Journals / Journal of Health Sciences and Medicine / 2026 / Volume: 8 Issue: 2

Does the presence of comorbidities in rheumatoid arthritis patients impact initial tumor necrosis factor inhibitor treatment response and retention rates?

Romatoid artrit hastalarında eşlik eden hastalıkların varlığı, başlangıç ​​tümör nekroz faktörü inhibitörü tedavisine yanıtı ve tedavi devam oranlarını etkiler mi?

Tuba Yüce İnel(Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine)0000-0001-9026-9641
Sinem Burcu Kocaer(Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine)0000-0002-5481-0776
Hüseyin Ediz Dalkılıç(Uludag University School of Medicine)0000-0001-8645-2670
Servet Akar(Katip Celebi University School of Medicine)0000-0002-3734-1242
Süleyman Serdar Koca(Firat University School of Medicine)0000-0003-4995-430X
Soner Şenel(Erciyes University School of Medicine)0000-0001-9311-8179
Abdurrahman Tufan(Gazi University School of Medicine)0000-0001-6244-9362
Sema Yılmaz(Selcuk University School of Medicine)0000-0003-4277-3880
Ayşe Çefle(Kocaeli University School of Medicine)0000-0002-3273-7969
Sadettin Uslu(Celal Bayar University School of Medicine)0000-0001-6266-2454
Ali Karakaş(Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine)0000-0002-4667-0603
Yeşim Erez(Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine)0000-0002-2669-2880
Aydan Köken Avşar(Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine)0000-0003-4149-621X
İsmail Sarı(Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine)0000-0001-7737-4180
Merih Birlik(Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine)0000-0001-5118-9307
Haner Direşkeneli(Marmara University School of Medicine)0000-0003-2598-5806
Şükran Erten(Yildirim Beyazit University School of Medicine)0000-0003-0717-8365
Fatoş Önen(DOKUZ EYLÜL ÜNİVERSİTESİ)
Pages
—
Publication Date
2025-03-21
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

However, evidence suggests that as the duration of the disease increases, the continuation of the first TNFi drug may decrease.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Aims: We aimed to evaluate the effect of comorbidities on the first tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment response and retention in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
📊
Key Findings & Data:Methods: The study included adult RA patients (with M05 and M06 ICD codes) registered in the TURKBIO database and receiving their first TNFi treatment.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:However, evidence suggests that as the duration of the disease increases, the continuation of the first TNFi drug may decrease.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Comorbidity · rheumatoid arthritis · first TNFi drug survival

Abstract

Aims: We aimed to evaluate the effect of comorbidities on the first tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment response and retention in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: The study included adult RA patients (with M05 and M06 ICD codes) registered in the TURKBIO database and receiving their first TNFi treatment. Data on demographic, clinical, and laboratory features, disease activity scores, and other follow-up parameters (at the beginning and months 6 and 12) were collected. The Log-Rank test and Kaplan-Meier curve were used to determine the TNFi retention rates. Results: There were 1172 bio-naive RA patients who initiated their first TNFi treatments. The median age (IQR) of the patients was 53 (51-61), and 79.8% (n=935) were women. The most commonly used TNFi was etanercept (38.9%), followed by adalimumab (27.9%), certolizumab (13.8%), golimumab (10.8%), and infliximab (8.7%). The most prevalent comorbidities in patients were hypertension (32.6%), obesity (32.6%), osteoporosis (22.3%), asthma/COPD (17.9%), and diabetes mellitus (15.7%). The presence of comorbidities at the beginning of TNFi treatment did not affect DAS28 CRP responses at months 6 and 12 (p=0.18 and p=0.83, respectively) and the continuation rates of the first TNFi drug. After conducting a thorough analysis that factored in variables including gender, age over 60 years, smoking, serologic status, presence of erosion, and basal disease activity scores, it was determined that there were no statistically significant hazard ratios (HR) for the first TNFi persistence. However, there was a 5% decrease in adherence to the first TNFi drug with an increase in median disease duration (HR 0.95, 95% CI=0.90-1.00, p=0.048). Conclusion: It has been observed that the presence of comorbidities in patients with RA does not significantly affect the TNFi treatment response and retention rate. However, evidence suggests that as the duration of the disease increases, the continuation of the first TNFi drug may decrease.

Özet

Amaçlar: Romatoid artritli (RA) hastalarda komorbiditelerin ilk tümör nekroz faktörü inhibitörü (TNFi) tedavi yanıtı ve retansiyonu üzerindeki etkisini değerlendirmeyi amaçladık. Yöntemler: Çalışmaya TURKBIO veri tabanında kayıtlı ve ilk TNFi tedavilerini alan yetişkin RA hastaları (M05 ve M06 ICD kodlu) dahil edildi. Demografik, klinik ve laboratuvar özellikleri, hastalık aktivite skorları ve diğer takip parametreleri (başlangıçta ve 6. ve 12. aylarda) hakkında veriler toplandı. TNFi retansiyon oranlarını belirlemek için Log-Rank testi ve Kaplan-Meier eğrisi kullanıldı. Bulgular: İlk TNFi tedavilerine başlayan 1172 biyo-naif RA hastası vardı. Hastaların medyan yaşı (IQR) 53 (51-61) idi ve %79,8'i (n=935) kadındı. En sık kullanılan TNFi etanersept (%38,9) iken bunu adalimumab (%27,9), sertolizumab (%13,8), golimumab (%10,8) ve infliksimab (%8,7) izledi. Hastalarda en sık görülen eşlik eden hastalıklar hipertansiyon (%32,6), obezite (%32,6), osteoporoz (%22,3), astım/KOAH (%17,9) ve diabetes mellitus (%15,7) idi. TNFi tedavisinin başlangıcında eşlik eden hastalıkların varlığı 6. ve 12. aylardaki DAS28 CRP yanıtlarını (sırasıyla p=0,18 ve p=0,83) ve ilk TNFi ilacının devam oranlarını etkilemedi. Cinsiyet, 60 yaş üstü olma, sigara içme, serolojik durum, erozyon varlığı ve bazal hastalık aktivite skorları gibi değişkenleri hesaba katan kapsamlı bir analiz yürütüldükten sonra, ilk TNFi kalıcılığı için istatistiksel olarak anlamlı tehlike oranları (HR) olmadığı belirlendi. Ancak, medyan hastalık süresinde artışla birlikte ilk TNFi ilacına uyumda %5'lik bir azalma oldu (HR 0,95, %95 CI=0,90-1,00, p=0,048). Sonuç: RA hastalarında eşlik eden hastalıkların varlığının TNFi tedavi yanıtını ve tutma oranını önemli ölçüde etkilemediği gözlemlenmiştir. Ancak, kanıtlar hastalığın süresi arttıkça ilk TNFi ilacına devam etmenin azalabileceğini göstermektedir.

🔖

Cite This Article

İnel, T. Y., Kocaer, S. B., Dalkılıç, H. E., Akar, S., Koca, S. S., Şenel, S., Tufan, A., Yılmaz, S., Çefle, A., Uslu, S., Karakaş, A., Erez, Y., Avşar, A. K., Sarı, İ., Birlik, M., Direşkeneli, H., Erten, Ş., Önen, F. (2025). Does the presence of comorbidities in rheumatoid arthritis patients impact initial tumor necrosis factor inhibitor treatment response and retention rates?. Journal of Health Sciences and Medicine, Volume: 8 Issue: 2. https://doi.org/10.32322/jhsm.1591510

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (30)

  1. Smolen JS, Aletaha D, McInnes IB. Rheumatoid arthritis. Lancet. 2016; 388(10055):2023-2038. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30173-8
  2. Stouten V, Westhovens R, De Cock D, et al. Having a co-morbidity predicts worse outcome in early rheumatoid arthritis despite intensive treatment: a post hoc evaluation of the pragmatic randomized controlled CareRA trial. Rheumatology. 2021;60(8):3699-3708. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/ keaa841
  3. Dougados M, Soubrier M, Antunez A, et al. Prevalence of comorbidities in rheumatoid arthritis and evaluation of their monitoring: results of an international, cross-sectional study (COMORA). Ann Rheum Dis. 2014; 73(1):62-68. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2013-204223
  4. Nakajima A, Inoue E, Shimizu Y, et al. The presence of comorbidity affects both treatment strategies and outcomes in disease activity, physical function, and quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Clin Rheumatol. 2015;34:441-449. doi:10.1007/s10067-014-2750-8
  5. England BR, Roul P, Yang Y, et al. Burden and trajectory of multimorbidity in rheumatoid arthritis: a matched cohort study from 2006 to 2015. Ann Rheum Dis. 2021;80(3):286-292. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2020-218282
  6. Roodenrijs NM, van der Goes MC, Welsing PM, et al. Non-adherence in difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis from the perspectives of patients and rheumatologists: a concept mapping study. Rheumatology. 2021; 60(11):5105-5116. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keab130
  7. Dey M, Nagy G, Nikiphorou E. Comorbidities and extra-articular manifestations in difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis: different sides of the same coin? Rheumatology. 2023;62(5):1773-1779. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keac584
  8. Marchesoni A, Zaccara E, Gorla R, et al. TNFα antagonist survival rate in a cohort of rheumatoid arthritis patients observed under conditions of standard clinical practice. Ann New York Acad Sci. 2009;1173(1):837-846. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04621.x
  9. Hetland ML, Christensen IJ, Tarp U, et al. Direct comparison of treatment responses, remission rates, and drug adherence in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with adalimumab, etanercept, or infliximab: results from eight years of surveillance of clinical practice in the nationwide Danish DANBIO registry. Arthritis Rheum. 2010;62(1): 22-32. doi:10.1002/art.27227
  10. Favalli EG, Pregnolato F, Biggioggero M, et al. Twelve-year retention rate of first-line tumor necrosis factor inhibitors in rheumatoid arthritis: real-life data from a local registry. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2016; 68(4):432-439. doi:10.1002/acr.22788
  11. Aletaha D, Neogi T, Silman AJ, et al. 2010 Rheumatoid arthritis classification criteria: an American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism collaborative initiative. Arthritis Rheum. 2010;62(9):2569-2581. doi:10.1002/art.27584
  12. Favalli EG, Raimondo MG, Becciolini A, Crotti C, Biggioggero M, Caporali R. The management of first-line biologic therapy failures in rheumatoid arthritis: current practice and future perspectives. Autoimmun Rev. 2017;16(12):1185-1195. doi:10.1016/j.autrev.2017.10.002
  13. Radner H, Smolen JS, Aletaha D. Comorbidity affects all domains of physical function and quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology. 2011;50(2):381-388. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keq334
  14. Radner H, Yoshida K, Hmamouchi I, Dougados M, Smolen JS, Solomon DH. Treatment patterns of multimorbid patients with rheumatoid arthritis: results from an international cross-sectional study. J Rheumatol. 2015;42(7):1099-1104. doi:10.3899/jrheum.141534
  15. Armagan B, Sari A, Erden A, et al. Starting of biological disease modifying antirheumatic drugs may be postponed in rheumatoid arthritis patients with multimorbidity: single center real life results. Medicine. 2018;97(13):e9930. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000009930
  16. Nikiphorou E, De Lusignan S, Mallen C, et al. Prognostic value of comorbidity indices and lung diseases in early rheumatoid arthritis: a UK population-based study. Rheumatology. 2020;59(6):1296-1305. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/kez409
  17. Stouten V, Pazmino S, Verschueren P, et al. Comorbidity burden in the first three years after diagnosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis or spondyloarthritis: a general practice registry-based study. RMD Open. 2021;7(2):e001671. doi:10.1136/rmdopen-2021-001671
  18. Baillet A, Gossec L, Carmona L, et al. Points to consider for reporting, screening for and preventing selected comorbidities in chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases in daily practice: a EULAR initiative. Ann Rheumat Dis. 2016;75(6):965-973. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-209233
  19. Nagy G, Roodenrijs NM, Welsing PM, et al. EULAR points to consider for the management of difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheumat Dis. 2022;81(1):20-33. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-220973
  20. Roodenrijs NM, Kedves M, Hamar A, et al. Diagnostic issues in difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic literature review informing the EULAR recommendations for the management of difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis. RMD Open. 2021;7(1):e001511. doi:10.1136/rmdopen-2020-001511
  21. Ranganath VK, Maranian P, Elashoff DA, et al. Comorbidities are associated with poorer outcomes in community patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology. 2013;52(10):1809-1817. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/ket224
  22. Busby AD, Wason J, Pratt AG, Young A, Isaacs JD, Nikiphorou E. The role of comorbidities alongside patient and disease characteristics in long-term disease activity in RA using UK inception cohort data. Rheumatology. 2022;61(11):4297-4304. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keac139
  23. Calvo-Gutiérrez J, López-Medina C, Otero-Varela L, et al. Impact of multimorbidity on the first ts/bDMARD effectiveness and retention rate after two years of follow-up in patients with rheumatoid arthritis from the BIOBADASER registry. Arthritis Res Therapy. 2024;26(1):57. doi:10.1186/s13075-024-03287-9
  24. Favalli EG, Pontikaki I, Becciolini A, et al. Real-life 10-year retention rate of first-line anti-TNF drugs for inflammatory arthritides in adult-and juvenile-onset populations: similarities and differences. Clin Rheumatol. 2017;36:1747-1755. doi:10.1007/s10067-017-3712-8
  25. Soliman MM, Ashcroft DM, Watson KD, Lunt M, Symmons DP, Hyrich KL. Impact of concomitant use of DMARDs on the persistence with anti-TNF therapies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: results from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register. Ann Rheumat Dis. 2011;70(4):583-589. doi:10.1136/ard.2010.139774
  26. Iannone F, Gremese E, Atzeni F, et al. Longterm retention of tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitor therapy in a large Italian cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis from the GISEA registry: an appraisal of predictors. J Rheumatol. 2012;39(6):1179-1184. doi:10.3899/jrheum. 111125
  27. van Mulligen E, Ahmed S, Weel AE, Hazes JM, van der Helm-van Mil AH, de Jong PH. Factors that influence biological survival in rheumatoid arthritis: results of a real-world academic cohort from the Netherlands. Clin Rheumatol. 2021;40:2177-2183. doi:10.1007/s10067-020-05567-6
  28. Heiberg MS, Koldingsnes W, Mikkelsen K, et al. The comparative one-year performance of anti-tumor necrosis factor α drugs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis: results from a longitudinal, observational, multicenter study. Arthritis Care Res. 2008;59(2):234-240. doi:10.1002/art.23333
  29. Naffaa ME, Hassan F, Golan-Cohen A, et al. Factors associated with drug survival on first biologic therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a population-based cohort study. Rheumatol Int. 2021;41(11):1905-1913. doi:10.1007/s00296-021-04989-y
  30. Ebina K, Etani Y, Maeda Y, et al. Drug retention of biologics and Janus kinase inhibitors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: the ANSWER cohort study. RMD Open. 2023;9(3):e003160. doi:10.1136/rmdopen-2023- 003160