Comparison of active tuberculosis occurrence associated with Janus kinase inhibitors and biological DMARDs in rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the risk of tuberculosis associated with the use of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors or biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) in patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in South Korea.Methods In this nationwide matched-cohort study,...

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Main Authors: Jin-Won Kwon, Yun-Kyoung Song, Jaehee Lee, Junwoo Jo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2024-04-01
Series:RMD Open
Online Access:https://rmdopen.bmj.com/content/10/2/e003946.full
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author Jin-Won Kwon
Yun-Kyoung Song
Jaehee Lee
Junwoo Jo
author_facet Jin-Won Kwon
Yun-Kyoung Song
Jaehee Lee
Junwoo Jo
author_sort Jin-Won Kwon
collection DOAJ
description Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the risk of tuberculosis associated with the use of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors or biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) in patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in South Korea.Methods In this nationwide matched-cohort study, we retrospectively identified adult patients with new-onset RA from the National Health Insurance Service database who were prescribed bDMARDs or JAK inhibitors and recently underwent latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening during 2012‒2021, and followed them up until the end of 2022 for the development of active tuberculosis. HRs were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression in a propensity score-matched cohort.Results Among 16 760 matched patients with RA (3352 JAK inhibitor users and 13 408 bDMARD users), 18.8% received tuberculosis preventive therapy for LTBI. Overall, JAK inhibitor users had a significantly lower risk of tuberculosis than bDMARD users (HR (95% CI)=0.37 (0.22 to 0.62)). Among the patients treated for LTBI, patients with low treatment adherence had a significantly higher risk than those without LTBI (HR (95% CI)=2.78 (1.74 to 4.44)). Patients without LTBI and using JAK inhibitors had a significantly lower risk of tuberculosis across all ages and sexes compared with bDMARD users.Conclusion Patients with RA using JAK inhibitors have a significantly lower risk of active tuberculosis than bDMARD users in South Korea; however, patients with RA having LTBI are equally at risk regardless of the treatment received (JAK inhibitor vs bDMARD). Therefore, vigilant tuberculosis monitoring, especially in patients with low adherence to tuberculosis preventive therapy, is essential.
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spelling doaj-art-a09376b260f046a893920a15ab2ced132025-08-20T02:49:26ZengBMJ Publishing GroupRMD Open2056-59332024-04-0110210.1136/rmdopen-2023-003946Comparison of active tuberculosis occurrence associated with Janus kinase inhibitors and biological DMARDs in rheumatoid arthritisJin-Won Kwon0Yun-Kyoung Song1Jaehee Lee2Junwoo Jo3BK21 FOUR Community-Based Intelligent Novel Drug Discovery Education Unit, College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea (the Republic of)College of Pharmacy, The Catholic University of Korea-Sungsim Campus, Bucheon, Gyeonggido, Korea (the Republic of)Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea (the Republic of)Department of Statistics, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea (the Republic of)Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the risk of tuberculosis associated with the use of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors or biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) in patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in South Korea.Methods In this nationwide matched-cohort study, we retrospectively identified adult patients with new-onset RA from the National Health Insurance Service database who were prescribed bDMARDs or JAK inhibitors and recently underwent latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening during 2012‒2021, and followed them up until the end of 2022 for the development of active tuberculosis. HRs were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression in a propensity score-matched cohort.Results Among 16 760 matched patients with RA (3352 JAK inhibitor users and 13 408 bDMARD users), 18.8% received tuberculosis preventive therapy for LTBI. Overall, JAK inhibitor users had a significantly lower risk of tuberculosis than bDMARD users (HR (95% CI)=0.37 (0.22 to 0.62)). Among the patients treated for LTBI, patients with low treatment adherence had a significantly higher risk than those without LTBI (HR (95% CI)=2.78 (1.74 to 4.44)). Patients without LTBI and using JAK inhibitors had a significantly lower risk of tuberculosis across all ages and sexes compared with bDMARD users.Conclusion Patients with RA using JAK inhibitors have a significantly lower risk of active tuberculosis than bDMARD users in South Korea; however, patients with RA having LTBI are equally at risk regardless of the treatment received (JAK inhibitor vs bDMARD). Therefore, vigilant tuberculosis monitoring, especially in patients with low adherence to tuberculosis preventive therapy, is essential.https://rmdopen.bmj.com/content/10/2/e003946.full
spellingShingle Jin-Won Kwon
Yun-Kyoung Song
Jaehee Lee
Junwoo Jo
Comparison of active tuberculosis occurrence associated with Janus kinase inhibitors and biological DMARDs in rheumatoid arthritis
RMD Open
title Comparison of active tuberculosis occurrence associated with Janus kinase inhibitors and biological DMARDs in rheumatoid arthritis
title_full Comparison of active tuberculosis occurrence associated with Janus kinase inhibitors and biological DMARDs in rheumatoid arthritis
title_fullStr Comparison of active tuberculosis occurrence associated with Janus kinase inhibitors and biological DMARDs in rheumatoid arthritis
title_full_unstemmed Comparison of active tuberculosis occurrence associated with Janus kinase inhibitors and biological DMARDs in rheumatoid arthritis
title_short Comparison of active tuberculosis occurrence associated with Janus kinase inhibitors and biological DMARDs in rheumatoid arthritis
title_sort comparison of active tuberculosis occurrence associated with janus kinase inhibitors and biological dmards in rheumatoid arthritis
url https://rmdopen.bmj.com/content/10/2/e003946.full
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