AB1470-HPR Beliefs and satisfaction with golimumab as second anti tnf-alpha of patients with spondyloarthritis. go-beyond

Objectives In patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA: axial SpA or psoriatic arthritis [PsA]), treated with golimumab as second biological therapy (after failure or withdrawal of a first anti TNF-α drug), we describe patients’ insights with regard to their beliefs and their satisfaction with golimumab therapy. Methods Patients on golimumab from GO-BEYOND, a retrospective study undergone in 20 Spanish rheumatology clinics, were requested to respond to the Beliefs About Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ). Statements of the BMQ include a 5-item necessity and a 5-item concern scale with Likert response options from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree”. Patients also responded to questions on their satisfaction and experience with golimumab self-injection. Descriptive data are displayed, and responses to the BMQ in axial SpA vs PsA patients were compared with the chi-square test. Results 123 patients on golimumab as second anti TNF-α responded (81 axial SpA and 42 PsA, mean age 49 years [SD=11], 40% women). Patients showed strong beliefs in the necessity of golimumab for the treatment of their SpA (percentages of “agree” or “strongly agree” to the necessity statements: 50%–80%), but also concerns: half the patients agreed/strongly agreed to be worried about long term effects of golimumab, and ≈30% about becoming too dependent on the drug (table 1). Responses were similar in axial SpA and PsA patients (table 1). 111 patients declared to self-inject golimumab. Of these, 22.7% considered the experience with self-injection as very positive, 66.4% as positive, 10.0% neutral and only 0.9% unfavourable, and the use of the device very easy (37.3%), easy (57.3%), neutral (3.6%) and only 1.8% difficult. Finally 36.4% and 49.1% were very satisfied or satisfied with the interval of administration of golimumab, 11.8% were neutral and only 1.8% and 0.9% declared to be dissatisfied or very dissatisfied. Conclusions Patients with SpA currently using golimumab as second anti TNF-alpha describe strong beliefs in the necessity of golimumab and good experience and satisfaction with self-administration. The BMQ also identified concerns that should be addressed in the clinic. The study is limited to the subset of patients still on golimumab at the study visit. Acknowledgements Funded by Merck Sharp and Dohme, Spain Disclosure of Interest None declared