A Retrospective Chart Review on the Use of Biologics in Monotherapy for the Treatment of Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Both previous and current bDMARDs were presented together for each subgroup, therefore the percentage of participants under each reason did not add up to 100%.

Time frame: 9 months

Population: Included all participants who entered the retrospective chart review.

bDMARDS for RA treatment include etanercept, adalimumab, tocilizumab, rituximab, certolizumab pegol, infliximab, golimumab, abatacept and anakinra medications. Current bDMARDs were defined as those with a start date on or after the date of collection, or those with a start date before the date of collection and an end date on or after the date of collection. NICE guidelines recommend the participants with severe active RA who inadequately responded to prior DMARD treatment (trial of 2 DMARDs, one which includes methotrexate) and were intolerant to methotrexate or the treatment with methotrexate considered inappropriate be treated with a biologic DMARD monotherapy.

Time frame: 9 months

Population: Included all the participants who entered the retrospective chart review.

Traditional DMARDS for RA treatment include methotrexate, sulfasalazine, leflunomide, hydroxychloroquine, gold compounds, penicillamine, cyclosporine, azathioprine, chlorambucil, mercaptopurine, and mycophenolate mofetil medications. Previous RA treatment included all the treatments received prior to switching to current RA treatment.

Time frame: 9 months

Population: Included all the participants who took any past traditional DMARDs.

bDMARDS for RA treatment include etanercept, adalimumab, tocilizumab, rituximab, certolizumab pegol, infliximab, golimumab, abatacept and anakinra medications. Only the most frequently used (\> 10% of participants) bDMARDs with concomitant traditional DMARD as previous treatment for RA were reported. If a participant was recorded to have been treated with a single bDMARD more than once, the participant was counted only once per type of bDMARD. If participant received 2 different types of bDMARDs as part of their previous treatment, the participant was counted twice, once per each type of bDMARD; therefore, the percentage of participants did not add up to 100%.

Time frame: 9 months

Population: Included participants who were previously treated with any bDMARD with concomitant traditional DMARD prior to switch to bDMARD monotherapy as current RA treatment.

bDMARDS for RA treatment include etanercept, adalimumab, tocilizumab, rituximab, certolizumab pegol, infliximab, golimumab, abatacept and anakinra medications. Only the most frequently used (\> 10% of participants) bDMARDs in monotherapy as previous treatment for RA were reported. If a participant was recorded to have been treated with a single bDMARD more than once, the participant was counted only once per type of bDMARD. If participant received 2 different types of bDMARDs as part of their previous treatment, the participant was counted twice, once per each type of bDMARD; therefore, the percentage of participants did not add up to 100%.

Time frame: 9 months

Population: Included participants who received bDMARD as monotherapy as previous treatment prior to switch to bDMARD monotherapy as current treatment.

All corticosteroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs taken as previous and current treatments for RA were coded according to the Roche international non-proprietary name dictionary.

Time frame: 9 months

Population: Included all the participants who entered the retrospective chart review.

DAS28 was calculated from the tender joint count (TJC) of 28 joints, swollen joint count (SJC) of 28 joints, ESR (in millimeters/hour) or CRP (in milligrams/liter), and the participant's global assessment of disease activity (visual analog scale: 0=no disease activity to 100=maximum disease activity). The formula for calculating DAS28 score using ESR value is: 0.56 x square root (√) of TJC + 0.28 x √(SJC) + 0.70 x log natural (ESR) + 0.014 x global assessment of RA score. The formula for calculating DAS28 score using CRP value is: 0.56 x √(TJC) + 0.28 x √(SJC) + 0.36 x log natural (CRP+1) + 0.014 x global assessment of RA score +0.96. The DAS28 score range was 0-9.4 where higher scores represented higher disease activity.

Time frame: 9 months

Population: Included the number of participants who were evaluable for DAS28 assessment. n represents the number of participants who were evaluable for that particular assessment.

Time frame: 9 months

Population: Included participants who were treated with a bDMARD with concomitant traditional DMARD as previous treatment for RA. n is the number of participants who received particular bDMARD as previous RA treatment.

Time frame: 9 months

Population: Included participants treated with a bDMARD monotherapy as previous treatment for RA prior to switch to current bDMARD monotherapy. n is the number of participants who received particular bDMARD as previous RA treatment.

Time frame: 9 months

Population: Included all participants who received bDMARD monotherapy as their current treatment for RA. n is the number of participants who received that particular bDMARD as their current RA treatment.

DAS28 was calculated from the tender joint count (TJC) of 28 joints, swollen joint count (SJC) of 28 joints, ESR (in millimeters/hour) or CRP (in milligrams/liter), and the participant's global assessment of disease activity (visual analog scale: 0=no disease activity to 100=maximum disease activity). TJC and SJC assessed as part of the DAS28 outcome measure assessment were reported.

Time frame: 9 months

Population: Includes all participants who were evaluable for this outcome. n represents the number of participants who were evaluable for that particular assessment.