Effectiveness of treatment with biologic- and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in rheumatoid arthritis patients in Colombia

Summary Aims Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease cause of disability and high costs. To determine the effectiveness of therapy with biologic- and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in patients with RA and factors associated with the control of the disease. Methods Retrospective cohort study of RA patients receiving treatment with DMARDs in a rheumatologic healthcare institution in five Colombian cities from December 2009 to August 2013. The effectiveness was assessed by Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS-28) and a lower value of 2.6 was considered remission. Results A total of 827 patients were studied for an average observation period of 17.3 ± 11.0 months, with mean age 54.3 ± 13.1 years. The most frequently used DMARDs were methotrexate, leflunomide and chloroquine. The most frequently used biological DMARDs were etanercept and abatacept. Initially, 17.8% of the patients received some biological DMARDs in comparison with 28.7% at the end of the observation period. A median DAS28 of 3.5 was found, which was reduced by the end of the observation period to 2.8 (p < 0.001), and cases of patients who were in remission increased from 30.1% to 42.9%. Treatment with leflunomide (OR: 0.47; CI 95%: 0.35–0.64, p < 0.001) or rituximab (OR: 0.37; CI 95%: 0.17–0.83, p = 0.016) was associated with a lesser probability of reaching remission. To be treated in the city of Manizales (OR: 2.56; CI 95%: 1.36–4.82, p = 0.004) was associated with a high probability of remission. Conclusions Biological and DMARDs therapy for RA was effective in a relevant proportion of Colombian patients as a consequence of management with strategies set on remission aims quantified using DAS28. Cost-effectiveness of the therapy must be evaluated.