Methotrexate in Patients with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis

Summary

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease primarily affecting the small joints of hands and feet, but may also present with systemic, extraarticular features. The Swedish Rheumatology Quality Register (SRQ) is a nationwide quality register with the aim of continuously improving the treatment and follow-up of patients with rheumatic disease. Using this type of quality registers, it is possible to perform a Registrybased Randomised Clinical Trial (R-RCT), that is a randomised clinical trial this is carried out by screening, recruitment and registration of study data is performed based on information given by a quality register. All patients with newly diagnosed RA are included in SRQ. Treatment options for RA include different types of immunosuppression and corticosteroids as bridging therapy. Methotrexate, a synthetic conventional disease modifying antirheumatic drug (csDMARD), which can be given either orally or subcutaneously, is considered a first-line treatment. Studies have shown the beneficial efficacy and improved quality of life for patients with RA treated with methotrexate, however this is not studied in a setting of unselected patients with newly diagnosed RA in northern Sweden. Moreover, it is not known to what extent patients prefer oral or subcutaneous administration route, or if there are any health economic benefits from either of the two administration routes. Further, changes in gut microbiota is not studied in this setting.

Timeline

Start

2022-04-28

Primary completion

2026-12-31

Completion

2026-12-31

Publications

• Background Aletaha D, Neogi T, Silman AJ, Funovits J, Felson DT, Bingham CO 3rd, Birnbaum NS, Burmester GR, Bykerk VP, Cohen MD, Combe B, Costenbader KH, Dougados M, Emery P, Ferraccioli G, Hazes JM, Hobbs K, Huizinga TW, Kavanaugh A, Kay J, Kvien TK, Laing T, Mease P, Menard HA, Moreland LW, Naden RL, Pincus T, Smolen JS, Stanislawska-Biernat E, Symmons D, Tak PP, Upchurch KS, Vencovsky J, Wolfe F, Hawker G. 2010 Rheumatoid arthritis classification criteria: an American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism collaborative initiative. Arthritis Rheum. 2010 Sep;62(9):2569-81. doi: 10.1002/art.27584.
• Background Visser K, van der Heijde D. Optimal dosage and route of administration of methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review of the literature. Ann Rheum Dis. 2009 Jul;68(7):1094-9. doi: 10.1136/ard.2008.092668. Epub 2008 Nov 25.
• Background Schiff M, Weinblatt ME, Valente R, van der Heijde D, Citera G, Elegbe A, Maldonado M, Fleischmann R. Head-to-head comparison of subcutaneous abatacept versus adalimumab for rheumatoid arthritis: two-year efficacy and safety findings from AMPLE trial. Ann Rheum Dis. 2014 Jan;73(1):86-94. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2013-203843. Epub 2013 Aug 20.
• Background Bujor AM, Janjua S, LaValley MP, Duran J, Braun J, Felson DT. Comparison of oral versus parenteral methotrexate in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: A meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2019 Sep 6;14(9):e0221823. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221823. eCollection 2019.
• Background Picchianti-Diamanti A, Panebianco C, Salemi S, Sorgi ML, Di Rosa R, Tropea A, Sgrulletti M, Salerno G, Terracciano F, D'Amelio R, Lagana B, Pazienza V. Analysis of Gut Microbiota in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: Disease-Related Dysbiosis and Modifications Induced by Etanercept. Int J Mol Sci. 2018 Sep 27;19(10):2938. doi: 10.3390/ijms19102938.
• Background Sayers E, MacGregor A, Carding SR. Drug-microbiota interactions and treatment response: Relevance to rheumatoid arthritis. AIMS Microbiol. 2018 Oct 26;4(4):642-654. doi: 10.3934/microbiol.2018.4.642. eCollection 2018.
• Background Schroeder BO, Backhed F. Signals from the gut microbiota to distant organs in physiology and disease. Nat Med. 2016 Oct;22(10):1079-1089. doi: 10.1038/nm.4185. Epub 2016 Oct 6.
• Background Hsiao B, Fraenkel L. Patient preferences for rheumatoid arthritis treatment. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2019 May;31(3):256-263. doi: 10.1097/BOR.0000000000000591.
• Background Durand C, Eldoma M, Marshall DA, Bansback N, Hazlewood GS. Patient Preferences for Disease-modifying Antirheumatic Drug Treatment in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review. J Rheumatol. 2020 Feb;47(2):176-187. doi: 10.3899/jrheum.181165. Epub 2019 Apr 15.
• Background Striesow F, Brandt A. Preference, satisfaction and usability of subcutaneously administered methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis: results of a postmarketing surveillance study with a high-concentration formulation. Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2012 Feb;4(1):3-9. doi: 10.1177/1759720X11431004.

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