Adherence and Treat-to-Target Benchmarks in Older Adults With Gout Initiating Urate-Lowering Therapy in Ontario, Canada: A Population-Based Study.

Objective: We sought to evaluate urate-lowering therapy (ULT) adherence and treatment-to-target (T2T) serum uric acid (SUA) levels among older adults with gout starting ULT.

Methods: We performed a population-based retrospective cohort study in Ontario, Canada in patients with gout aged ≥66 years newly dispensed ULT between 2010 and 2019. We defined successful T2T as patients having SUA levels <360 μmol/L (6 mg/dL) within 12 months after ULT dispensation.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors and the Risk of Discontinuation of Advanced Therapies Due to Treatment Failure in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results From the Ontario Best Practices Research Initiative.

Objectives: Our goal was to investigate whether cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors are associated with the retention of biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) or targeted-synthetic DMARDs (tsDMARDs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: We included participants in the Ontario Best Practices Initiative RA registry who initiated their first bDMARD or tsDMARD. Participants were grouped by the number of baseline CVD risk factors (0, 1, or ≥2).

Low Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir Use Among Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Signal of Concern.

Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may be at increased risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes. Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir has been shown to reduce the risk for hospitalization and death among patients with COVID-19 at risk for progression to severe disease..

Serum Urate Monitoring Among Older Adults With Gout: Initiating Urate-Lowering Therapy in Ontario, Canada.

Objective: To assess the proportion of, and factors associated with, older adults with gout receiving a serum urate (SUA) test after starting urate-lowering therapy (ULT).

Methods: We performed a population-based retrospective cohort study in Ontario, Canada in patients ages ≥66 years with gout, newly dispensed ULT between 2010 and 2019. We characterized patients with SUA testing within 6 and 12 months after ULT dispensation.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with rheumatoid arthritis: data from the Ontario Best Practices Research Initiative (OBRI).

Objective: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic created challenges for patients with RA. We examined the potential impact of the pandemic on patient-reported outcomes (PROs), disease activity and medication profiles, comparing the periods pre-pandemic and during the pandemic.

Methods: Patients enrolled in the Ontario Best Practices Research Initiative were included if they had at least one visit to a physician or study interviewer within 12 months before and after the start of pandemic-related closures in Ontario (15 March 2020).

Changes in Service Delivery and Access to Rheumatologists Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Canadian Universal Healthcare Setting.

Objective: To describe changes in service delivery and access to rheumatologists before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic periods.

Methods: We conducted a population-based study in Ontario, Canada. Patient visits with rheumatologists were ascertained using billing claims data.

Statin Use for Primary Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Is Low in Inflammatory Arthritis.

Background: Patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA) are at high risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), yet management of dyslipidemia is infrequently prioritized. We applied Canadian dyslipidemia guidelines to determine how many patients with IA would be eligible for primary prevention with statins.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients with IA in a cardio-rheumatology clinic, with no known CVD and without statin therapy at cohort entry.

COVID-19 Hospitalizations, Intensive Care Unit Stays, Ventilation, and Death Among Patients With Immune-mediated Inflammatory Diseases Compared to Controls.

Objective: To investigate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) hospitalization risk in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) compared with matched non-IMID comparators from the general population.

Methods: We conducted a population-based, matched cohort study using health administrative data from January to July 2020 in Ontario, Canada. Cohorts for each of the following IMIDs were assembled: rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis (PsA), ankylosing spondylitis, systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs), multiple sclerosis (MS), iritis, inflammatory bowel disease, polymyalgia rheumatica, and vasculitis.

Understanding COVID-19 Risk in Patients With Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases: A Population-Based Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Testing.

Objective: To investigate the incidence of and factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 testing and infection in immune-mediated inflammatory disease (IMID) patients versus matched non-IMID comparators from the general population.

Methods: We conducted a population-based, matched cohort study among adult residents from Ontario, Canada, from January 2020 to December 2020. We created cohorts for the following IMIDs: rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases, multiple sclerosis (MS), iritis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), polymyalgia rheumatica, and vasculitis.

Considerations and priorities for incorporating the patient perspective on remission in rheumatoid arthritis: An OMERACT 2020 special interest group report.

Objective: To determine how best to incorporate the patient perspective into rheumatoid arthritis remission criteria.

Methods: At OMERACT 2020, several studies, including a longitudinal multi-centre study testing the validity of adding patient-valued domains to the ACR/EULAR criteria, were presented and discussed by the virtual Special Interest Group.

