Publications

Risk of major adverse cardiovascular and venous thromboembolism events in patients with rheumatoid arthritis exposed to JAK inhibitors versus adalimumab: a nationwide cohort study

Ann Rheum Dis. 2022. doi: 10.1136/ard-2022-222824

Hoisnard L,

Pina Vegas L,

Dray-Spira R,

Weill A,

Zureik M,

Sbidian E

Real-world population study of patients with RA provides reassuring data regarding the risks of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and venous thromboembolism events (VTEs) in patients initiating a JAKinib versus adalimumab, including patients at high risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords:

• JAK,
• Safety,
• Cardiovascular,
• Thrombosis

JAK1/2 Inhibitor Baricitinib Improves Skin Fibrosis and Digital Ulcers in Systemic Sclerosis

Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.859330

Hou Z,

Su X,

Han G,

Xue R,

Chen Y,

Chen Y,

Wang H,

Yang B,

Liang Y,

Ji S

Promising results for patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) skin fibrosis and digital ulcers (DU), using JAK1/2 inhibitor baricitinib.

Keywords:

• JAK,
• Baricitinib,
• Efficacy

Identification of novel off targets of baricitinib and tofacitinib by machine learning with a focus on thrombosis and viral infection

Sci Rep. 2022 doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-11879-1

Faquetti ML,

Grisoni F,

Schneider P,

Schneider G,

Burden AM

Established machine learning approaches, based on ligand similarity, identified previously unknown off-target interactions of baricitinib and tofacitinib, and adds to the evidence that these JAK inhibitors are promiscuous binders, and highlight the potential for repurposing.

Keywords:

• JAK,
• Baricitinib,
• Tofacitinib,
• Safety,
• Infections,
• Thrombosis

Two Phase 3 Trials of Baricitinib for Alopecia Areata

N Engl J Med. 2022. Epub ahead of print doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2110343

King B,

Ohyama M,

Kwon O,

Zlotogorski A,

Ko J,

Mesinkovska NA,

Hordinsky M,

Dutronc Y,

Wu WS,

McCollam J,

Chiasserini C,

Yu G,

Stanley S,

Holzwarth K,

DeLozier AM,

Sinclair R,

BRAVE-AA Investigators

Phase 3 trials in patients with severe alopecia areata show that baricitinib is superior to placebo with respect to hair regrowth at 36 weeks.
Alopecia areata is characterised by nonscarring hair loss that can affect any hair-bearing site. Although mild cases of this emotionally- and psychosocially-distressing autoimmune disease may resolve within 12 months, more severe forms of the disease are unlikely to remit without treatment.

Keywords:

• JAK,
• Baricitinib,
• Phase 3

Achieving pain control in early rheumatoid arthritis with baricitinib monotherapy or in combination with methotrexate versus methotrexate monotherapy

RMD Open. 2022;8(1):e001994 doi: 10.1136/rmdopen-2021-001994

Taylor PC,

Alten R,

Álvaro Gracia JM,

Kaneko Y,

Walls C,

Quebe A,

Jia B,

Bello N,

Terres JR,

Fleischmann R

Post hoc analysis of the RA-BEGIN trial finds that, over a one-year period, patients treated with baricitinib (monotherapy or in combination with methotrexate [MTX]) report greater pain relief and a more rapid attainment of clinically meaningful thresholds of pain improvement, than patients who receive MTX monotherapy.Often overlooked, when treating RA solely to a disease activity target, patient-reported pain is common in RA, even in those reaching inflammatory remission. The fact that pain per...

Keywords:

• JAK,
• Baricitinib,
• Efficacy,
• Pain

Baricitinib further enhances disease-modifying effects by uncoupling the link between disease activity and joint structural progression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Ann Rheum Dis. 2022. Epub ahead of print doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-221323

Lopez-Romero P,

de la Torre I,

Haladyj E,

Aletaha D,

Smolen JS

Baricitinib reduces structural damage progression versus placebo with background MTX and/or MTX, even in patients with moderate or high disease activity.In patients with RA, TNFi, IL-6i and rituximab have been shown to uncouple the link between disease activity and radiographic progression such that patients are protected from structural damage progression even if remission/low disease activity is not achieved.As such, Lopez-Romero, et al. aimed to evaluate if baricitinib further enhances diseas...

Keywords:

• JAK,
• Baricitinib,
• Efficacy,
• Radiographic

Effectiveness of baricitinib and tofacitinib compared with bDMARDs in RA: results from a cohort study using nationwide Swedish register data

Rheumatology (Oxford). 2022. Epub ahead of print doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/keac068

Barbulescu A,

Askling J,

Chatzidionysiou K,

Forsblad-d'Elia H,

Kastbom A,

Lindström U,

Turesson C,

Frisell T

Data from the Swedish Rheumatology Quality Register and Swedish Registries, show a higher treatment retention and overall equivalent or better treatment response on baricitinib, compared with bDMARDs or tofacitinib, but no statistically significant differences between tofacitinib and bDMARDs.In this largest population-based study to date, comparing RA patients initiating baricitinib, tofacitinib or bDMARDs, Barbulescu, et al. help to fill some of the current knowledge gaps surrounding the effica...

Keywords:

• JAK,
• Baricitinib,
• Real-World,
• Efficacy

Effect of JAK inhibitors on high- and low-density lipoprotein in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Clin Rheumatol. 2022. Epub ahead of print doi: 10.1007/s10067-021-06003-z

Li N,

Gou ZP,

Du SQ,

Zhu XH,

Lin H,

Liang XF,

Wang YS,

Feng P.

Systematic review and network meta-analysis highlight that RA patients who receive recommended doses of the five approved JAK inhibitors (tofacitinib, baricitinib, upadacitinib, filgotinib, and peficitinib) are likely to experience an increase in serum low- and high-density lipoprotein (LDL and HDL) levels.JAK inhibitors have been associated with alterations in levels of LDL and HDL cholesterol, which may lead to dyslipidaemia (an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease). However, the e...

Keywords:

• JAK,
• Meta analysis,
• Review

Pain Reduction in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Who Use Opioids: A Post Hoc Analysis of Phase 3 Trials of Baricitinib

ACR Open Rheumatol. 2021. Epub ahead of print. doi: 10.1002/acr2.11380

Pope JE,

Lee YC,

Curtis JR,

Mo D,

Xie L,

Dickson CL,

Schlichting DE,

Cardoso A,

Simon LS,

Taylor PC

This post hoc analysis shows that pain reduction was similar between opioid users and nonusers with baricitinib 2 mg and 4 mg, but not adalimumab.Use of opioids to treat RA-related pain has increased, yet long-term use has been associated with reduced efficacy and safety concerns. In addition, the misuse of opioids has resulted in a public health crisis in the United States and highlights the need for safe, effective nonaddictive alternatives for pain management. As such, Pope, et al. assessed p...

Keywords:

• JAK,
• Baricitinib,
• Efficacy,
• Pain

Highlights of 2021

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

McInnes IB

I’m sure we’d all hoped that this year would be a return to normal but, in the midst of the challenges we’ve faced with COVID-19, the rheumatology community has continued to deliver excellent publications, and we’ve covered many of these on the CSF. Here are my highlights from 2021's publications: Points to Consider for the Treatment of Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases With Janus Kinase Inhibitors: A Co...

Keywords:

• Review