To assess the hypothesis if tocilizumab (TCZ) is effective on disease activity, and also its effect in fatigue and other clinical and psychological disease-related factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with TCZ. A 24-week, multicenter, prospective, observational study in patients with moderate to severe RA receiving TCZ after failure or intolerance to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs or tumor necrosis factor-alpha was conducted. Of the 122 patients included, 85 were evaluable for effectiveness (85% female, 51.9 ± 12.5 years, disease duration 8.7 ± 7.4 years). Mean change in C-reactive protein level from baseline to week 12 was −11.2 ± 4.0 ( P < .001). Mean Disease Activity Index score (DAS28) decreased from 5.5 ± 1.0 at baseline to 2.7 ± 1.3 ( P < .001) at week 24. Mean change in Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy score was −5.4 ± 11.2 points at week 24. Multiple regression analysis showed that the improvement in DAS28, sleep, and depression explained 56% and 47% of fatigue variance at week 12 and 24, respectively. Tocilizumab is effective in reducing disease activity and results in a clinically significant improvement in fatigue, pain, swollen joint count, morning stiffness, sleepiness, depression, and DAS28; the last 3 were specifically identified as factors explaining fatigue variance with the use of TCZ in RA patients.

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BackgroundAccording to the 2009 ASAS classification criteria, a patient with chronic low back pain (CLBP) may be classified as axial spondyloarthritis (ax-SpA), with or without radiographic evidence of sacroiliitis, if at least one other SpA feature is present in the first case and positive HLA-B27 and at least two SpA features in the second one. There is concern about whether the classification ”axial non-radiographic spondyloarthritis” (ax-SpA-nr) includes patients with a mild disease that do not require treatment or special care by rheumatology.ObjectivesTo compare disease burden between patients fulfilling criteria for AS and ax-SpA-nr.MethodsSub-analysis of Spanish patients from the PROOF study, an international prospective observational longitudinal study conducted in rheumatology clinics. All patients who attended rheumatology clinics due to CLBP (≥3 months, start <45 years of age) from Jan 2015 to ,Feb 2017 not previously diagnosed were consecutively included. The ASAS criteria were applied to all, with centralised image reading. Patients with AS and ax-SpA-nr were compared.Results192 patients with CLBP were included, of whom 151 (79%) met criteria of SpA-axe, 56 (43%) of AS and 74 (57%) of ax-SpA-nr (21 patients had X-ray missing or no central reading had been done so far). The table shows the description of patients with AS and ax-SpA-nr and their comparison.Abstract AB0857 – Table 1*Only among actively employed.Abbreviations: m, mean; SD, standard deviation; BASDAI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score; ASDAS-CRP, Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score calculated with C-reactive protein; BASFI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index; SF-12, Short Form questionnaire, 12 items version; WPAI-SHP, Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire related to disease; TNF, tumour necrosis factor.ConclusionsPatients referred by CLBP to rheumatology clinics meeting ASAS criteria for AS or ax-SpA-nr differ little in terms of impact and disease activity; therefore, non-radiographic forms of ax-SpA require as much attention as classic AS.AcknowledgementsThe PROOF study was sponsored by AbbVie. AbbVie contributed to the study design, research, and interpretation of data, writing, reviewing, and approving the publication. The authors wish to thank Loreto Carmona (InMusc) for providing medical writing and editing services in the development of this abstract. The financial support for these services was provided by AbbVie.Disclosure of InterestE. de Miguel Mendieta Grant/research support from: Abbvie, S. Muñoz Fernández Grant/research support from: Abbvie, C. Montilla Morales Grant/research support from: Abbvie, J. Ruiz Martín Grant/research support from: Abbvie, D. Reina Sanz Grant/research support from: Abbvie, C. Aguilera Cros Grant/research support from: Abbvie, M. Á. Belmonte Serrano Grant/research support from: Abbvie, J. R. Noguera Pons Grant/research support from: Abbvie, C. Barbazán Álvarez Grant/research support from: Abbvie, M. Arranz Employee of: Abbvie, V. Díaz Employee of...