aim is to characterize sociodemographic and clinical patient profiles documented in dermatologic and rheumatologic care.

Patients And Methods: Data of 704 patients with PsA from the dermatological Psoriasis Registry PsoBest (PB) and 1066 patients from the rheumatological disease registry RABBIT-SpA (RS) were analyzed.

Depressive symptoms are associated with fatigue, poorer functional status and less engagement in sports in axSpA and PsA: an analysis from the RABBIT-SpA cohort.

Background: In patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA), concomitant depression might have a negative impact on the course of disease and treatment outcomes. The aims of this analysis are to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms in axSpA and PsA patients in a real-world cohort study and to identify sociodemographic and clinical associated factors for moderate or severe depressive symptoms in both diseases.

Methods: Patients from the RABBIT-SpA cohort with an axSpA or PsA diagnosis and a valid WHO-5 Well-Being Index score at baseline were included.

[With RheMIT rheumatology centers can participate in the German national database-Expansion of the long-term rheumatological documentation].

The national database (NDB) of the German regional collaborative rheumatology centers was switched to the RheMIT documentation software last year. Rheumatology centers that already use RheMIT for care contracts or other research projects can therefore use the software to also participate in the NDB. Experiences from a hospital, a medical care center and a specialist practice show how the changeover to RheMIT from an existing documentation system or a new participation in the NDB with RheMIT can be implemented.

Characteristics and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections among double-vaccinated and triple-vaccinated patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases.

Objective: To analyse the clinical profile of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections in at least double-vaccinated patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRDs).

Methods: Data from the physician-reported German COVID-19-IRD registry collected between February 2021 and July 2022 were analysed. SARS-CoV-2 cases were stratified according to patients' vaccination status as being not vaccinated, double-vaccinated or triple-vaccinated prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection and descriptively compared.

Comparison of patients with axial PsA and patients with axSpA and concomitant psoriasis: an analysis of the German register RABBIT-SpA.

Background: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) show certain overlaps: A subset of patients with PsA can develop axial involvement (axial PsA, axPsA), while a subset of patients with axSpA presents with psoriasis (axSpA+pso). Treatment strategy for axPsA is mostly based on axSpA evidence.

Objectives: To compare demographic and disease-specific parameters of axPsA and axSpA+pso.

High burden of polypharmacy and comorbidity in persons with psoriatic arthritis: an analysis of claims data, stratified by age and sex.

Objective: To assess polypharmacy in women and men with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Methods: From the German BARMER health insurance database, 11 984 persons with PsA and disease-modifying antirheumatic drug therapy in 2021 were included and compared with sex-matched and age-matched controls without inflammatory arthritis. Medications were analysed by Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) groups.

Characteristics associated with poor COVID-19 outcomes in people with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis: data from the COVID-19 PsoProtect and Global Rheumatology Alliance physician-reported registries.

Objectives: To investigate factors associated with severe COVID-19 in people with psoriasis (PsO), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).

Methods: Demographic data, clinical characteristics and COVID-19 outcome severity of adults with PsO, PsA and axSpA were obtained from two international physician-reported registries. A three-point ordinal COVID-19 severity scale was defined: no hospitalisation, hospitalisation (and no death) and death.

Systematic review to estimate the prevalence of inflammatory rheumatic diseases in Germany.

Objective: This study aimed to update the prevalence estimates of inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) in Germany.

Methods: A systematic literature search in PubMed and Web of Science (last search 08 November 2022) identified original articles (regional and nationwide surveys and claims data analyses for arthritides, connective tissue diseases, and vasculitides) on prevalences for the period 2014-2022. Data sources, collection period, case definition, and risk of bias are reported.

[Systematic review to estimate the prevalence of inflammatory rheumatic diseases in Germany. German version].

Objective: To update the estimated prevalence of inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) in Germany.

Methods: A systematic literature search in PubMed and Web of Science (last search 8 November 2022) identified original articles (regional and nationwide surveys and routine data analyses for arthritides, connective tissue diseases, and vasculitides) on the prevalence for the period 2014-2022. Data sources, collection period, case definition, and risk of bias are reported.

The Sensitivity to Change of the ASAS Health Index in an Observational Real-Life Cohort Study.

Objective: The Assessment of Spondyloarthritis international Society Health Index (ASAS HI) measures global functioning and health in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) covering domains of physical, emotional, and social functioning. The main aim of this study was to investigate the sensitivity to change of ASAS HI in comparison with established variables of disease activity, function, and mental health.

Methods: Patients with axSpA from the disease register RABBIT-SpA with follow-up time of at least 12 months and available ASAS HI questionnaires were included.

TNFi is associated with positive outcome, but JAKi and rituximab are associated with negative outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with RMD.

Introduction: Several risk factors for severe COVID-19 specific for patients with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) have been identified so far. Evidence regarding the influence of different RMD treatments on outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection is still poor.

Methods: Data from the German COVID-19-RMD registry collected between 30 March 2020 and 9 April 2021 were analysed.

Implementing an automated monitoring process in a digital, longitudinal observational cohort study.

Background: Clinical data collection requires correct and complete data sets in order to perform correct statistical analysis and draw valid conclusions. While in randomized clinical trials much effort concentrates on data monitoring, this is rarely the case in observational studies- due to high numbers of cases and often-restricted resources. We have developed a valid and cost-effective monitoring tool, which can substantially contribute to an increased data quality in observational research.

[German registry www.Covid19-Rheuma.de : Status report after 1 year of the pandemic].

The COVID-19 registry ( www.covid19-rheuma.de ) of the German Society of Rheumatology was the first registry for the acquisition and systemic evaluation of viral infections in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD).

Older age, comorbidity, glucocorticoid use and disease activity are risk factors for COVID-19 hospitalisation in patients with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.

Introduction: Whether patients with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) are at higher risk to develop severe courses of COVID-19 has not been fully elucidated. Aim of this analysis was to describe patients with RMD according to their COVID-19 severity and to identify risk factors for hospitalisation.

Methods: Patients with RMD with PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection reported to the German COVID-19 registry from 30 March to 1 November 2020 were evaluated.

National registry for patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Germany (ReCoVery): a valuable mean to gain rapid and reliable knowledge of the clinical course of SARS-CoV-2 infections in patients with IRD.

Objectives: Patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may be at risk to develop a severe course of COVID-19. The influence of immunomodulating drugs on the course of COVID-19 is unknown. To gather knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 infections in patients with IRD, we established a registry shortly after the beginning of the pandemic in Germany.

Rheumatoid arthritis treatment in patients with a history of cancer.

Purpose Of Review: What is the best treatment option in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis who have a history of malignant disease? Rheumatologists are increasingly faced with this question in their daily practice. As uncontrolled high disease activity is an important risk factor for further comorbidities and shortened life expectancy, the treatment has to be effective, without bearing a higher risk for cancer recurrence. What data is available today to guide treatment decisions and how robust is its evidence?

Recent Findings: As patients with prior cancer are usually not included in randomized controlled trials, all data we have to elucidate this topic stems from observational cohort studies, mainly biologics registers established in several European countries.