Glucocorticoid discontinuation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who initiated biologic or targeted synthetic agents: a real-world population-based analysis
Authors' conclusion
Initiation of JAKi therapy was associated with a greater likelihood of glucocorticoid discontinuation compared with selected bDMARDs, while no statistically significant difference was observed relative to anti-IL6 therapy.
Study context
- Population
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients initiating first biologics or Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi), 2006–2021, concurrently on glucocorticoids (GCs) at initiation (median age 57.0 years; 81.8% female)of 2865 on b/tsDMARDs
- Participants
- 1,421 patients
- Exposure
- bDMARD classes vs JAKi, in RA patients on GCs at initiation
- Outcome
- GC discontinuation
- Follow-up
- 3 and 6 months
Methodological detailsreal-world population-based registry, logistic regression, adjusted for potential confounders
- Real-world population-based registry
- Logistic regression, adjusted for potential confounders
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
3 months
Each group vs JAKiOdds ratio (95% CI)
anti-TNF
0.520(0.383–0.707)
anti-CD20
0.134(0.057–0.278)
- Overall GC discontinuation rate
- 26.2%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | OR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| GC discontinuation · 6 monthsanti-TNFvs JAKiAdjusted for age, prior chronic GC use and hypertension | 0.560 (0.412–0.761) | |
| GC discontinuation · 6 monthsanti-CD20vs JAKiAdjusted for age, prior chronic GC use and hypertension | 0.461 (0.274–0.764) | |
| GC discontinuation · 6 monthsCTLA4-Igvs JAKiAdjusted for age, prior chronic GC use and hypertension | 0.492 (0.254–0.919) | |
| 0.20.5125Odds ratio (log scale) |
- GC discontinuation — Overall GC discontinuation rate
- 36.8%
GC discontinuation · 6 months
- No statistically significant difference between JAKi and anti-interleukin6 (anti-IL6)
Original publication
Glucocorticoid discontinuation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who initiated biologic or targeted synthetic agents: a real-world population-based analysis. Semin Arthritis Rheum. Published 23 September 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →