Survival in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor–Treated Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis and Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer: An Observational Cohort Study
Main finding · OSResult — go to the resultHazard ratio 0.92 95% CI 0.78–1.09Authors' conclusion
After controlling for demographics and comorbid conditions, ICI-treated patients with RA with mNSCLC had no difference in OS compared with patients without RA. After excluding patients receiving dexamethasone, steroid dose was not associated with worse OS.
Study context
- Population
- Patients aged ≥66 years with malignant neoplasm of lung and bronchus who initiated nivolumab, pembrolizumab or atezolizumab between March 4, 2015 and April 11, 2019 (Medicare)analytic cohort
- Participants
- 2,732 patients
- Exposure
- Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-treated metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) with pre-existing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) vs without RA
- RAn = 790
- non-RAn = 1,942reference
- Outcome
- Overall survival (OS)
Methodological detailsMedicare claims data, Kaplan-Meier and adjusted Cox proportional hazard models
- Medicare claims data
- Kaplan-Meier and adjusted Cox proportional hazard models
Main finding
OS
Hazard ratio
0.92
95% CI 0.78–1.09
RAvs non-RA
HR 0.92 (95% CI 0.78–1.09)
As reported in the abstract
- No difference in overall survival (OS) between RA and non-RA Kaplan-Meier survival curves
- log-rank P = 0.08
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Steroid use before ICI initiation
Dexamethasone use before ICI initiation
Predictors of OS
- Male sex, more comorbidities and steroid dose before ICI initiation associated with worse OS
- Sensitivity analysis omitting baseline dexamethasone: steroid dose no longer associated with worse OS
Original publication
Survival in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor–Treated Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis and Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer: An Observational Cohort Study. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). Published 10 June 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →