Patients receiving anti-TNF therapies experience clinically important improvements in RA-related fatigue: results from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Druce, K. L., Jones, G. T., Macfarlane, G. J. and Basu, N. (2015) Patients receiving anti-TNF therapies experience clinically important improvements in RA-related fatigue: results from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Rheumatology, 54(6), pp. 964-971. (doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/keu390) (PMID:25313148)

Abstract

Objectives. Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α are important in the pathogenesis of fatigue in conditions such as RA. This study aimed to determine whether fatigue improved in a cohort of RA patients with clinically relevant fatigue commencing anti-TNF-α therapy and, if so, to identify predictors of improvement. Methods. Participants recruited to a long-term observational cohort study (the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register for RA) provided information on fatigue using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) vitality subscale. The prevalence of severe baseline fatigue (SF-36 vitality ≤12.5) was calculated and improvements, considered as (i) absolute values and (ii) improvement from severe to non-severe fatigue (SF-36 vitality >12.5), were examined 6 months subsequently. A comprehensive set of putative predictors of fatigue improvement were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. Results. In 6835 participants the prevalence of severe baseline fatigue was 38.8%. Of those with severe fatigue, 70% reported clinically relevant improvement and 66% moved to the non-severe fatigue category (i.e. improvers). The mean change for improvers was three times the minimum clinically important difference for improvement (33.0 U). Independent baseline predictors of improvement were female sex [odds ratio (OR) 1.3 (95% CI 1.1, 1.7)], not being unemployed due to ill health [OR 1.5 (95% CI 1.2, 1.7)], low disability [OR 1.2 (95% CI 1.001, 1.5)], seropositivity [OR 1.2 (95% CI 0.98, 1.4)], not using steroids [OR 1.2 (95% CI 1.03, 1.5)], no history of hypertension [OR 1.4 (95% CI 1.1, 1.6)] or depression [OR 1.3 (95% CI 1.1, 1.5)] and good mental health [SF-36 mental health subscale >35; OR 1.4 (95% CI 1.2, 1.7)]. Conclusion. Fatigued RA patients reported substantial improvement in their fatigue after commencing anti-TNF-α therapy. Further, a number of clinical and psychosocial baseline factors identified those most likely to improve, supporting future stratified approaches to RA fatigue management.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Basu, Professor Neil
• Authors: Druce, K. L., Jones, G. T., Macfarlane, G. J., and Basu, N.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity
• Journal Name: Rheumatology
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• ISSN: 1462-0324
• ISSN (Online): 1462-0332