Arthritis Research Canada at
ACR Convergence 2024
November 18
Circulating Proteomic Profiles and Incident Gout Risk: Prospective Cohort Study of >48,000 Men and Women
Using a large UK database, the authors identified sets of blood proteins that were associated with the risk of developing gout, including those involved in inflammation, insulin binding, and kidney function, adjusting for clinical and environmental factors. These findings give insight into pathways leading to gout and specific markers for future research.
Research Team: McCormick N, Joshi A, Terkeltaub R, Merriman T, Nayor M, Yokose C, Choi HK.
Drivers of Infliximab Biosimilar Uptake: A Comparative Analysis of New Biosimilar Initiations versus Switching in a National Rheumatology Registry
This study examined data, from the US RISE registry, and found that only ~20% of eligible patients are using the cheaper biosimilar version of infliximab vs the more expensive originator version. Patients were more likely to use the biosimilar if it was their first prescription of infliximab and if they were covered by Medicaid or private insurance compared to Medicare.
Research Team: Roberts E, Bansback N, Tseng CW, Shiboski S, Li J, Schmajuk G, Yazdany J.
Treatment Response over the First 6 Months in Newly Diagnosed RA Patients by Pain, Anxiety, Depression & Fatigue (PADF) Symptom Clusters: Results from the Canadian Early Arthritis Cohort
This Canadian study from the CATCH cohort looked at how newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with varying levels of pain, anxiety, depression, and fatigue responded to methotrexate treatment over six months. Researchers identified four symptom groups among the patients and found that people with moderate to severe symptoms experienced worse disease activity and physical function compared to people with minimal symptoms. While all groups showed improvement during treatment, the patients with more severe anxiety, depression, pain and fatigue had less favorable outcomes.
Research Team: Bartlett S, Schieir O, Valois MF, Bessette L, Pope J, Boire G, Hitchon C, Keystone E, Thorne C, Tin D, Hazlewood G, Allard-Chamard H, Kuriya B, Bykerk V, Bingham C, and Investigators with the Canadian Early Arthritis Cohort (CATCH).
Emergency Department Visits for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions by Persons with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Population-Based Study
This study looked at emergency department visits rates for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSCs) which include issues like respiratory diseases and heart failure that could be avoided with better ambulatory care, among people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to matched individuals from the general population. Over five years, people with RA had a 12% higher rate of emergency room visits for these conditions. The frequency of such visits among RA patients increased significantly during the study, though there was a notable drop during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Research Team: Contreras D, Bhanji Z, Avina-Zubieta JA, Barber CEH, Barnabe C.
Can Damage Items Be Graded According to Severity in a Revised Organ Damage Index for Lupus?
This study focuses on improving the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Damage Index (SDI) to better assess organ damage in patients with lupus. The current index has a limitation where many patients score very low, making it hard to differentiate their conditions. Researchers proposed 45 new items for the revised index, with 11 of them suggested for detailed grading based on severity, such as different levels of heart disease and kidney function. This approach aims to create a more sensitive and clinically relevant tool for evaluating damage in lupus patients.
Research Team: Kundakci B, Barber M, Clarke AE, Johnson S, Bruce I, and on behalf of the revised SLE organ damage index (SDI) collaborators.
Could Initiation of Sodium Glucose Co-Transporter-2 Inhibitors Reduce the Need for Conventional Urate-Lowering Therapy and Flare Medications in Patients with Gout? Population-Based Target Trial Emulation Studies
This study found that people with gout who took sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), a class of medications approved for diabetes, heart failure and chronic kidney disease, were less likely to start using allopurinol (a medication traditionally used to prevent gout flares by lowering levels of urate in the blood) and had better gout outcomes. For some people with gout, the dual benefits of SGLT2i may help reduce the number of medications they need to take.
Research Team: McCormick N, Yokose C, Lu L, Rai S, Challener G, Choi HK.
The Dual Benefits of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors for Recurrent Nephrolithiasis and Gout Flares Among Gout Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: New User, Active Comparator Target Trial Emulation Studies
Not only are gout flares very painful, but people with gout are also more likely to develop kidney stones. However, using data from the BC Ministry of Health, the authors found that sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (a class of medications approved for use in type 2 diabetes) could be a multi-purpose therapy for people with gout, as it was associated with lower rates of both kidney stones and gout flares.
Research Team: McCormick N, Yokose C, Lu L, Wexler D, Avina-Zubieta JA, De Vera MA, Chigurupati S, Tan K, Chen C, McCoy R, Curhan G, Choi HK.
