Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with etanercept with reference to disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs: long-term safety and survival using prospective, observational data

Morgan, C.L., Emery, P., Porter, D., Reynolds, A., Young, A., Boyd, H., Poole, C.D. and Currie, C.J. (2014) Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with etanercept with reference to disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs: long-term safety and survival using prospective, observational data. Rheumatology, 53(1), pp. 186-194. (doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/ket333)

Abstract

Objective. The objective of this study was to examine the long-term safety of etanercept (ETN) in comparison with conventional DMARDs in a large observational cohort of RA patients in the UK.<p></p> Methods. Data were made available from the British Society of Rheumatology Biologics Register for a cohort of patients with RA treated with ETN and a reference cohort of RA patients treated with conventional DMARDs (maximum follow-up 10 years). The adjusted risk of events was compared using Cox proportional hazards models.<p></p> Results. There were 3529 eligible ETN-treated patients (16 919 person-years) and 2864 conventional DMARD-treated patients (11 095 person-years), with notable differences between groups at baseline. Crude mortality rates were 12.0 vs 20.1 events per 1000 person-years for ETN and conventional DMARD patients, respectively, with an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 0.72 (95% CI 0.54, 0.96). There was no difference in the long-term risk of serious infections (aHR = 1.02, 95% CI 0.83, 1.25). However, the risk was increased for ETN in the first 2 years (aHR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.16, 2.09; aHR = 1.32, 95% CI 1.06, 1.65). The aHRs (95% CIs) of various outcomes were cancer, 0.84 (0.68, 1.03); lymphoproliferative malignancy specifically, 0.51 (0.28, 0.95); all other serious adverse events, 0.70 (0.56, 0.87) and cardiac events specifically, 0.52 (0.37, 0.72).<p></p> Conclusion. There was no evidence of adverse outcome from long-term exposure to ETN. There was evidence of improved survival, reduced cardiovascular events and reduced lymphoproliferative malignancies.<p></p>

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Porter, Dr Duncan
• Authors: Morgan, C.L., Emery, P., Porter, D., Reynolds, A., Young, A., Boyd, H., Poole, C.D., and Currie, C.J.
• 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): 1662-3959