Spondyloarthritis & psoriatic arthritis
Sex-based differences in bDMARD initiation and persistence in spondyloarthritis: a 17-year follow-up study from the REGISPON-3 registry
Authors' conclusion
Although the timing for starting bDMARDs in SpA patients was comparable between sexes, women exhibited significantly shorter biological treatment persistence.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with rheumatologist-confirmed spondyloarthritis (SpA) enrolled 2004–2007 in the Spanish REGISPONSER registry and re-evaluated 17 years later (2021–2024) in REGISPON-3
- Participants
- 411 patients
- Exposure
- Males vs females
- Malesn = 271
- Femalesn = 140reference
- Outcome
- Time to bDMARD initiation and persistence on first and second bDMARD lines, by sex
- Follow-up
- 17-year follow-up
Methodological detailslongitudinal observational, 17-year follow-up, Kaplan-Meier survival curves, Cox proportional hazards models, negative binomial regressions
- Longitudinal observational
- 17-year follow-up
- Kaplan-Meier survival curves
- Cox proportional hazards models
- Negative binomial regressions
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Time to bDMARD initiation (from symptom onset or diagnosis): no notable differences between males and females
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Persistence on first bDMARD
Log-Rank P =0.004
Persistence on second bDMARD
Log-Rank P =0.0007
Predictors of bDMARD initiation (multivariable Cox)
- Distinct predictors of bDMARD initiation, varying by sex
Safety
- Adverse events reported more frequently as reasons for discontinuation in females; inefficacy the primary reason for both sexes
Original publication
Sex-based differences in bDMARD initiation and persistence in spondyloarthritis: a 17-year follow-up study from the REGISPON-3 registry. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 21 March 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →