Real-World Drug Survival of Biologics and Targeted Synthetic Disease-Modifying Anti-rheumatic Drugs Among Patients...

While the variety of biologics (b) and targeted synthetic (ts) disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) available for patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) has proved to be efficacious in randomized clinical trials, there is a growing importance to understand the benefits and potential drawbacks of these different therapies in real-world settings, which includes bio-experienced and older patients as well.

To evaluate the real-world adherence, drug survival, and discontinuation risk of bDMARDs and tsDMARDs among patients with PsA, comprising both younger and older patients.

A retrospective study using a computerized database. Treatment-naïve and treatment-experiencedpatients with PsA, younger and older than 60 years, who initiated treatment with bDMARDs [TNF-α inhibitors (TNF-αis), IL-17 inhibitors (IL-17is), IL-12/23 inhibitors (IL-12/23i)] or tsDMARDs (the PDE-4 inhibitor apremilast) during 2015-2018 were included. Adherence was assessed using the proportion of days covered (PDC) method. Time to discontinuation was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier estimates. Risk of discontinuation was estimated by Cox proportional hazard model.

We identified 427 eligible patients (22.2 % were older than 60 years), utilizing 673 treatment lines. The proportion of adherent patients (PDC ≥ 0.8) was similar (62.1-66.5%) across all lines of therapy and across different biologics (70.0-72.0%), while apremilast showed the lowest, in both treatment-naïve and experienced settings (43.6% and 25.5%, respectively). The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that in the treatment-naïve TNF-αis had higher drug survival compared with apremilast (P = 0.032). Apremilast also had the lowest drug survival in the treatment-experienced group (P < 0.0001). Kaplan-Meier analysis by age groups showed similar drug survival rates in older (≥ 60 years) and younger (age < 60 years) patients, regardless of treatment-experience status. The multivariable model showed that apremilast had increased risk for discontinuation compared with TNF-αis.

Adherence, drug survival and risk for discontinuation were similar for all included bDMARDs, regardless of treatment experience status, while apremilast showed lower rates and increased risk. Adherence and discontinuation rate were similar in older and younger patients. With the variety of drug modes of action available for patients with PsA, these findings may assist caregivers in selecting the appropriate treatment.