Safety and efficacy of etanercept treatment in elderly subjects with rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate safety and efficacy of etanercept treatment in elderly (age > or = 65 yrs) and younger adult subjects (age < 65 yrs) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).


METHODS
Subset analyses were used to describe the safety and efficacy of etanercept in elderly and younger subjects treated for early and disease modifying antirheumatic drug-resistant or late-stage RA (ERA and LRA) in one of 4 randomized controlled clinical studies (N = 1353) or 2 longterm extensions (N = 1049).


RESULTS
Rates of serious adverse events tended to be higher in elderly than younger subjects; however, rates of safety events observed in elderly etanercept-treated subjects did not exceed rates in elderly placebo or methotrexate (MTX)-treated subjects. With regard to efficacy measures [American College of Rheumatology 20% response (ACR20), ACR50, and ACR70], elderly subjects tended to have somewhat less robust responses to treatment than younger subjects. However, for both age groups, treatment with etanercept resulted in improved efficacy and function compared with control treatment, and combination therapy with etanercept plus MTX resulted in greater efficacy than either etanercept or MTX used alone. Efficacy responses of elderly subjects were sustained for up to 6 years. Radiographic progression (measured using modified Sharp Score) after one year of treatment was lower in subjects treated with both etanercept and MTX compared with subjects treated with either agent used alone, and this pattern was similar in both age groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Consistent with responses in younger subjects, elderly subjects with RA treated with etanercept experienced significant improvement in disease activity and function without incurring additional safety concerns.
Bathon
Joan M
JM
Division of Rheumatology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA. jbathon@jhmi.edu
Fleischmann
Roy M
RM
Van der Heijde
Désirée
D
Tesser
John R
JR
Peloso
Paul M
PM
Chon
Yun
Y
White
Barbara
B
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000068800:Etanercept; D008727:Methotrexate