Language：English   Publisher：Oxford University Press  

Language：English   Publisher：Modern Rheumatology  

Objectives: This study aimed to describe the treatment selection for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using data from the Kyushu Collagen Disease Network for SLE (KCDN-SLE) registry, a multicentre prospective registry in Japan. Methods: This study used data from patients registered between August 2022 and November 2023. Clinical characteristics, purpose of agent initiation, other candidate agents, and short-term efficacy and safety were evaluated. Results: We analysed 69 previously treated patients with SLE (mean age 43.7 years; 62 females, 7 males). Hydroxychloroquine, biological agents, and immunosuppressive agents were initiated during the maintenance phase in 12, 41, and 16 patients, respectively. In patients with active organ involvement, hydroxychloroquine and biological agents were widely used for initiation. In those who already achieved treatment goals, biological agents alone were predominantly selected. The SLE Disease Activity Index 2000 score and prednisolone dose declined significantly over a 6-month follow-up period. Among 48 patients with active disease, 22 achieved a lupus low disease activity state, but this had no evident association with the initiation of a biological agent. In total, 14 adverse events, predominantly infections, were observed. Conclusions: Biological agents were used preferentially, and the therapeutic agents were appropriately effective and mostly achieved the purpose of agent initiation.

DOI： 10.1093/mr/roae058

Web of Science

Scopus

PubMed

Language：English   Publisher：Modern Rheumatology  

Objectives: The aim of this article is to update evidence on the efficacy and safety of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and provide information to the taskforce for the 2024 update of the Japan College of Rheumatology clinical practice guidelines for the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: We searched various databases for randomised controlled trials on RA published until June 2022, with no language restriction. For each of the 15 clinical questions, two independent reviewers screened the articles, evaluated the core outcomes, and performed meta-analyses. Results: Subcutaneous injection of methotrexate (MTX) showed similar efficacy to oral MTX in MTX-naïve RA patients. Ozoralizumab combined with MTX improved drug efficacy compared to the placebo in RA patients with inadequate response (IR) to conventional synthetic DMARD (csDMARD). Rituximab with and without concomitant csDMARDs showed similar efficacy to other biological DMARDs (bDMARDs) in bDMARD-IR RA patients. Combined Janus kinase inhibitors and MTX achieved similar clinical responses and equal safety during a 4-year period compared to tumour necrosis factor inhibitors in MTX-IR RA patients. Biosimilars showed efficacy equivalent to that of the original bDMARDs in csDMARD-IR and bDMARD-IR RA patients. Conclusions: This systematic review provides latest evidence for the 2024 update of the Japan College of Rheumatology clinical practice guidelines for RA management.

DOI： 10.1093/mr/roae049

Web of Science

Scopus

PubMed

Language：English   Publisher：Rheumatology (United Kingdom)  

Objectives: To evaluate the long-term impact of immunosuppressive therapeutic agents on antibody response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) mRNA vaccination in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRD) in order to propose a strategy for annual vaccination. Methods: This prospective multicentre cohort study evaluated the humoral response to second and third BNT162b2 and/or mRNA-1273 vaccines in 382 Japanese AIRD patients classified into 12 different medication groups and in 326 healthy controls (HCs). The third vaccination was administered six months after the second vaccination. Antibody titres were measured using the Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S assay. Results: The seroconversion rate and antibody titres were lower in AIRD patients than in HCs 3–6 weeks after the second vaccination and 3–6 weeks after the third vaccination. Seroconversion rates were <90% after the third vaccination in patients receiving mycophenolate mofetil and rituximab. Antibody levels after the third vaccination were significantly lower in the groups prescribed TNF inhibitor with or without methotrexate, abatacept and rituximab or cyclophosphamide than those of HCs in a multivariate analysis adjusting for age, sex, and glucocorticoid dosage. The third vaccination induced an adequate humoral response in patients treated with sulfasalazine, bucillamine, methotrexate monotherapy, iguratimod, interleukin-6 inhibitors or calcineurin inhibitors including tacrolimus. Conclusions: Repeated vaccinations in many immunosuppressed patients produced antibody responses similar to those observed in HCs. In contrast, annual vaccination in patients receiving TNF inhibitors, abatacept, mycophenolate mofetil and rituximab may require caution.

DOI： 10.1093/rheumatology/kead275

Web of Science

Scopus

PubMed

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese  

Language：Japanese