The Rheumatologist
COVID-19 NewsACR Convergence
  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed
  • Home
  • Conditions
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • SLE (Lupus)
    • Crystal Arthritis
      • Gout Resource Center
    • Spondyloarthritis
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Soft Tissue Pain
    • Scleroderma
    • Vasculitis
    • Systemic Inflammatory Syndromes
    • Guidelines
  • Resource Centers
    • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
    • Gout Resource Center
    • Psoriatic Arthritis Resource Center
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
    • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
  • Drug Updates
    • Biologics & Biosimilars
    • DMARDs & Immunosuppressives
    • Topical Drugs
    • Analgesics
    • Safety
    • Pharma Co. News
  • Professional Topics
    • Ethics
    • Legal
    • Legislation & Advocacy
    • Career Development
      • Certification
      • Education & Training
    • Awards
    • Profiles
    • President’s Perspective
    • Rheuminations
    • Interprofessional Perspective
  • Practice Management
    • Billing/Coding
    • Quality Assurance/Improvement
    • Workforce
    • Facility
    • Patient Perspective
    • Electronic Health Records
    • Apps
    • Information Technology
    • From the College
    • Multimedia
      • Audio
      • Video
  • Resources
    • Issue Archives
    • ACR Convergence
      • Gout Resource Center
      • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
      • Psoriatic Arthritis
      • Abstracts
      • Meeting Reports
      • ACR Convergence Home
    • American College of Rheumatology
    • ACR ExamRheum
    • Research Reviews
    • ACR Journals
      • Arthritis & Rheumatology
      • Arthritis Care & Research
      • ACR Open Rheumatology
    • Rheumatology Image Library
    • Treatment Guidelines
    • Rheumatology Research Foundation
    • Events
  • About Us
    • Mission/Vision
    • Meet the Authors
    • Meet the Editors
    • Contribute to The Rheumatologist
    • Subscription
    • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Search
You are here: Home / Articles / New Findings on Rheumatic Drug Therapies among Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis, Gout, SLE

New Findings on Rheumatic Drug Therapies among Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis, Gout, SLE

March 20, 2017 • By Thomas R. Collins

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version / Save PDF
A study shows no increased risk of chronic kidney disease from allopurinol use in newly diagnosed gout patients who start out with normal or near-normal kidney function.

A study shows no increased risk of chronic kidney disease from allopurinol use in newly diagnosed gout patients who start out with normal or near-normal kidney function.
crystal light/shutterstock.com

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Taking high-dose non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with a TNF inhibitor as an ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patient is linked with a 61% decrease in the chances your disease will progress, suggesting there may be a synergy when the drugs are used together, according to a longitudinal observational study from researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

You Might Also Like
  • Study Finds Newer Gout Drug Poses Risk to Heart Patients
  • Gout Treatments Effective If Patients Maintain Lifelong Adherence to Therapies
  • Rheumatology Drug Updates: Abaloparatide Promising for Osteoporosis, Plus Secukinumab for Ankylosing Spondylitis
Explore This Issue
March 2017
Also By This Author
  • Researchers Work Toward Early ID & Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

The findings were highlighted at the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in a Discovery abstract session that also included findings on allopurinol and chronic kidney disease in gout patients and the effects of poverty on SLE damage.1

ad goes here:advert-1
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

NSAIDs & AS

TNF inhibitors and NSAIDs have shown mixed results in preventing AS progression. Researchers set out to gauge the benefit seen in those taking TNF inhibitors and NSAIDs together. They looked at 538 patients in the Prospective Study of Outcomes in Ankylosing Spondylitis, with patients followed for at least two years and a median of four. X-rays were collected every two years, with a determination of progression by mSASSS, the modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spinal Score.

Among patients not exposed to NSAIDs or exposed only to low doses, there was no benefit in taking TNF inhibitors alone.

ad goes here:advert-2
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

But there was a significant benefit observed for those taking a high-dose NSAID along with an anti-TNF over those taking a high-dose NSAID but not an anti-TNF. The odds of progression were decreased by 61% for those taking both an anti-TNF and high-dose NSAIDs (P=0.04). Researchers found an interaction between the NSAID and TNF inhibitor use after adjusting propensity scores to address confounders introduced by the drugs’ indications.

“Another way to look at the estimated probability of progression by treatment group is to stratify it by TNF inhibitor use,” said Lianne Gensler, MD, director of the Ankylosing Spondylitis Clinic at UCSF. “When you look at the patients with high-dose NSAIDs, you can see that their estimated probability of progression is significantly lower when using TNF inhibitors—almost a 50% reduction in fact.”

‘Therapy for gout with allopurinol does not appear to have a harmful effect on renal function,’ Dr. Vargas-Santos said.

She said that this suggests a “synergistic effect” not seen when the therapies are used separately.

“I want to be clear that this is a longitudinal observational study and it does not prove causality,” Dr. Gensler said. “There are still unmeasured confounders that may possibly be playing a role.”

ad goes here:advert-3
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

Pages: 1 2 3 | Single Page

Filed Under: Conditions, Meeting Reports, Spondyloarthritis Tagged With: 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, Allopurinol, American College of Rheumatology, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Gout, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAID, outcome, patient care, Rheumatic Disease, rheumatologist, rheumatology, SLE, Systemic lupus erythematosus, therapy treatmentIssue: March 2017

You Might Also Like:
  • Study Finds Newer Gout Drug Poses Risk to Heart Patients
  • Gout Treatments Effective If Patients Maintain Lifelong Adherence to Therapies
  • Rheumatology Drug Updates: Abaloparatide Promising for Osteoporosis, Plus Secukinumab for Ankylosing Spondylitis
  • MIF Cytokine May Impact Inflammation, Bone Formation in Ankylosing Spondylitis

American College of Rheumatology

Visit the official website for the American College of Rheumatology.

Visit the ACR »

Simple Tasks

Learn more about the ACR’s public awareness campaign and how you can get involved. Help increase visibility of rheumatic diseases and decrease the number of people left untreated.

Visit the Simple Tasks site »

Rheumatology Research Foundation

The Foundation is the largest private funding source for rheumatology research and training in the U.S.

Learn more »

The Rheumatologist newsmagazine reports on issues and trends in the management and treatment of rheumatic diseases. The Rheumatologist reaches 11,500 rheumatologists, internists, orthopedic surgeons, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who practice, research, or teach in the field of rheumatology.

About Us / Contact Us / Advertise / Privacy Policy / Terms of Use / Cookie Preferences

  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed

Copyright © 2006–2023 American College of Rheumatology. All rights reserved.

ISSN 1931-3268 (print)
ISSN 1931-3209 (online)