RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Changing Patterns of Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor Use in 9074 Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP 907
OP 913
DO 10.3899/jrheum.080592
VO 36
IS 5
A1 YUSUF YAZICI
A1 SVETLANA KRASNOKUTSKY
A1 JAIME P. BARNES
A1 PATRICIA L. HINES
A1 JASON WANG
A1 LISA ROSENBLATT
YR 2009
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/36/5/907.abstract
AB Objective. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) commonly switch between tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors after failing to control disease activity. Much of the clinical data that support switching to a second TNF agent when one agent fails to work has come from small, short-term studies. We utilized a US insurance claims database to determine patterns of use such as dose escalation, time to discontinuation, and switching between TNF inhibitors in patients with RA. Methods. A retrospective analysis was performed using an insurance claims database in the US from 2000 to 2005. TNF inhibitor use, time to switch, dose escalation, and continuation times were analyzed in patients with RA. Results. Nine thousand seventy-four patients with RA started TNF inhibitors during the period 2000 to 2005. Etanercept was the most commonly used TNF inhibitor; infliximab had the highest duration of continuation, about 50% at 2 years. In addition, infliximab showed higher rates of dose escalation compared to etanercept and adalimumab. For all TNF inhibitors, time to switching decreased from 2000 to 2005. Conclusion. TNF inhibitor use patterns changed from 2000 to 2005, with more frequent changes among the different TNF inhibitors and a shorter duration of treatment before the change. Only about 50% of TNF inhibitors are still continued at 2 years, reflecting the difference between randomized clinical trials and real-world experience.