Comparison between the clinical and serological features of patients who did and did not return to IV administration of ABA after the switch to SC administration. Values are n (%) unless otherwise specified. None of the p values were significant.
| Analyzed Features | Patients Who Maintained the SC Formulation, n = 37 (72.5%) | Patients Who Returned to IV Infusions, n = 14 (27.5%) |
|---|---|---|
| Mean age, yrs (SD) | 59.6 (14.2) | 53.8 (11.3) |
| Positivity for RF | 34/37 (91.9)* | 12/13 (92.3)* |
| Positivity for ACPA | 21/29 (72.4)* | 10/13 (76.9)* |
| Mean disease duration, mos (SD) | 136.3 (116.5) | 132.8 (95.4) |
| Previous IV therapy duration, mos (SD) | 21.4 (18.5) | 16.6 (17.4) |
| BMI, mean (SD) | 24.6 (4.7) | 25.8 (5.1) |
| Smokers | 4 (10.8) | 3 (21.4) |
| DMARD in association | 33 (89.2) | 10 (71.4) |
| Previous use of biological agents | 25 (65.8) | 8 (72.7) |
| No. different biological agents used in the past, mean (SD) | 1.6 (1.6) | 1.9 (2.2) |
| ABA as first biological agent | 12 (32.4) | 4 (28.6) |
| Remission of the disease at SC therapy start, DAS28 < 2.6 | 29 (78.4) | 8 (57.1) |
| DAS28 at SC therapy start, mean (SD) | 2 (0.96) | 2.19 (0.98) |
↵* Percentage based on available data. IV: intravenous; ABA: abatacept; SC: subcutaneous; RF: rheumatoid factor; ACPA: anticitrullinated protein antibodies; BMI: body mass index; DMARD: disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; DAS28: Disease Activity Score at 28 joints.