Anti-TNF Agents for AS Associated With Reduced Use of Healthcare Resources

Treatment of bio-naive patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) with golimumab (GLM) or infliximab (IFX) for 6 months was associated with reduced healthcare resource utilization and increased work activity and activity, according to the results of the QUality of Life as Outcomes and its VAriation with DIsease States (QUO-VADIS) study published in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.

With this prospective observational real-life QUO-VADIS study, investigators sought to assess the effects of GLM and IFX, 2 anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents on health economics parameters over 6 months in a large, real-world population of patients with AS. Biologic-naive patients were enrolled in this study, in which concomitant medications, hospitalizations (inpatient care or acute care), and visits in day care and outpatient settings were evaluated. Work activity and activity impairment (WPAI) were evaluated based on the number of missed workdays and by quantifying absenteeism, presenteeism, work impairment, and activity, using the WPAI tool adapted to spondyloarthritis (WPAI-SpA).

A total of 976 patients were enrolled in the study, with 963 receiving ≥1 dose of 1 of GLM or IFX. Of 963 participants, 751 (78%) were treated with GLM, and 212 (22%) with IFX. The mean age in this cohort was 42.7 years, and 61.4% of the participants were men. At baseline, the percentage of patients who reported hospitalizations (ie, inpatient care) was 13.6%, a percentage which decreased to 3.1% at 6 months. At baseline, 39.4% of participants required outpatient care, a percentage which was reduced to 19.0% at 6 months.

The percentage of patients who received acute emergency care was 1.6% at baseline and 0.3% at 6 months. The mean number of workdays missed due to AS was 6.3±31.1 days at baseline, compared with 2.7±12.3 days at 6 months.

“[T]he QUO VADIS study demonstrated improvements in health economics parameters over 6 months in a large, real-world population of patients with AD newly treated with GLM or IFX,” noted the study authors.

Reference

Claudepierre P, Van den Bosch F, Sarzi-Puttini P, Vastesaeger N, Govoni M, Kachroo S. Treatment with golimumab or infliximab reduces health resource utilization and increases work productivity in patients with ankylosing spondylitis in the QUO-VADIS study, a large, prospective real-life cohort [published online April 15, 2019]. Int J Rheum Dis. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.13526