BIOLOGICAL DISEASE-MODIFYING ANTI-RHEUMATIC DRUGS IN PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS: PREDICTORS OF TREATMENT SURVIVAL IN A REAL-LIFE SETTING

Background: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic, immune-mediated, inflammatory arthropathy, distinctively involving joints and enthesis. The improved understanding of PsA pathogenesis has enabled the development of biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDS) targeting specific cytokines and signalling pathways. The availability of these drugs deeply modified PsA history, by preventing disease progression and by improving quality of life. Nevertheless, bDMARDS are not effective in all the patients who may experience primary or secondary inefficacy or adverse events development. Objectives: In a real-life scenario, we evaluated the bDMARDs retention rate in a large PsA cohort. In detail, we compared drug survival of the first and second biological drug and we investigated the presence of factors associated with the bDMARDs treatment withdrawal. Methods: We longitudinally evaluated adult PsA patients (2016 CASPAR criteria) treated with at least one bDMARD during disease history. For each PsA patient, the clinical and laboratory data, including demographics, past medical history with the date of diagnosis and treatments, clinical disease phenotypes, were collected in a standardized, computerized and electronically filled form. The retention rate was estimated by using the Kaplan-Meier method. Predictors for bDMARDs withdrawal were investigated in univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis, adjusted for relevant variables. Results: The present analysis included 223 PsA patients [M/F 91/132; median age 57 years (IQR 17); median disease duration 120 months (IQR 132)]. Adalimumab and Etanercept were the most frequently prescribed bDMARDs (41.5% and 41.0%, respectively). The retention rate of the first prescribed bDMARD as reported in Figure 1A : in detail, we found a 12-months retention rate of 79.8%. The comparison between etanercept and adalimumab showed a similar 12-months retention rate, but significantly higher for etanercept at 24 months (82.4% versus 69.5%, p=0.0034, Figure 1B ). Out of 223 enrolled PsA patients, 109 (48.9%) received only one bDMARDs, while the remaining 114 (51.1%) received at least 2 drugs. When comparing these two groups of patients, drug survival at 24 months was significantly higher in patients treated with one bDMARD in comparison with those treated with at least two drugs (67.7% versus 52.2%, p=0.03, Figure 1C ). Finally, female sex and anxiety-depressive disorders were significantly associated with the treatment with at least two dDMARDs (p=0.005 and p=0.01, respectively). Conclusion: The results of the present study demonstrated a higher retention rate in the first-line bDMARDs treatment in comparison with second-line. Female sex and anxiety-depressive disorders may negatively affect drug retention rate. Disclosure of Interests: None declared Citation: , volume 81, supplement 1, year 2022, page 850Session: Psoriatic arthritis - treatment (POSTERS only)