A Pilot Study of the Feasibility of Discontinuation of Adalimumab in Stable Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients in Clinical Remission

Remission is defined as a Disease Activity Score (DAS)28 of less than 2.6. The DAS28 is a validated index of rheumatoid arthritis disease activity. Twenty-eight tender joint counts, 28 swollen joint counts, C-reactive protein (CRP), and general health are included in the DAS28 score. Scores on the DAS28 range from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating higher disease activity.

In this analysis participants in the methotrexate treatment group with a DAS28 score ≥ 2.6 (and thus allocated to rescue therapy with adalimumab) prior to Week 28 were considered not to be in remission at Week 28. Also, participants who did not complete 28 weeks were considered not in remission.

Remission is defined as a Disease Activity Score (DAS)28 of less than 2.6. The DAS28 is a validated index of rheumatoid arthritis disease activity. Twenty-eight tender joint counts, 28 swollen joint counts, C-reactive protein (CRP), and general health are included in the DAS28 score. Scores on the DAS28 range from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating higher disease activity.

In this analysis participants in the methotrexate treatment group with a DAS28 score ≥ 2.6 (and thus allocated to rescue therapy with adalimumab) prior to Week 28 were considered not to be in remission at Week 28. Also, participants who did not complete 28 weeks were considered not in remission.

Remission is defined as a Disease Activity Score (DAS)28 of less than 2.6. The DAS28 is a validated index of rheumatoid arthritis disease activity. Twenty-eight tender joint counts, 28 swollen joint counts, C-reactive protein (CRP), and general health are included in the DAS28 score. Scores on the DAS28 range from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating higher disease activity.

In this analysis participants in the methotrexate treatment group with a DAS28 score ≥ 2.6 (and thus allocated to rescue therapy with adalimumab) prior to Week 52 were considered not to be in remission at Week 52. Also, participants who did not complete 52 weeks were considered not in remission.

Remission is defined as a Disease Activity Score (DAS)28 of less than 2.6. The DAS28 is a validated index of rheumatoid arthritis disease activity. Twenty-eight tender joint counts, 28 swollen joint counts, C-reactive protein (CRP), and general health are included in the DAS28 score. Scores on the DAS28 range from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating higher disease activity. Also, participants who did not complete 52 weeks were considered not in remission.

In this analysis participants in the methotrexate treatment group with a DAS28 score ≥ 2.6 (and thus allocated to rescue therapy with adalimumab) prior to Week 52 were considered not to be in remission at Week 52.

Flare is defined as DAS28 ≥2.6 or an increase from Baseline in the DAS28 of greater than 1.2 units. The DAS28 is a validated index of rheumatoid arthritis disease activity. Twenty-eight tender joint counts, 28 swollen joint counts, C-reactive protein (CRP), and general health are included in the DAS28 score. Scores on the DAS28 range from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating higher disease activity.

For participants with a flare and treated with adalimumab rescue therapy, response was defined as return to Baseline DAS28 + ≤ 10% after reinstitution of adalimumab (rescue therapy).

The DAS28 is a validated index of rheumatoid arthritis disease activity. Twenty-eight tender joint counts, 28 swollen joint counts, C-reactive protein (CRP), and general health are included in the DAS28 score. Scores on the DAS28 range from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating higher disease activity.

For participants with a flare and treated with adalimumab rescue therapy, response was defined as DAS28 less than 2.6 or DAS28 decrease of greater than 1.2 units after reinstitution of adalimumab (rescue therapy). The DAS28 is a validated index of rheumatoid arthritis disease activity. Twenty-eight tender joint counts, 28 swollen joint counts, C-reactive protein (CRP), and general health are included in the DAS28 score. Scores on the DAS28 range from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating higher disease activity.

Physical function was evaluated using the Health Assessment Questionnaire - Disability Index (HAQ-DI), a patient-reported questionnaire specific for rheumatoid arthritis. It consists of 20 questions referring to eight domains: dressing/grooming, arising, eating, walking, hygiene, reach, grip, and daily activities. Participants assessed their ability to do each task over the past week using the following response categories: without any difficulty (0); with some difficulty (1); with much difficulty (2); and unable to do (3). Scores on each task were summed and averaged to provide an overall score ranging from 0 to 3, where zero represents no disability and three very severe, high-dependency disability. HAQ remission indicating normal physical function is defined by HAQ-DI < 0.5.

The EQ-5D is an international, standardized, generic instrument for describing and valuing health status. Participants were asked to indicate which of the following statements best describes their mobility health state:

Level 1: I have no problems in walking about;

Level 2: I have some problems in walking about;

Level 3: I am confined to bed.

The EQ-5D is an international, standardized, generic instrument for describing and valuing health status. Participants were asked to indicate which of the following statements best describes their self-care health state:

Level 1: I have no problems with self-care;

Level 2: I have some problems washing or dressing myself;

Level 3: I am unable to wash or dress myself.

The EQ-5D is an international, standardized, generic instrument for describing and valuing health status. Participants were asked to indicate which of the following statements best describes their health state with regard to usual activities (work, study, housework, family, or leisure activities):

Level 1: I have no problems performing my usual activities;

Level 2: I have some problems performing my usual activities;

Level 3: I am unable to perform my usual activities.

The EQ-5D is an international, standardized, generic instrument for describing and valuing health status. Participants were asked to indicate which of the following statements best describes their pain/discomfort health state:

Level 1: I have no pain or discomfort;

Level 2: I have moderate pain or discomfort;

Level 3: I have extreme pain or discomfort.

