title: Predicting response to anti-TNF treatment in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the clinical factors predicting failure or a good clinical response in the cohort of RA patients entered in the Lombardy Rheumatology Network (LORHEN) registry after 3 years of treatment with anti-TNF agents.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied the patients who had received anti-TNF agents and been followed up for a minimum of 6 months. Disease activity at baseline and after 6 months was assessed using the DAS28, and response was evaluated according to the EULAR improvement criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1005 patients (55.72 years) were included in the analysis. at baseline the DAS-28 was 5.91+/-0.95 and a HAQ score was 1.46+/-0.61. At mean of 14.57 months, 29.9% of the patients achieved a DAS-28 of <or=2.6 (remission). A higher RR for remission was associated with male gender (AHR 1.51, 95% CI 1.14-2.00; p: 0.004) and a lower RR for remission with: prior treatment with >3 DMARDs (AHR 0.077, 95% CI 0.58-1.03; p: 0.074), a high ESR (AHR 0.86, 95% CI 0.81-0.92; p: 0.000), Steinbrocker's functional class III/IV (AHR 0.66, 95% CI 0.48-0.90; p: 0.010), a high TJC (AHR 0.97, 95% CI 0.94-0.99; p: 0.011). A 12-month EULAR non-response was observed in 153/821 (18.6%) associated with a higher baseline HAQ score (AOR 1.51, 95% CI 1.03-2.20, p: 0.033), prior treatment with >3 DMARDs (AOR 1.76, 95% CI 1.09-2.85; p: 0.021) and corticosteroid >5 mg/day (AOR 2.05, 95% CI 1.06-3.97; p: 0.034).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that only a minority of patients with long-standing RA treated with anti-TNF agents achieve a good clinical response or remission.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, L. Sacco University Hospital, Milan, Italy. atzenifabiola@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Fabiola
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Atzeni
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Antivalle
authors.forename: Francesca Bobbio
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Pallavicini
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Caporali
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bazzani
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gorla
authors.forename: Ennio Giulio
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Favalli
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marchesoni
authors.forename: Piercarlo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sarzi-Puttini
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012074:Remission Induction; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab; D000068879:Adalimumab; D000068800:Etanercept