NCT Number: NCT03736044
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic disabling inflammatory disease, of autoimmune origin characterized by chronic synovial inflammation resulting in joint damage. Treg cell function in patients with active RA is assumed to be impaired, a trend that seems to be reversed by TNFalpha antagonist therapy. Remission is the current treatment goal in RA.
An increasing number of patients in clinical trials achieve this goal raising the question whether patients who have been in remission for a prolonged period (sustained remission) still need medication indefinitely. From a decade TNF-blocker therapy have represented a new treatment option for RA patients non responders to conventional DMARDs and some evidence are now available showing that sustainable remission can be maintained achieved after withdrawal of TNF blocker. Objectives: to verify whether in RA patients in prolonged clinical and instrumental remission the percentages of CD4+CD25highCD127low/- T cells could represent a reliable marker of immunological remission and, even more relevant, if the pharmacological reconstitution of this "immune-modulator" Tcell population could contribute to better identify patients with a low risk of relapse after cessation of TNF-blocker therapy. Methods: in RA patients, who fulfilled the 1987 ACR revised criteria, with disease duration ! 5 years, clinical [Disease Activity Score on 28 joints-DAS28 0.56 ×√(TJC28) + 0.28×√(SJC28) + 0.70×ln(ESR) + 0.014×GH.TJC= Tender Joints Count (from 0 to 28); SJC= Swollen Joints Count (from 0 to 28) ESR=Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate GH= patient's assessment of general health (VAS range from 0 to 100 mm); disease's flare was considered if: DAS44 >=2.4/DAS28 >=3.2.)], instrumental (joint ultrasonography: sites to be explored wrists are II-III metacarpophalangeal joint bilaterally using Power Doppler signal (grading 0-3); any other joint will be studied if symptomatic) and immunological (circulating CD4+CD25highCD127low/-Tcells and inflammatory cytokines levels) examination will be performed in order to asses, at different levels, disease activity status. Expected results: to identify in RA patients treated with anti-TNF an "exit-strategy" from these drugs based on clinical, imaging and immunologic features indicative of a sustained remission and to verify whether such conditions are able to predict a low incidence of relapse.
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Notify Me18 year and older
All sexes
Interventional
Not applicable
Study design: all RA patients satisfying inclusion criteria will undergo to a baseline clinical, instrumental and immunologic evaluation. Peripheral CD4+CD25highCD127low/- Tcell population will be checked for and patients will be stratified in 2 groups:
Patient's blood samples will be centralized at the "Laboratories of Technology for Advanced Therapies" of the University of Ferrara (www.ltta.tecnopoloferrara.it) directed by Prof. Paola Secchiero.
In group A anti-TNF drugs will be withdrawn and patients will be followed up. Patients belonging to the group B will be followed up without any further intervention. A tight clinical monitoring will be instituted and disease flares-up will be recorded. In case of disease flare therapeutic adjustment will be provided to the patients by the attending specialist team accordingly to the current standard of care.
Healthy volunteers accepted: No
Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.
Inclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria
in patients treated with anti-TNF the intervention consisted in anti-TNF drug withdrawal, after a preliminary careful examination of remission status; a 18 months (at least) follow up was performed.
Time frame: 24 months
disease flare-up defined as DAS 28 >3.2
Time frame: 24 months
disease remission/low disease activity defined as DAS 28 <=3.2
Time frame: 24 months
Number of Swollen Joints (range from 0 to 28) at clinical examination
Time frame: 24 months
Number of Tender joints (range from 0 to 28) at clinical examination
Time frame: 24 months
Severity of pain measured by visual analogic scale (0-10)
Time frame: 24 months
Physician and Patient evaluation of Global disease activity measured by visual analogic scale (0-100)
Time frame: 24 months
Evaluation of disability by HAQ. There are 8 sections: dressing, arising, eating, walking, hygiene, reach, grip, and activities. There are 2 or 3 questions for each section. Scoring within each section is from 0 (without any difficulty) to 3 (unable to do).The 8 scores of the 8 sections are summed and divided by 8.
University Hospital of Ferrara
Other
Analysis of T Cell Population to Obtain a Free-drug Remission in Patients Affected by Rheumatoid Athritis in Remission Phase Induced by TNF-blocker Therapy
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