Low doses of etanercept can be effective to maintain remission in ankylosing spondylitis patients.
We wanted to do a prospective open-label study to evaluate if ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients in clinical remission with twice weekly etanercept (ETN) 25 mg therapy could be changed to weekly regimen or even to every other week regimen without increased dose for injection. Thirty-eight AS patients self-administered 25 mg of ETN (Wyett) subcutaneously. According to the protocol, patients who were in clinical partial remission with twice weekly ETN 25 mg at week 12 and 16 changed to a weekly regimen without a change of the dose. If clinical remission, despite the reduction of the dose, persists at week 24 and 28, patients changed to an every-other-week regimen, continuing with this administration schedule for the entire duration of the study if at week 36 and 46 clinical remission was maintained. At the end of the study, 18 patients (47 %) were still in remission, 4 (10 %) with a weekly regimen, and 14 (37 %) with an every-other-weekly regimen. Our study indicates that a consistent percentage of subjects with AS, treated with ETN 25 mg twice weekly, achieved clinical remission within the first 3 months of therapy, and also, a substantial percentage of these patients maintains the partial remission with an every other week regimen.
Unit of Rheumatology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy, donamara2006@libero.it.
Renato
R
De Stefano
Elena
E
Frati
Davide
D
De Quattro
Luana
L
Menza
Stefania
S
Manganelli
D000328:Adult; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012074:Remission Induction; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000068800:Etanercept