Challenges and Opportunities in Integrating Sleep Recommendations into Counselling Patients with Arthritis: A Survey of Physical Therapists and Physical Therapy Students
The authors surveyed 191 physiotherapists and physiotherapy students to understand what helps and what makes it challenging for them to address sleep health when working with people with arthritis. Physiotherapists understood the importance of sleep and were eager to incorporate it into their practice, but also faced challenges including not having enough information about sleep guidelines, feeling their colleagues do not include sleep discussions in their practice, and lack confidence in how to guide patients with arthritis about sleep.
Research Team: Primeau C, Bayraktar D, Kho M, Tong C, Li LC.
Association of Anti-Synthetase Antibody Subtypes with Radiographic Progression of Interstitial Lung Disease in Anti-Synthetase Syndrome: An Analysis of the CLASS Project Database
The type of antibodies in anti-synthetase syndrome, an autoimmune muscle disease, are often sub-setted into those with Jo1 and those with non-Jo1 (e.g., PL7, PL12, etc.) antibodies. Lung involvement is more common and more severe in patients with non-Jo1 antibodies.
Research Team: Rivero Gallegos D, Bozan F, Bae S, Zanframundo G, Faghihi-Kashani S, Bauer Ventura J, Dourado E, Sambataro G, Yoshida A, Corte TJ, Bonella F, Doyle TJ, Fiorentino D, Gonzalez-Gay MA, Hudson M, Kuwana M, Notarnicola A, Mammen A, McHugh N, Miller F, Montecucco C, Oddis C, Rojas-Serrano J, Schmidt S, Scire CA, Selva-O’Callaghan A, Werth V, Aggarwal R, Cavagna L, and CLASS project participating investigators.
Time-Trends in Real-World Glucocorticoid Treatment Strategies in Patients with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results from the Canadian Early Arthritis Cohort (CATCH) Study
This research examined how the use of glucocorticoids in treating early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) changed over time, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. It found that while its use was stable from 2007 to 2019, there was a significant increase during the pandemic, with more patients starting glucocorticoids and at higher doses. However, many of these patients stopped taking glucocorticoids within six months.
Research Team: Schieir S, Valois MF, Bessette L, Thorne C, Boire G, Bartlett S, Hazlewood G, Hitchon C, Tin D, Allard-Chamard H, Kuriya B, Pope J, Bykerk V, and on behalf of CATCH Investigators.
Anti-Spike Antibodies Protect Against COVID-19 Infection in Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases: Findings from the SUCCEED Study
This study found that in people with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs), higher levels of anti-spike antibodies produced after COVID-19 vaccination were specifically associated with lower odds of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. Notably, antibody seroconversion was the only factor linked to reduced breakthrough infection rates, underscoring the importance of COVID-19 vaccination in providing protection for individuals with IMIDs, even those on immunosuppressive medications.
Research Team: Tan J, Aviña-Zubieta JA, Fortin PR, Gingras AC, Larche M, Bowdish D, Berger C, Colmegna I, Hitchon C, Lacaille D, Richards D, Lalonde N, Kirmani A, Lee JLF, Bernatsky S
Serum Urate Change Among Patients with Gout Treated with Anti-Hypertensive Medications: A Comparative Effectiveness Analysis
Certain medications used to treat high blood pressure (anti-hypertensives) have been associated with a lower risk of developing gout, but their impact among people who have gout was unclear. This study found that use of one anti-hypertensive, losartan, was associated with lowering of serum urate levels, a blood marker which causes gout flares. Using this medication to treat hypertension in people with gout could have dual benefit.
Research Team: Yokose C, Chigurupati S, Jiang B, Tan K, McCormick N, Choi HK.
Different Clinical Phenotypes of Patients with Anti-synthetase Syndrome: Unsupervised Cluster Analysis in the CLASS Database
Artificial intelligence identified four clinically distinct subgroups of patients with anti-synthetase syndrome, a rare autoimmune muscle disease. This provides insight into this complex and heterogeneous disease.
Research Team: Yoshida A, Bauer Ventura J, Dourado E, Zanframundo G, Faghihi Kashani S, Loganathan A, Rivero Gallegos D, Bozan F, Sambatar G, Bae S, Trallero-Araguás E, Mammen A, Scire C, Montecucco C, Oddis C, Fiorentino D, Bonella F, Miller F, Notarnicola A, Schmidt J, Rojas-Serrano J, Hudson M, Kuwana M, Gonzalez-Gay MA, McHugh N, TCorte TJ, Doyle TJ, Werth V, Aggarwal R, Cavagna L, and the CLASS project investigators.