The EQ-5D is an international, standardized, generic instrument for describing and valuing health status. Participants were asked to indicate which of the following statements best describes their anxiety/depression health state:

Level 1: I am not anxious or depressed;

Level 2: I am moderately anxious or depressed;

Level 3: I am extremely anxious or depressed.

The EQ-5D is an international, standardized, generic instrument for describing and evaluating health status. Health status is assessed by patients evaluating their health on a vertical, visual analog scale from 0 to 100 where the endpoints are labeled 'Worst imaginable health state' (0) and 'Best imaginable health state' (100).

The FACIT-Fatigue questionnaire is a self-administered patient questionnaire that consists of 13 questions designed to measure the degree of fatigue experienced by participants in the previous 7 days. Participants respond to the questions on a scale from 'not at all' (0) to 'very much' (4). The scale score is computed by summing the item scores, after reversing those items that are worded in the negative direction. The FACIT-Fatigue subscale score ranges from 0 to 52, where higher scores represent less fatigue.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 1, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applied to them or not: I'm getting up earlier because of the arthritis.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 2, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applied to them or not: I get very stiff at work.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 3, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applied to them or not: I'm finding my job is about all I can manage.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 4, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applied to them or not: The stress of my job makes my arthritis flare.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 5, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applied to them or not: I'm finding any pressure on my hands is a problem.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 6, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applied to them or not: I get good days and bad days at work.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 7, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applied to them or not: I can get my job done, I'm just a lot slower.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 8, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applied to them or not: If I don't reduce my hours I may have to give up work.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 9, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applies to them or not: I am very worried about my ability to keep working.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 10, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applies to them or not: I have pain or stiffness all the time at work.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 11, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applies to them or not: I don't have the stamina to work like I used to.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 12, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applies to them or not: I have used my vacation so that I don't have to take sick leave.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 13, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applies to them or not: I push myself to go to work because I don't want to give in to the arthritis.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 14, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applies to them or not: Sometimes I can't face being at work all day.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 15, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applies to them or not: I have to say no to certain things at work.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 16, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applies to them or not: I've got to watch how much I do certain things at work.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 17, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applies to them or not: I have great difficulty opening some of the doors at work.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 18, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applies to them or not: I have to allow myself extra time to do some jobs.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 19, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applies to them or not: It's very frustrating because I can't always do things at work.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 20, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applies to them or not: I feel I may have to give up work.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 21, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applies to them or not: I get on with the work but afterwards I have a lot of pain.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 22, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applies to them or not: When I'm feeling tired all the time work is a grind.

Work Instability (defined as the mismatch between the person's abilities and the demands of work) Score is a 23-item questionnaire designed to indicate the participant's level of risk for work disability. In question 23, participants selected either Yes or No if the following statement currently applied to them or not: I'd like another job but I am restricted to what I can do.

The Work Productivity and Activity Impairment: Specific Health Problem (WPAI:SHP) questionnaire was used to assess work and activity impairment due to symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in the last 7 days. The self-administered questionnaire consists of 6 questions. Question 1 asks participants to indicate if they are currently employed or working for pay (Yes or No).

The Work Productivity and Activity Impairment: Specific Health Problem (WPAI:SHP) questionnaire was used to assess work and activity impairment due to symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in the last 7 days. The self-administered questionnaire consists of 6 questions. Question 2 asks participants who are employed or working for pay to indicate the number of hours missed from work due to problems associated with their rheumatoid arthritis.

The Work Productivity and Activity Impairment: Specific Health Problem (WPAI:SHP) questionnaire was used to assess work and activity impairment due to symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in the last 7 days. The self-administered questionnaire consists of 6 questions. Question 3 asks participants who are employed or working for pay to indicate the number of hours missed from work due to reasons other than rheumatoid arthritis.

The Work Productivity and Activity Impairment: Specific Health Problem (WPAI:SHP) questionnaire was used to assess work and activity impairment due to symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in the last 7 days. The self-administered questionnaire consists of 6 questions. Question 4 asks participants who are employed or working for pay to indicate the number of hours actually worked during the past 7 days.

The Work Productivity and Activity Impairment: Specific Health Problem (WPAI:SHP) questionnaire was used to assess work and activity impairment due to symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in the last 7 days. The self-administered questionnaire consists of 6 questions. Question 5 asks participants who are employed or working for pay to indicate how much their rheumatoid arthritis impaired their productivity while working in the past 7 days on a scale from 0 (no effect) to 10 (completely prevented from working).

The Work Productivity and Activity Impairment: Specific Health Problem (WPAI:SHP) questionnaire was used to assess work and activity impairment due to symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in the last 7 days. The self-administered questionnaire consists of 6 questions. Question 6 asks participants to indicate how much their rheumatoid arthritis affected their ability to do their regular daily activities such as housework, childcare, exercising, shopping, studying, etc, in the past 7 days on a scale from 0 (no effect) to 10 (completely prevented from doing daily activities).

The van der Heijde modified Total Sharp Score (mTSS) is a measure of the level of joint damage. X-rays of hands and feet were taken at Baseline, Week 52 and the Week 104-156 visit. Joints were scored for erosions on a scale of 0 (no damage) to 5 (complete collapse) and joint space narrowing on a scale of 0 (no damage) to 4 (ankylosis or complete dislocation). Erosion scores and narrowing scores were added to obtain the mTSS (range = 0 [normal] to 398 [maximal disease]). An increase in mTSS from Baseline represents disease progression and/or joint worsening, no change represents halting of disease progression, and a decrease represents improvement.