Objective: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of tocilizumab and abatacept in systemic sclerosis (SSc)-polyarthritis or SSc-myopathy.
Methods: 20 patients with SSc with refractory polyarthritis and seven with refractory myopathy from the EUSTAR (EULAR Scleroderma Trials and Research) network were included: 15 patients received tocilizumab and 12 patients abatacept. All patients with SSc-myopathy received abatacept. Clinical and biological assessments were made at the start of treatment and at the last infusion.
Results: After 5 months, tocilizumab induced a significant improvement in the 28-joint count Disease Activity Score and its components, with 10/15 patients achieving a EULAR good response. Treatment was stopped in two patients because of inefficacy. After 11 months' treatment of patients with abatacept, joint parameters improved significantly, with 6/11 patients fulfilling EULAR good-response criteria. Abatacept did not improve muscle outcome measures in SSc-myopathy. No significant change was seen for skin or lung fibrosis in the different groups. Both treatments were well tolerated.
Conclusions: In this observational study, tocilizumab and abatacept appeared to be safe and effective on joints, in patients with refractory SSc. No trend for any change of fibrotic lesions was seen but this may relate to the exposure time and inclusion criteria. Larger studies with longer follow-up are warranted to further determine the safety and effectiveness of these drugs in SSc.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2012-202657 | DOI Listing |
Ann Rheum Dis
January 2025
School of Medicine, Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK; LTHT, NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre, Leeds, UK. Electronic address:
Background: The EULAR recommendations for the treatment of systemic sclerosis (SSc) were updated in 2017, informed by a systematic literature review (SLR) completed in 2014.
Objectives: The aim of this new SLR was to provide the most up-to-date literature to underpin contemporary EULAR recommendations for the management of SSc.
Methods: 30 searches for 30 interventions (including several outcomes/clinical questions), and 1 dedicated search (with several interventions) for calcinosis were prioritised by the task force.
Pediatr Rheumatol Online J
January 2025
School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, King George VI Building, Queen Victoria Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 4RU, UK.
Background: There is limited literature in paediatric rheumatology describing holistic lived experiences of medical treatment from perspectives of children and young people (CYP) and their parents or carers (PC). This is important as it could have implications for adherence. This study aimed to explore treatment experiences of CYP and PC in a paediatric rheumatology service.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomedicines
November 2024
Pharmacovigilance Center, Information and Methodological Center for Expert Evaluation, Record and Analysis of Circulation of Medical Products Under the Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare, 4-1 Slavyanskaya Square, 109074 Moscow, Russia.
Background/objectives: Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) results in a progressive decline of lung function due to scarring. Drugs are among the most common causes of PF. The objective of our study was to reveal the structure of drugs involved in PF development.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRMD Open
December 2024
Rheumatology, Amsterdam UMC Locatie VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Objectives: To assess the effect of treatment on haemostatic parameters in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Methods: Patients with newly diagnosed RA started methotrexate and were randomised to additional conventional treatment, certolizumab pegol, abatacept or tocilizumab. Several biomarkers for haemostasis were analysed including parameters of the two global haemostatic assays-overall haemostatic potential (OHP) and endogenous thrombin potential (ETP), as well as single haemostatic factors-fibrinogen, prothrombin fragment 1+2 (F1+2), D-dimer, thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) and clot lysis time (CLT) in 24 patients at baseline, 12 and 24 weeks after the start of the treatment.
Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis
December 2024
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, 42 Jebong-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61469, Republic of Korea.
Background: Recent studies have shown the impact of obesity on achieving low disease activity or remission in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors. However, there is limited research on the effects of obesity on clinical responses to non-TNF-targeted treatments.
Objectives: This study investigated the influence of body mass index (BMI) on clinical response to non-TNF-targeted treatments in RA patients.
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