Factors Affecting Drug Retention of Janus kinase Inhibitors in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: The ANSWER Cohort Study

Abstract

Background: This multi-center, retrospective study aimed to clarify the factors affecting drug retention of the Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) baricitinib (BAR) and tofacitinib (TOF) in patients with RA.Methods: Patients were included as follows: females, 80.6%; age, 60.5 years; DAS28-ESR, 4.3; treated with either BAR (n = 166) or TOF (n = 185) and concomitant glucocorticoid (prednisolone [PSL] equivalent) 5.3 mg/day (46.7%) or methotrexate (MTX) 8.9 mg/week (60.7%); bDMARDs- or JAKi-switched cases (76.6%). The reasons for drug discontinuation were classified into four major categories: lack of effectiveness, toxic adverse events, non-toxic reasons and remission. The drug retention rate was estimated at 24 months using the Kaplan–Meier method and adjusted for potential confounders using multivariate Cox proportional hazards modelling.Results: Adjusted discontinuation rates for the corresponding reasons were as follows: lack of effectiveness (22.3%), toxic adverse events (13.3%), non-toxic reasons (7.2%) and remission (0.0%). Prior use of anti-interleukin-6 receptor antibody (aIL-6R) was significantly associated with discontinuation due to lack of effectiveness (P = 0.021). Ageing (P = 0.015), usage of PSL ≥5 mg/day (P = 0.017) and female sex (P = 0.041) were significantly associated with discontinuation due to toxic adverse events. Factors not associated with treatment discontinuation were: number of prior bDMARDs or JAKi, concomitant MTX usage, different JAKi and prior use of TNF inhibitor, CTLA4-Ig or other JAKi.Conclusions: Prior use of aIL-6R was associated with discontinuation due to lack of effectiveness, while ageing (≥75 years), PSL usage ≥5 mg/day, and female sex were associated with discontinuation due to toxic adverse events.

Retention on tofacitinib therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (real clinical practice data)

“…K. Ebina и соавт. [28] провели многоцентровое ретроспективное 24-недельное исследование, направленное на выявление факторов, влияющих на удержание на терапии иJAK пациентов с РА, преимущественно женщин (80,6%), средний возраст которых составил 60,5 года. Проанализированы данные 193 больных, из которых 185 исходно получали ТОФА, а 8 были переключены с барицитиниба на ТОФА.…”