OBJECTIVES: To assess the coverage of the Swedish Biologics Register (Anti-Rheumatic Therapy in Sweden, ARTIS) across indications, and the accuracy of the registered information on treatment with biologics. METHOD: Through cross-reference of ARTIS to almost complete national health registers on prescriptions (adalimumab and etanercept), outpatient visits, and death/residency during 2008-2010, we assessed: the treatment coverage of ARTIS for each treatment indication, the validity of the registered start and stop dates, ARTIS treatments with no corresponding drug dispensations, and the accuracy of the registered information on concomitant anti-rheumatic therapies. RESULTS: According to the national health registers, 3945 individuals with a spondyloarthropathy (SpA) and 8032 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) had filled at least one adalimumab or etanercept prescription during the study period. Of these, 86% of those with SpAs and 95% of patients with RA were also found in ARTIS with the corresponding treatment. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor prescriptions had been filled by 95% of patients between the ARTIS start and stop dates (allowing a 90-day window). More than 60 days before and more than 60 days after the registered start date in ARTIS, 5% and 4% respectively of patients had filled their first TNF inhibitor prescription. More than 90 days after the registered stop date in ARTIS, 8% of patients had filled one or more TNF inhibitor prescriptions. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a high coverage and accuracy of ARTIS data on biologics exposure, for both SpAs and RA. The combination of data from clinical registers such as ARTIS with data from national health registers offers a high quality measurement of actual treatment.
OBJECTIVES: To assess the coverage of the Swedish Biologics Register (Anti-Rheumatic Therapy in Sweden, ARTIS) across indications, and the accuracy of the registered information on treatment with biologics. METHOD: Through cross-reference of ARTIS to almost complete national health registers on prescriptions (adalimumab and etanercept), outpatient visits, and death/residency during 2008-2010, we assessed: the treatment coverage of ARTIS for each treatment indication, the validity of the registered start and stop dates, ARTIS treatments with no corresponding drug dispensations, and the accuracy of the registered information on concomitant anti-rheumatic therapies. RESULTS: According to the national health registers, 3945 individuals with a spondyloarthropathy (SpA) and 8032 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) had filled at least one adalimumab or etanercept prescription during the study period. Of these, 86% of those with SpAs and 95% of patients with RA were also found in ARTIS with the corresponding treatment. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor prescriptions had been filled by 95% of patients between the ARTIS start and stop dates (allowing a 90-day window). More than 60 days before and more than 60 days after the registered start date in ARTIS, 5% and 4% respectively of patients had filled their first TNF inhibitor prescription. More than 90 days after the registered stop date in ARTIS, 8% of patients had filled one or more TNF inhibitor prescriptions. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a high coverage and accuracy of ARTIS data on biologics exposure, for both SpAs and RA. The combination of data from clinical registers such as ARTIS with data from national health registers offers a high quality measurement of actual treatment.
Authors: Sofia Exarchou; Ulf Lindström; Johan Askling; Jonas K Eriksson; Helena Forsblad-d'Elia; Martin Neovius; Carl Turesson; Lars Erik Kristensen; Lennart T H Jacobsson Journal: Arthritis Res Ther Date: 2015-05-09 Impact factor: 5.156
Authors: Ulf Lindström; Helena Forsblad-d'Elia; Johan Askling; Lars Erik Kristensen; Elisabeth Lie; Sofia Exarchou; Lennart Jacobsson Journal: Arthritis Res Ther Date: 2016-01-19 Impact factor: 5.156
Authors: Ulf Lindström; Sofia Exarchou; Elisabeth Lie; Mats Dehlin; Helena Forsblad-d'Elia; Johan Askling; Lennart Jacobsson Journal: Arthritis Res Ther Date: 2016-10-22 Impact factor: 5.156
Authors: Thomas Frisell; Eva Baecklund; Karin Bengtsson; Daniela Di Giuseppe; Helena Forsblad-d'Elia; Johan Askling Journal: Ann Rheum Dis Date: 2017-12-13 Impact factor: 19.103
Authors: Karin Bengtsson; Lennart T H Jacobsson; Barbro Rydberg; Göran Kvist; Tomas Torstenson; Mats Dehlin; Elisabet Hilme; Anna Lindhé; Susanna Maria Wallerstedt; Helena Forsblad-d'Elia Journal: BMC Musculoskelet Disord Date: 2016-12-12 Impact factor: 2.362