Effectiveness and patient-reported impact of on-flare retreatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: insights from retrospective long-term real-world data
Abstract Background Rituximab is known as an efficacious drug for the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The original administration schedule consisted of two infusions of 1000 mg with a 2-week interval. We aimed to explore the long-term effectiveness of rituximab in daily clinical practice in...
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BMC
2025-07-01
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| Series: | BMC Rheumatology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41927-025-00530-x |
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| author | Delphine Bertrand Elias De Meyst Michaël Doumen Diederik De Cock Johan Joly Barbara Neerinckx Sofia Pazmino Nele Pype Tom Conings René Westhovens Patrick Verschueren |
| author_facet | Delphine Bertrand Elias De Meyst Michaël Doumen Diederik De Cock Johan Joly Barbara Neerinckx Sofia Pazmino Nele Pype Tom Conings René Westhovens Patrick Verschueren |
| author_sort | Delphine Bertrand |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Rituximab is known as an efficacious drug for the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The original administration schedule consisted of two infusions of 1000 mg with a 2-week interval. We aimed to explore the long-term effectiveness of rituximab in daily clinical practice in patients with RA. Methods Data of patients with RA treated with rituximab in a tertiary university hospital (2006–2019) were retrospectively collected from rituximab initiation until December 1st 2019 or rituximab discontinuation, whichever came first. Rituximab retreatment was based on a treat-to-target-approach guided by a 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28) ≥ 3.2, as dictated by national reimbursement criteria. Rituximab retention rate was investigated using a Kaplan-Meier survival curve. Results We collected data of 104 patients (59% female, 94% RF/ACPA-seropositive). At rituximab initiation, patients had a mean ± SD age of 58 ± 12 years and median disease duration of 12 (IQR 5–17) years. Patients were followed for a median of 40 (IQR 14–80) months and received a median of 3 (IQR 2–6) rituximab cycles. In total, 9% (9/104) patients discontinued rituximab and 14% (15/104) were treated with a reduced dose. Inherent to the retreatment strategy, disease activity fluctuated with a DAS28-increase before every new rituximab administration. Similar fluctuations were noticed for patient and physician reported outcomes. Proportion of patients continuing rituximab after three years was 94% (95% CI 89% − 99%). Conclusions Although rituximab can be considered as an efficacious drug for RA treatment in daily practice, fluctuations in disease activity were noticed related to the retreatment approach, accompanied by impaired patient’s wellbeing. Trial registration Not applicable. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0cd174e52e764654897856cf00c33e33 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2520-1026 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Rheumatology |
| spelling | doaj-art-0cd174e52e764654897856cf00c33e332025-08-20T03:43:31ZengBMCBMC Rheumatology2520-10262025-07-019111510.1186/s41927-025-00530-xEffectiveness and patient-reported impact of on-flare retreatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: insights from retrospective long-term real-world dataDelphine Bertrand0Elias De Meyst1Michaël Doumen2Diederik De Cock3Johan Joly4Barbara Neerinckx5Sofia Pazmino6Nele Pype7Tom Conings8René Westhovens9Patrick Verschueren10Department of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU LeuvenBiostatistics and Medical Informatics Research Group, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)UZ Leuven, RheumatologyDepartment of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU LeuvenDepartment of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU LeuvenAbstract Background Rituximab is known as an efficacious drug for the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The original administration schedule consisted of two infusions of 1000 mg with a 2-week interval. We aimed to explore the long-term effectiveness of rituximab in daily clinical practice in patients with RA. Methods Data of patients with RA treated with rituximab in a tertiary university hospital (2006–2019) were retrospectively collected from rituximab initiation until December 1st 2019 or rituximab discontinuation, whichever came first. Rituximab retreatment was based on a treat-to-target-approach guided by a 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28) ≥ 3.2, as dictated by national reimbursement criteria. Rituximab retention rate was investigated using a Kaplan-Meier survival curve. Results We collected data of 104 patients (59% female, 94% RF/ACPA-seropositive). At rituximab initiation, patients had a mean ± SD age of 58 ± 12 years and median disease duration of 12 (IQR 5–17) years. Patients were followed for a median of 40 (IQR 14–80) months and received a median of 3 (IQR 2–6) rituximab cycles. In total, 9% (9/104) patients discontinued rituximab and 14% (15/104) were treated with a reduced dose. Inherent to the retreatment strategy, disease activity fluctuated with a DAS28-increase before every new rituximab administration. Similar fluctuations were noticed for patient and physician reported outcomes. Proportion of patients continuing rituximab after three years was 94% (95% CI 89% − 99%). Conclusions Although rituximab can be considered as an efficacious drug for RA treatment in daily practice, fluctuations in disease activity were noticed related to the retreatment approach, accompanied by impaired patient’s wellbeing. Trial registration Not applicable.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41927-025-00530-xRituximabbDMARDRheumatoid arthritisLong-term effectiveness |
| spellingShingle | Delphine Bertrand Elias De Meyst Michaël Doumen Diederik De Cock Johan Joly Barbara Neerinckx Sofia Pazmino Nele Pype Tom Conings René Westhovens Patrick Verschueren Effectiveness and patient-reported impact of on-flare retreatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: insights from retrospective long-term real-world data BMC Rheumatology Rituximab bDMARD Rheumatoid arthritis Long-term effectiveness |
| title | Effectiveness and patient-reported impact of on-flare retreatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: insights from retrospective long-term real-world data |
| title_full | Effectiveness and patient-reported impact of on-flare retreatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: insights from retrospective long-term real-world data |
| title_fullStr | Effectiveness and patient-reported impact of on-flare retreatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: insights from retrospective long-term real-world data |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effectiveness and patient-reported impact of on-flare retreatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: insights from retrospective long-term real-world data |
| title_short | Effectiveness and patient-reported impact of on-flare retreatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: insights from retrospective long-term real-world data |
| title_sort | effectiveness and patient reported impact of on flare retreatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis insights from retrospective long term real world data |
| topic | Rituximab bDMARD Rheumatoid arthritis Long-term effectiveness |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41927-025-00530-x |
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