Salvatore D'Angelo1, Michele Gilio2, Rita M D'Attino3, Giuliana Gualberti3, Rocco Merolla3, Umberto di Luzio Paparatti3, Nazzarena Malavolta4, Stefania Corvaglia4, Antonio Marchetta5, Cinzia Scambi5, Nicoletta Romeo6, Giorgio Pettiti6, Carlo Salvarani7, Maria Grazia Catanoso8, Raffaele Scarpa9, Luisa Costa9, Roberta Ramonda10, Paola Frallonardo10, Maurizio Muratore11, Laura Quarta11, Giuseppe Passiu12, Gian Luca Erre12, Daniele Lubrano13, Enrico Tirri13, Marcello Govoni14, Federica Furini14, Romualdo Russo15, Rosario Buono15, Maria Rosa Pozzi16, Marta Riva16, Rosa Daniela Grembiale17, Caterina Bruno17, Patrizia Gibertini18, Antonio Marchesoni18. 1. Rheumatology Institute of Lucania (IRel) and the Rheumatology Department of Lucania, San Carlo Hospital of Potenza and Madonna delle Grazie Hospital of Matera, Potenza and Matera, Italy. saldangelo@katamail.com. 2. Rheumatology Inst.of Lucania (IRel) & Rheumatology Dept.of Lucania, San Carlo Hosp. of Potenza and Madonna delle Grazie Hosp. of Matera, Potenza & Matera, and PhD Scholarship in Life Sciences, Dept.Health Sciences, Univ.Catanzaro 'Magna Graecia', Italy. 3. AbbVie Srl, Roma, Italy. 4. Programma Dipartimentale 'Gestione delle Malattie Reumatiche e del Connettivo e Malattie Metaboliche dell'Osso', Dipartimento Cardio-Toraco Vascolare AOU Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna, Italy. 5. U.O.S. di Reumatologia, Ospedale Sacro Cuore Don Calabria, Negrar, Verona, Italy. 6. S.S.D. Reumatologia A.S.O. Santa Croce e Carle, Cuneo, Italy. 7. U.O.C. di Reumatologia USL-IRCCS Reggio Emilia, and University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy. 8. U.O.C. di Reumatologia USL-IRCCS Reggio Emilia, Italy. 9. U.O.C. di Reumatologia, Università Federico II Napoli, Italy. 10. Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine DIMED, University of Padova, Italy. 11. U.O. Reumatologia-P.O. "Vito Fazzi", Lecce, Italy. 12. Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, A.O.U. and University of Sassari, Italy. 13. U.O.S.D. di Reumatologia, Ospedale S. Giovanni Bosco, Napoli, Italy. 14. U.O.C. Reumatologia, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria S. Anna, Ferrara (loc. Cona), Dip. Scienze Mediche Università di Ferrara, Italy. 15. U.O.S. di Reumatologia A.O.R.N. Cardarelli, Napoli, Italy. 16. Dipartimento di Medicina, Ospedale S. Gerardo - ASST Monza, Italy. 17. Rheumatology Research Unit, Dipartimento Scienze della Salute, Policlinico Universitario Mater Domini, Catanzaro, Italy. 18. Reumatologia Day Hospital, A.S.S. Gaetano Pini-CTO, Milano, Italy.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To describe the baseline characteristics of the patients enrolled in the QUality of life in patients with Axial SpondyloARthritis (QUASAR) study in terms of quality of life (QoL), disease activity, therapy adherence, and work ability in a real-world setting. METHODS: QUASAR is an Italian multicentre, prospective 12-month observational study, including consecutive adult patients classified as axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) according to the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society criteria for axSpA. RESULTS: Of 512 patients enrolled in 23 rheumatology centres, 80.7% had ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and 19.3% had non-radiographic axSpA (nr-axSpA). Mean ages were 34.1±13.3 years at axSpA symptoms onset and 39.5±13.0 years at diagnosis. Of the patients, 51.4% presented with ≥1 extra articular manifestation (EAM); the most common were psoriasis (17.8%) and uveitis (16.4%). Patients with nr-axSpA and AS had similar EAM rates, disease activity, and QoL. Biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs; 83.2%) were the most commonly received medication, followed by conventional synthetic DMARDs (22.9%) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; 16.6%). At baseline, higher treatment satisfaction was reported with bDMARDs which, together with NSAIDs, were associated with the best overall scores for disease activity, function, and QoL in the overall population and AS subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: QUASAR is the first Italian prospective study that comprehensively evaluated a large axSpA patient sample in a real-world setting. This interim analysis at baseline confirmed that i) patients with AS and nr-axSpA have similar QoL and disease burden, ii) nearly all axSpA patients receive treatment, and iii) bDMARDs and NSAIDs, overall, yield better disease activity and QoL.
OBJECTIVES: To describe the baseline characteristics of the patients enrolled in the QUality of life in patients with Axial SpondyloARthritis (QUASAR) study in terms of quality of life (QoL), disease activity, therapy adherence, and work ability in a real-world setting. METHODS: QUASAR is an Italian multicentre, prospective 12-month observational study, including consecutive adult patients classified as axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) according to the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society criteria for axSpA. RESULTS: Of 512 patients enrolled in 23 rheumatology centres, 80.7% had ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and 19.3% had non-radiographic axSpA (nr-axSpA). Mean ages were 34.1±13.3 years at axSpA symptoms onset and 39.5±13.0 years at diagnosis. Of the patients, 51.4% presented with ≥1 extra articular manifestation (EAM); the most common were psoriasis (17.8%) and uveitis (16.4%). Patients with nr-axSpA and AS had similar EAM rates, disease activity, and QoL. Biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs; 83.2%) were the most commonly received medication, followed by conventional synthetic DMARDs (22.9%) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; 16.6%). At baseline, higher treatment satisfaction was reported with bDMARDs which, together with NSAIDs, were associated with the best overall scores for disease activity, function, and QoL in the overall population and AS subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: QUASAR is the first Italian prospective study that comprehensively evaluated a large axSpA patient sample in a real-world setting. This interim analysis at baseline confirmed that i) patients with AS and nr-axSpA have similar QoL and disease burden, ii) nearly all axSpA patients receive treatment, and iii) bDMARDs and NSAIDs, overall, yield better disease activity and QoL.
Authors: W Benjamin Nowell; Kelly Gavigan; Theresa Hunter; Rebecca J Bolce; Jeffrey R Lisse; Carol Himelein; Suchita Dubey; Jeffrey R Curtis; Jessica A Walsh Journal: Rheumatol Ther Date: 2021-12-27