Low starting dosage of infliximab with possible escalating dosage in psoriatic arthritis gives the same treatment results as standard dosage of adalimumab or etanercept: results from the nationwide Icelandic ICEBIO registry

• Published in: Psoriasis: Targets and Therapy
• Main Authors: Gudbjornsson,Bjorn, Geirsson,Arni Jon, Krogh,Niels Steen
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Press 2018
• Subjects: Psoriasis: Targets and Therapy; Steen; Iceland
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/low-starting-dosage-of-infliximab-with-possible-escalating-dosage-in-p-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-PTT

Bjorn Gudbjornsson,1,2 Arni Jon Geirsson,3,4 Niels Steen Krogh5 1Centre for Rheumatology Research, University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland; 2Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland; 3Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland; 4Laeknasetrid - Medical Clinic, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland; 5Zitelab Aps, Copenhagen, Denmark Objective: To explore differences in response to a low dosage regimen of infliximab with an escalating dosage in comparison to a standard dosage of etanercept and adalimumab in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Methods: Biologically naïve PsA patients who were beginning anti-TNF-α therapy were selected from the ICEBIO registry. Demographics and clinical differences were compared in four treatment groups: infliximab <4 mg/kg; infliximab >4 mg/kg; etanercept or adalimumab at baseline and on follow-up (6 and 12 months, last visit). The Kruskal–Wallis rank sum test was used for comparison of the groups and the Wilcoxon test to compare the two infliximab dosage regimens. Results: One hundred and eighty-five patients (61% female) were identified; 84 patients received infliximab, 66 etanercept, and 35 adalimumab. A total of 19% of the patients treated with infliximab escalated their dosage ≥4 mg/kg. No significant differences were observed at baseline in respect to visual analog scale (VAS) pain, VAS fatigue, Health Assessment Questionnaire, C-reactive protein (CRP), numbers of swollen or tender joints, or Disease Activity Score (DAS) 28-CRP values. A similar treatment response was observed in all four treatment groups on follow-up. Conclusion: In respect to treatment effects, a low dosage of infliximab with possible escalating dosage is acceptable for the majority of PsA patients who are in need of biological treatment. Keywords: psoriatic arthritis, outcome, biological treatment, routine care, clinical nationwide registry