New Self-Management Programme Offers Significant Benefits For Arthritis Patients With Chronic Pain

Adalimumab therapy is effective and well-tolerated in
ankylosing spondylitis (AS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients with a
previously inadequate response to anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapies etanercept
and infliximab, according to results of research presented today at EULAR 2008, the Annual
European Congress of Rheumatology in Paris, France. This positive response to adalimumab
was greatest for patients who had been intolerant of their anti-TNF therapies, or had lost their
initial responses, compared with those who had had no response to prior anti-TNF therapies at
all.



After 12 weeks of treatment with adalimumab, AS patients were found to have a mean reduction
in BASDAI (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index) of -2.4 following previous
etanercept and/or infliximab treatment, and a reduction of -2.9 in those who have not had prior
anti-TNF therapy. RA patients had a mean reduction in DAS28 (Disease Activity Scale 28) of -1.9
following previous treatment with either etanercept or infliximab.



Lead researcher, Dr G R Burmester of Berlin University Hospital, commented: "An increasing
number of patients with rheumatic diseases, such as AS, RA or PsA, are experiencing an
inadequate response to, or are intolerant of, treatment with existing anti-TNFs including
etanercept or infliximab. The results of our study show that adalimumab offers new hope for those
who have tried, but not responded well, to other treatment options for their diseases."



Ankylosing spondylitis


61% of AS patients who had lost their initial responses to previous anti-TNFs reached ASAS20 (a
measure of 20% improvement in 4 domains commonly affected in AS including: pain,
inflammation, function, and patient's global assessment of disease activity) after twelve weeks of adalimumab therapy and 42% of patients reached ASAS40 (a 40% improvement across these
domains). 54% of patients who had previously been intolerant of their medications reached
ASAS20 and 37% reached ASAS40. Of those who had had no response to previous treatment,
41% reached ASAS20, and 27% achieved ASAS40.



Rheumatoid arthritis


66% of RA patients who had lost response to their previous anti-TNF treatment reached ACR20
(American Collage of Rheumatology 20% symptom improvement) after twelve weeks, and 36%
reached ACR50 (50% symptom improvement). 67% of previously anti-TNF intolerant patients
reached ACR20, and 39% attained ACR50. 51% of patients who had had no response to an anti-
TNF in the past reached ACR20, and 26% achieved ACR50.



Psoriatic arthritis


42% of PsA patients who had previously undergone anti-TNF therapy achieved ACR50 and had a
mean change in DAS28 of -2.1 after 12 weeks of adalimumab therapy.



About the Trials


Investigators examined patients with a disease duration of 9-12 years who were enrolled into
three large, open-label studies: 1,250 AS patients in the RHAPSODY trial, 6,610 RA patients in
ReAct, and 442 PsA patients in STEREO. All patients received 40mg adalimumab
subcutaneously every other week for 12 weeks, in addition to their current antirheumatic
treatment regimens. Patients with prior anti-TNF experience could only enroll into RHAPSODY or
STEREO studies if infliximab therapy had been discontinued two months or longer previously
and/or etanercept therapy had been discontinued three or more weeks previously. Those who
entered the ReAct trial had to have discontinued etanercept and infliximab therapies two months
or more prior to the start of the study.



In these three studies, adalimumab appeared to be well-tolerated in patients with prior anti-TNF
treatment in all three disease groups.



Abstract number: THU0130



About EULAR


The European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) is the organisation which represents
the patient, health professional and scientific societies of rheumatology of all the European
nations.


The aims of EULAR are to reduce the burden of rheumatic diseases on the individual and
society and to improve the treatment, prevention and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal
diseases. To this end, EULAR fosters excellence in education and research in the field of
rheumatology. It promotes the translation of research advances into daily care and fights for
the recognition of the needs of people with musculoskeletal diseases by the governing bodies
in Europe.


Diseases of bones and joints, such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis cause disability
in 4 - 5 % of the adult population and are predicted to rise as people live longer.


As new treatments emerge and cellular mechanisms are discovered, EULAR 2008 brings
together more than 12,000 experts - scientists, clinicians, healthcare workers, pharmaceutical
companies and patients - to share their knowledge in a global endeavour to challenge the
pain and disability caused by musculo-skeletal disorders.


Author:

Ms Janet Cowlard

To find out more information about the activities of EULAR, visit: eular

We Recommend:


•   Buy Retrovir
•   Purchase Famvir Online
•   Order Didanosine Online
•   Buy Valtrex Online