Rheumatology Research Clears Paths to Improved Arthritis Patient Care, Long-Term Health

Sixty-one patients with moderate to severe knee OA were divided into three cohorts: treatment with one injection of either 0.03, 0.07 or 0.23 mg of the drug in their affected knee, as well as four in each group receiving a placebo. Follow-up examinations were performed at 12 and 24 weeks. The researchers used Outcomes Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT)-Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) strict responder data to analyze the drug’s effect on pain and function compared to placebo.

More patients in the 0.07 mg group met both pain and function criteria versus placebo at both 12 and 24 weeks, said Dr. Yazici.

The researchers then conducted radiographic analysis on the patients to evaluate changes in joint space width from baseline to 24 weeks.⁵ Two months after treatment, patients in the 0.07 mg cohort showed statistically significant increases in mean medial joint space width of 0.49 mm from baseline compared to placebo. Phase 2 trials are now underway.

Lowering CVD Risks

People with inflammatory rheumatic diseases are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but too few receive preventive medications or meet target goals to prevent heart attacks and strokes, according to a new study in Norway.⁶

The researchers studied 2,647 patients with RA, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis or spondyloarthropathies to evaluate the rate of indications for anti-hypertensive or lipid-lowering therapies, the rate of initiation of these therapies for those indicated, and goal attainment for blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol for those treated, said Anne Grete Semb, MD, a cardiologist at Diakonhjemmet Hospital in Oslo and co-author of the study.

Approximately 25% of patients had an indication for lipid-lowering therapies, and of these, 63% were prescribed treatment. Only one in five of those who received treatment attained recommended LDL goals, said Dr. Semb. Approximately 53% of the patients had an indication for anti-hypertensive treatment, but only about half of those patients were prescribed treatment. Again, only one in five of those treated with anti-hypertensive medications attained blood pressure goals, she said.

The findings suggest “a huge unmet need for improving initiation of CVD risk assessment, and achieving better goal attainment and treatment to prevent cardiovascular disease,” she said.

Susan Bernstein is a freelance medical journalist based in Atlanta.

References

1. Master H, Thoma L, Christiansen M, et al. Minimum physical function needed to walk 6,000 steps/day in people with knee osteoarthritis (abstract). Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016;68 (suppl 10).
2. Aguiar CL, Ruff W, Goodman A, et al. Cardiolipin-producing candidate commensals in the gut microbiome of antiphospholipid syndrome patients (abstract). Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016;68 (suppl 10).
3. Wampler Muskardin TL, Fan W, Jin Z, et al. Distinct single cell gene expression signatures of monocyte subsets differentiate between tnf-alpha inhibitor treatment response groups in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016;68 (suppl 10).
4. Strand V, Swearingen CL, Simsek I, et al. Analysis of pain and function components in OMERACT-OARSI strict responders from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase I study of a novel, intra-articular, injectable Wnt-inhibitor (sm04690) in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee (abstract). Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016;68 (suppl 10).
5. Strand V, Swearingen CL, Simsek I, et al. Radiographic outcomes from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase I study of a novel, intra-articular, injectable Wnt-inhibitor (SM04690) in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee (abstract). Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016;68 (suppl 10).
6. Ikdahl E, Rollefstad S, Wibetoe G, et al. Exploring the inadequate cardiovascular disease prevention in inflammatory joint diseases: Results from a nationwide Norwegian project (abstract). Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016;68 (suppl 10).