Ankylosing spondylitis patients commencing biologic therapy have high baseline levels of comorbidity: a report from the Australian Rheumatology Association Database
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journal contribution
posted on 2009-01-01, 00:00authored byJ Oldroyd, L Schachna, R Buchbinder, M Staples, Bridget Murphy, M Bond, A Briggs, M Lassere, L March
Aims: To compare the baseline characteristics of a population-based cohort of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) commencing biological therapy to the reported characteristics of bDMARD randomised controlled trials (RCTs) participants. Methods: Descriptive analysis of AS participants in the Australian Rheumatology Association Database (ARAD) who were commencing bDMARD therapy. Results: Up to December 2008, 389 patients with AS were enrolled in ARAD. 354 (91.0%) had taken bDMARDs at some time, and 198 (55.9%) completed their entry questionnaire prior to or within 6 months of commencing bDMARDs. 131 (66.1%) had at least one comorbid condition, and 24 (6.8%) had a previous malignancy (15 nonmelanoma skin, 4 melanoma, 2 prostate, 1 breast, cervix, and bowel). Compared with RCT participants, ARAD participants were older, had longer disease duration and higher baseline disease activity. Conclusions: AS patients commencing bDMARDs in routine care are significantly different to RCT participants and have significant baseline comorbidities.