Publications

Highlights of 2019

Please click the links below to go to the CSF review of each paper

McInnes. I

2019 was another remarkable year in cytokine signalling. We can be optimistic that clinical practice for inflammatory arthritis will continue to improve, with promising long-term safety data supporting the use of established JAK inhibitors; tofacitinib and baricitinib, in addition to exciting phase III clinical data for filgotinib and newly approved upadacitinib. You can find the most notable papers, as selected by CSF Steering Committee Chair Professor Iain McInnes, with links to their respecti...

Keywords:

• Review

Risk Factors for Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Phase III and Long-Term Extension Studies of Tofacitinib in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Arthritis Rheumatol .2019 Sep;71(9):1450-1459. doi: 10.1002/art.40911. Epub 2019 Aug 6.

Christina Charles-Schoeman,

Ryan DeMasi,

Hernan Valdez,

Koshika Soma,

Lie-Ju Hwang,

Mary G. Boy,

Pinaki Biswas,

Iain B. McInnes

Post hoc analyses of the six ORAL studies and two LTE’s suggested that after 24 weeks of TOF treatment, increases in HDL-c and decreases in the TC/HDL-c ratio appeared to be associated with reduced future MACE risk in RA patients. 52 MACE occurred in 4076 patients over 12873 patient-years of exposure. Separate Cox regression models were used to evaluate traditional CV risk factors’ association with time to first MACE at baseline and changes in lipid levels with time to future MACE after 24 weeks...

Keywords:

• JAK,
• Tofacitinib,
• Phase 3,
• LTE,
• Cardiovascular

Changes in Lipid Levels and Incidence of Cardiovascular Events Following Tofacitinib Treatment in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis: A Pooled Analysis Across Phase 3 and Long-Term Extension Studies

Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2019;71(10):1387–95

Gladman DD,

Charles-Schoeman C,

McInnes IB,

Veale DJ,

Thiers B,

Nurmohamed M,

Graham D,

Wang C,

Jones T,

Wolk R,

DeMasi R

Serum lipid level increases at month 3 following TOF treatment in PsA were consistent with observation in RA and psoriasis. The risk of CV disease is higher in people with PsA versus the general population – comparable with the well-documented rates seen in RA and diabetes. The reasons for this are not fully elucidated, but it has been suggested that there is an association between peripheral joint inflammation and lipid dysregulation in PsA. This post hoc analysis of pooled data from OPAL Broad...

Keywords:

• JAK,
• Tofacitinib,
• Phase 3,
• Safety,
• LTE,
• Cardiovascular

Impact of Janus Kinase Inhibitors on Risk of Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials

Ann Rheum Dis. 2019 Aug;78(8):1048-1054.

Xie W,

Huang Y,

Xiao S,

Sun X,

Fan Y,

Zhang Z

Existing evidence from RCTs indicated no significant change in CV risk for JAK inhibitor (JAKinib) treated RA patients in a short-term perspective compared to placebo.Patients with RA have an elevated risk of CV morbidity and mortality, which cannot be fully explained by traditional CV risk factors. Reaching remission or LDA in order to reduce CV events (CVE) is encouraged in the current EULAR recommendations. JAKinibs and their roles in the modulation of CV risk remain undetermined. This study ...

Keywords:

• JAK,
• Safety,
• Meta analysis,
• Cardiovascular

Efficacy and Safety Data Based on Historical or Pre-Existing Conditions at Baseline for Patients with Active Rheumatoid Arthritis Who Were Treated with Baricitinib

Ann Rheum Dis. 2019 Aug;78(8):1135-1138.

Combe B,

Balsa A,

Sarzi-Puttini P,

Tony HP,

de la Torre I,

Rogai V,

Durand F,

Witt S,

Zhong J,

Dougados M

In a post-hoc analysis, BARI 4 mg showed similar efficacy and safety during placebo-controlled and LTE observation periods regardless of the presence or absence of select comorbidities in RA patients.Patients with RA have a high prevalence of comorbidities. This post-hoc analysis investigated the effect of select comorbidities (depression, osteoporosis, hepatic, cardiovascular or pulmonary disorders) on the efficacy and safety of BARI 4 mg QD in patients with moderate-to-severe active RA and ina...

Keywords:

• JAK,
• Baricitinib,
• Efficacy,
• Safety

Baricitinib Induces LDL-C and HDL-C Increases in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Lipids Health Dis. 2019 Feb 18;18(1):54.

Qiu C,

Zhao X,

She L,

Shi Z,

Deng Z,

Tan L,

Tu X,

Jiang S,

Tang B

This study confirmed that BARI induced a stable dose-dependent increase in LDL-C and HDL-C levels. There was no significant difference of CV risk between BARI and placebo groups.High risk of CV events is strongly associated with RA. Mechanisms underlying the excess risk of CV events in RA remains unclear. This study aims to provide additional insight into the clinical safety of BARI, focusing on the effects of BARI on LDL-C and HDL-C levels and CV risk. A Cochrane analysis was performed on studi...

Keywords:

• JAK,
• Baricitinib,
• Meta analysis,
• Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular Safety During Treatment with Baricitinib in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Arthritis Rheumatol. 2019 Jul;71(7):1042-1055.

Taylor PC,

Weinblatt ME,

Burmester GR,

Rooney TP,

Witt S,

Walls CD,

Issa M,

Salinas CA,

Saifan C,

Zhang X,

Cardoso A,

González-Gay MA,

Takeuchi T

This study indicates no association between exposure to BARI and MACE, arterial thrombotic events (ATE), or congestive heart failure (CHF). Overall IRs for venous thromboembolic event (VTE) in BARI-treated patients falls within the reported range for patients with RA.RA patients have a greater risk of cardiovascular (CV) diseases of arterial ischemic origin, and an increased risk of VTE. Studied frequencies of thromboembolic events in RA populations in the last decade has been reported as 2–3x h...

Keywords:

• JAK,
• Baricitinib,
• Safety,
• Cardiovascular