Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35357421›Full record

ArticleRheumatology (Oxford, England)2022

Effectiveness of sequential biologic and targeted disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs for rheumatoid arthritis.

Sizheng Steven Zhao, Lianne Kearsley-Fleet, Ailsa Bosworth, Kath Watson, BSRBR-RA Contributors Group, Kimme L Hyrich

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Rheumatology (Oxford, England), 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
15citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

15 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
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  4. Review
  5. Target Trial Emulation to Incorporate Real-World Data in the Estimation of the Clinical and Cost-Effectiveness of Biologic Treatment.Medical decision making : an international journal of the Society for Medical Decision Making · 2026
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  12. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Sizheng Steven ZhaoCentre for Epidemiology Versus Arthritis, Division of Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester.ORCID 0000-0002-3558-7353
Lianne Kearsley-FleetCentre for Epidemiology Versus Arthritis, Division of Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester.ORCID 0000-0003-0377-1575
Ailsa BosworthNational Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS), Maidenhead.
Kath WatsonCentre for Epidemiology Versus Arthritis, Division of Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester.
BSRBR-RA Contributors Group
Kimme L HyrichCentre for Epidemiology Versus Arthritis, Division of Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester.ORCID 0000-0001-8242-9262

Funding

Department of Health
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesWhether patients with RA benefit from repeated trials of biologic or targeted synthetic DMARDs (b/tsDMARDs) after three or more attempts is unknown. We aimed to describe treatment outcomes in each line of b/tsDMARD therapy.

methodsUsing data from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register for RA from 2001 to 2020, change to a new b/tsDMARD (except biosimilar switches) was defined as a new line of therapy. Treatment outcomes were compared across lines of therapy, including DAS28 remission (≤2.6), low disease activity (LDA, ≤3.2) at 6 months and median time to drug discontinuation. Multiple imputation was used for missing data.

resultsA total of 22 934 individuals starting a first b/tsDMARD were included (mean age 56 years, 76% female), among whom 10 823 commenced a second-line drug, 5056 third, 2128 fourth, 767 fifth and 292 sixth. Most (71%) had sufficient data for DAS28-derived outcome analyses. TNF inhibitors were the most common first-line drug, but choice of subsequent-line drugs changed over time. Seventeen percent achieved DAS28 remission following first-line, 13% second and 8-13% with third through sixth. LDA was achieved in 29% of first-line, 23% second, 17-22% through to the sixth. Patients stayed on first-line therapy for a median of 2.6 years, ranging from 1.0-1.4 years for lines two to six.

conclusionMany patients will eventually benefit after repeated trials of b/tsDMARD. Further research to improve treatment selection are needed to prevent prolonged trial and error approaches in some patients.

Indexed as

Antirheumatic AgentsArthritis, RheumatoidBiological ProductsRheumatologyFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedTreatment OutcomeAntirheumatic AgentsBiological Productsbiologicsdifficult to treatDMARDseffectivenessRAswitching

Identifiers

PMID35357421
PMCPMC9707051

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.