Dermatol Ther. 2021 Jul 4:e15052. doi: 10.1111/dth.15052. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is analysis of time to relapse after discontinuation of biologic treatment and identification of factors associated with risk of relapse.
METHODS: The analysis used real-world data of 705 patients treated with biologic drugs (adalimumab, ustekinumab, infliximab and etanercept) in Poland in 2013-2019. Time to relapse was analysed by Kaplan-Meier estimator. Data was stratified by the number of prior relapses. Determinants of risk to relapse were analysed with Prentice-Williams-Peterson model.
RESULTS: Kaplan-Meier estimate of time to the first relapse was 276 days, to the second relapse was 246 days, to the third relapse was 218 days and to the fourth relapse was 178 days. In multidimensional analysis statistically significant variables affecting risk of relapse were the following: biologic naivety (hazard ratio (HR) 0.707), adalimumab (HR 0.787), PASI at the last follow-up visit (HR 1.049), abnormal hemoglobin level (HR 0.794) and abnormal lymphocyte counts (HR 1.278).
CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that periods to relapse after discontinuation of biologic drugs become shorter with the number of prior relapses experienced by the patient. 95% of observed relapses occurred within 613 days of the end of the first treatment cycle, within 478 of the second cycle and within 351 days of the third cycle. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
PMID:34218502 | DOI:10.1111/dth.15052
