Clinical and ultrasonographic evaluation of the window of opportunity for retreatment with rituximab in rheumatoid arthritis patients from a multicentre real-life study
Authors' conclusion
This study highlights a great heterogeneity in terms of sequence of clinical relapse, US relapse and retreatment in RA patients receiving rituximab.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with rituximab, multicentre real-life study with tight ultrasonography (US) monitoring29 analysed
- Participants
- 30 patients
- Outcome
- Window of opportunity for retreatment with rituximab: sequence of clinical relapse (DAS28-ESR >3.2 after 6 months in responders), US relapse (≥20% increase of global PD score) and retreatment
- Follow-up
- 18 months
Methodological detailsmulticentre, longitudinal, real-life, 18-month follow-up with 8 US visits, Retreatment decided exclusively on clinical findings
- Multicentre
- Longitudinal
- Real-life
- 18-month follow-up with 8 US visits
- Retreatment decided exclusively on clinical findings
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Clinical relapse, US relapse and retreatment · after Month 6
- First clinical relapse (with or without US relapse) after Month 6
- 19
- Retreated among patients with clinical relapse
- 18
- No clinical relapse but US relapse
- 3
- Retreated among no clinical relapse with US relapse
- 1
- No clinical relapse and no US relapse
- 7
- Retreated among no clinical and no US relapse
- 4
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Global power Doppler (PD) score · baseline to 6 months
- Mean (SD) PD score at baseline
- 8.8 (5.2)
- Mean (SD) PD score at 6 months
- 4.9 (4.3)
- Change baseline to 6 months
- P < 0.0001
Clinical response · Month 4 or Month 6
- Patients with clinical response
- 93%
Original publication
Clinical and ultrasonographic evaluation of the window of opportunity for retreatment with rituximab in rheumatoid arthritis patients from a multicentre real-life study. Clin Exp Rheumatol. Published 15 April 2022. doi:10.
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