Results: Overall consensus was that there is insufficient evidence to change the remission criteria at this point.

Diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular risk management in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: an international audit.

Aim: The objective was to examine the prevalence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and its risk factors among patients with RA with diabetes mellitus (RA-DM) and patients with RA without diabetes mellitus (RAwoDM), and to evaluate lipid and blood pressure (BP) goal attainment in RA-DM and RAwoDM in primary and secondary prevention.

Methods: The cohort was derived from the Survey of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis from 53 centres/19 countries/3 continents during 2014-2019. We evaluated the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among RA-DM and RAwoDM.

An international audit of the management of dyslipidaemia and hypertension in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: results from 19 countries.

Aims: To assess differences in estimated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients from different world regions and to evaluate the management and goal attainment of lipids and blood pressure (BP).

Methods And Results: The survey of CVD risk factors in patients with RA was conducted in 14 503 patients from 19 countries during 2014-19. The treatment goal for BP was <140/90 mmHg.

Evaluation of Rheumatology Workforce Supply Changes in Ontario, Canada, from 2000 to 2030.

Rheumatology workforces are increasingly challenged by too few physicians in face of the growing burden of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). Rheumatology is one of the most frequent non-surgical specialty referrals and has the longest wait times for subspecialists. We used a population-based approach to describe changes in the rheumatology workforce, patient volumes and geographic variation in the supply of and access to rheumatologists, in Ontario, Canada, between 2000 and 2019, and projected changes in supply by 2030.

Cardiovascular risk factors are negatively associated with rheumatoid arthritis disease outcomes.

Aims: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the influence of CVD risk factors on RA outcomes is limited. We examined if CVD risk factors alone are associated with RA disease activity and disability.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of participants in the Ontario Best Practices Research Initiative, RA registry.

Feminization of the Rheumatology Workforce: A Longitudinal Evaluation of Patient Volumes, Practice Sizes, and Physician Remuneration.

Objective: To compare differences in clinical activity and remuneration between male and female rheumatologists and to evaluate associations between physician gender and practice sizes and patient volume, accounting for rheumatologists' age, and calendar year effects.

Methods: We conducted a population-based study in Ontario, Canada, between 2000 to 2015 identifying all rheumatologists practicing as full-time equivalents (FTEs) or above and assessed differences in practice sizes (number of unique patients), practice volumes (number of patient visits), and remuneration (total fee-for-service billings) between male and female rheumatologists. Multivariable linear regression was used to evaluate the effects of gender on practice size and volume separately, accounting for age and year.

Acute mental health service use is increased in rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis: a population-based cohort study.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) are associated with mental illness. Whether acute mental health (MH) service utilization (i.e.

The risk of deliberate self-harm following a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis: A population-based cohort study.

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) are associated with mental illness. The risk of serious mental illness, including deliberate self-harm (DSH), in these conditions is not well known. We aimed to determine if RA or AS independently increases the risk for DSH.

Encounters with Rheumatologists in a Publicly Funded Canadian Healthcare System: A Population-based Study.

Objective: To quantify population-level and practice-level encounters with rheumatologists over time.

Methods: We conducted a population-based study from 2000 to 2015 in Ontario, Canada, where all residents are covered by a single-payer healthcare system. Annual total number of unique patients seen by rheumatologists, the number of new patients seen, and total number of encounters with rheumatologists were identified.

Awareness and perceived risk of cardiovascular disease among individuals living with rheumatoid arthritis is low: results of a systematic literature review.

Background: Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), but patient perceptions of CVD are not routinely assessed. We performed a systematic literature review to evaluate awareness of the association between RA and CVD, and perceived risk of CVD among individuals with RA.

Methods: Three electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PubMed) were searched for English language articles between the years of 1990-2018.

Associations Between Methotrexate Use and the Risk of Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Elderly-onset Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: We evaluated the associations between time-varying methotrexate (MTX) use and risk of cardiovascular events (CVE) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: We studied an inception cohort of 23,994 patients with RA diagnosed after their 65th birthday. Multivariable Cox regression models were fit to evaluate the associations between time-varying MTX use, controlling for other risk factors, and time to CVE.

High Disease Activity Is Associated with Self-reported Depression and Predicts Persistent Depression in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results from the Ontario Best Practices Research Initiative.

Objective: We sought to determine if initial high disease activity or changes in disease activity contribute to persistent depression in early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA). We also determined if disease activity and depression is modified by sex.

Methods: Depression was ascertained by self-report among patients enrolled in the Ontario Best Practices Research Initiative.