New Arthritis Findings from William Osler Health System Described (Predictors of patient decision to discontinue anti-rheumatic medication in…

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New Arthritis Findings from William Osler Health System Described (Predictors of patient decision to discontinue anti-rheumatic medication in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: results from the Ontario best practices research initiative)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- Data detailed on Musculoskeletal Diseases and Conditions - Arthritis have been presented. According to news originating from Brampton, Canada, by VerticalNews correspondents, research stated, "Despite the availability of treatment guidelines and effective treatments, real-world effectiveness remains suboptimal partly due to poor patient medication adherence. We evaluated a comprehensive set of sociodemographic, health insurance, and disease-related factors for association with patient decision to discontinue anti-rheumatic medications (ARMs) in a large observational RA cohort in Ontario, Canada."

Financial supporters for this research include Canadian Institute for Health Research, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Canadian Arthritis Network, AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Hospira, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, UCB.

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from William Osler Health System, "Patients from the Ontario Best Practices Research Initiative registry were included. The following predictors of ARM discontinuation were evaluated with cox-regression: patient age, gender, education, income, smoking, health insurance type/coverage, RA duration, erosion presence, RF positivity, DAS28-ESR, physician global, HAQ-DI, comorbidity number, ARM types, and physician characteristics (gender, academic position, urban vs. rural, distance from patient's residence). Patients (1762) were included with a mean (SD) age of 57.4 years (13.0). Approximately 80% were female, 29% had early (ae 1 year) RA, and 70% were RF-positive. Mean (SD) baseline DAS28-ESR and HAQ-DI were 4.5 (1.5) and 1.2 (0.76), respectively. In multivariate analysis, married status (HR [95%CI] 0.73 [0.56-0.96]), RF positivity (0.73 [0.56-0.96]), and higher comorbidity number (0.92 [0.85-0.99]) were significant predictors of ARMs continuation while higher physician global (1.10 [1.04-1.15]), NSAID use (1.75 [1.29-2.38]), and number of ARMs (1.23 [1.07-1.40]) were associated with ARMs discontinuation. In a subset analysis assessing conventional or biologic DMARD discontinuation, higher HAQ-DI and biologic use over time were associated with lower hazard for discontinuation. Several sociodemographic, disease, and treatment parameters were identified as independent predictors of patient discontinuation of ARMs."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "These results should be considered when developing patient adherence support programs and in the choice of treatment regimens."

For more information on this research see: Predictors of patient decision to discontinue anti-rheumatic medication in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: results from the Ontario best practices research initiative. Clinical Rheumatology, 2017;36(11):2421-2430. Clinical Rheumatology can be contacted at: Springer London Ltd, 236 Grays Inn Rd, 6TH Floor, London WC1X 8HL, England. (Springer - www.springer.com; Clinical Rheumatology - www.springerlink.com/content/0770-3198/)

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from V. Ahluwalia, William Osler Hlth Syst, Brampton, ON L6T 3J1, Canada. Additional authors for this research include E. Rampakakis, M. Movahedi, A. Cesta, X.Y. Li, J.S. Sampalis and C. Bombardier.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-017-3805-4. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

Keywords for this news article include: Brampton, Ontario, Canada, North and Central America, Musculoskeletal Diseases and Conditions, Autoimmune Diseases and Conditions, Health Insurance, Epidemiology, Joint Diseases and Conditions, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Gender and Health, Women's Health, Gender Health, William Osler Health System.