OBJECTIVE: To examine the long-term outcome of patients with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) clinically and by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after continuous treatment with the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor fusion protein etanercept over 2 years. METHODS: Overall, 26 patients with active AS were treated with etanercept 25 mg twice daily subcutaneously, twice weekly with no concomitant disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or steroids. The clinical response was assessed by standardized parameters. Inflammatory spinal lesions were quantified by the ASspiMRI-a rating gadolinium-enhanced (T1-weighted gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) and STIR MRI sequences. The primary outcome was a Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) improvement > or =50% after 2 years of etanercept therapy compared with the baseline value of the study. RESULTS: Overall, 21 (70%) of 30 patients completed year 2. In the intent-to-treat analysis, 54% of the patients showed a 50% improvement according to the BASDAI and a 40% improvement according to the Assessment in Ankylosing Spondylitis (ASAS) criteria. In the completer analysis, 9 (43%) of 21 patients were in partial remission according to ASAS criteria. Mean +/- SD BASDAI scores, which were elevated at baseline (6.3 +/- 1.6), remained low: 2.7 +/- 2.4 after 2 years compared with 2.6 +/- 2.2 at week 54. In accordance, all other clinical parameters showed sustained improvement during year 2. The majority of patients had no disease activity flares. MRI evaluation showed a 75% improvement of active spinal lesions, but minor spinal inflammation was still present in 64% of the patients after 2 years. There were 2 serious adverse events leading to discontinuation of etanercept. CONCLUSION: The clinical efficacy and safety of etanercept in patients with active AS without simultaneous administration of DMARDs or steroids over 2 years of continuous treatment is confirmed. Spinal inflammation as depicted by MRI decreased significantly, but a few patients still had some spinal inflammation even after long-term anti-TNF therapy.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the long-term outcome of patients with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) clinically and by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after continuous treatment with the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor fusion protein etanercept over 2 years. METHODS: Overall, 26 patients with active AS were treated with etanercept 25 mg twice daily subcutaneously, twice weekly with no concomitant disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or steroids. The clinical response was assessed by standardized parameters. Inflammatory spinal lesions were quantified by the ASspiMRI-a rating gadolinium-enhanced (T1-weighted gadoliniumdiethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) and STIR MRI sequences. The primary outcome was a Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) improvement > or =50% after 2 years of etanercept therapy compared with the baseline value of the study. RESULTS: Overall, 21 (70%) of 30 patients completed year 2. In the intent-to-treat analysis, 54% of the patients showed a 50% improvement according to the BASDAI and a 40% improvement according to the Assessment in Ankylosing Spondylitis (ASAS) criteria. In the completer analysis, 9 (43%) of 21 patients were in partial remission according to ASAS criteria. Mean +/- SD BASDAI scores, which were elevated at baseline (6.3 +/- 1.6), remained low: 2.7 +/- 2.4 after 2 years compared with 2.6 +/- 2.2 at week 54. In accordance, all other clinical parameters showed sustained improvement during year 2. The majority of patients had no disease activity flares. MRI evaluation showed a 75% improvement of active spinal lesions, but minor spinal inflammation was still present in 64% of the patients after 2 years. There were 2 serious adverse events leading to discontinuation of etanercept. CONCLUSION: The clinical efficacy and safety of etanercept in patients with active AS without simultaneous administration of DMARDs or steroids over 2 years of continuous treatment is confirmed. Spinal inflammation as depicted by MRI decreased significantly, but a few patients still had some spinal inflammation even after long-term anti-TNF therapy.
Authors: Tue Secher Jensen; Jaro Karppinen; Joan S Sorensen; Jaakko Niinimäki; Charlotte Leboeuf-Yde Journal: Eur Spine J Date: 2008-09-12 Impact factor: 3.134
Authors: Suzanne M M Verstappen; Kath D Watson; Mark Lunt; Katie McGrother; Deborah P M Symmons; Kimme L Hyrich Journal: Rheumatology (Oxford) Date: 2010-05-05 Impact factor: 7.580
Authors: Désirée M van der Heijde; Dennis A Revicki; Katherine L Gooch; Robert L Wong; Hartmut Kupper; Neesha Harnam; Chris Thompson; Joachim Sieper Journal: Arthritis Res Ther Date: 2009-08-17 Impact factor: 5.156