Health-related quality of life improvement by adalimumab therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Taiwan: A nationwide prospective study

• Published in: Journal of the Chinese Medical Association 2023-04, Vol.86 (4), p.366-374
• Main Authors: Hsieh, Song-Chou, Tsai, Ping-Han, Kuo, Chang-Fu, Cheng, Tien-Tsai, Lai, Ning-Sheng, Lin, Jing-Chi, Lin, Liang-Hung, Tsai, Chang-Youh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adalimumab - therapeutic use; Antirheumatic Agents - therapeutic use; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - drug therapy; Humans; Prospective Studies; Quality of Life; Severity of Illness Index; Taiwan; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 1726-4901; 1728-7731
• DOI: 10.1097/JCMA.0000000000000889

To determine the effects of adalimumab on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Taiwanese patients with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (NCT02616380). During a 24-week observational period, 100 biologic-naive patients with RA received 40 mg adalimumab subcutaneously, every 2 weeks. The primary endpoint was a change in Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI) score at 24 weeks. The secondary endpoints included change in HAQ-DI at week 12, number and percentage of patients achieving a meaningful improvement in HAQ-DI at weeks 12 and 24, and changes in the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), EuroQol 5-dimension 3-level version (EQ-5D-3L) index, and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire scores at weeks 12 and 24. At weeks 12 and 24, mean changes in HAQ-DI from baseline were -0.34 ± 0.46 and -0.44 ± 0.59 (both p < 0.001), and clinically meaningful improvement in HAQ-DI was achieved by 60.4% and 59.6% of patients, respectively. SF-36, EQ-5D-3L index, and WPAI scores significantly improved ( p < 0.001) from baseline to weeks 12 and 24. Exploratory analyses showed diabetes was significantly associated with changes in HAQ-DI, EQ-5D-3L, and WPAI scores whereas peptic ulcer correlated with changes in the SF-36 physical component summary T-score. HRQoL improved after initiation of adalimumab therapy in Taiwanese patients with moderate-to-severe RA.