Ankylosing spondylitis and spondyloarthritis: DMARDs can improve anti-TNF retention rates

We know that sticking to prescribed medication is important because failure to do so reduces its effectiveness and may lead to a worsening of disease. But a recent study revealed that almost 30% of people with rheumatoid arthritis on biologic therapies such as anti-TNF do not take their medication as prescribed.
Now new research highlights that people with ankylosing spondylitis and spondyloarthritis could find it easier to stick to treatment with anti-TNF therapies if they also receive a course of disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) treatment. The findings are published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
A total of 1,365 people with ankylosing spondylitis and 1,155 people with undifferentiated spondyloarthritis were included in the research; 40.8% and 50.3% used DMARD co-medication at the start of the study, respectively.
Five-year drug survival rates were analysed and linked to DMARD co-medication patterns, as well as factors such as age, sex, treatment type and socioeconomic status.

Results
Better five-year anti-TNF retention rates were seen in people using DMARD co-medication for both disease groups, even after adjusting for other factors. An Arthritis Research UK spokesperson comments:
“DMARDs such as methotrexate are commonly prescribed in combination with anti-TNF treatments, and it is interesting that this study found that patients receiving this combined treatment showed increased adherence. Further investigation is now needed to identify why this is the case.”

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Image credit: Prayitno