The effectiveness and safety of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) by age group (< 65, 65-74, and ≥ 75 years) are uncertain. We examined retention rates reflecting the effectiveness and safety of bDMARDs in actual clinical practice for clarifying optimal therapeutic strategies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by age groups.
Data of patients who were treated with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi), abatacept (ABA), and tocilizumab (TCZ) between February 2011 and April 2017 were collected from a prospective observational registry of RA patients. A total of 1362 patients were enrolled, of which 695 were aged < 65 years, 402 were aged 65-74 years, and 265 were aged ≥ 75 years. Primary outcome was the drug retention rate in adjusted data using inverse probability of treatment weighting based on generalized propensity scores.
In patients aged < 65 years, 3-year retention rates of TNFi, ABA, and TCZ were 43%, 47%, and 69%, respectively (ABA versus TCZ, p = 0.017; TNFi versus TCZ, p = 0.002). In patients aged 65-74 years, 3-year retention rates of TNFi, ABA, and TCZ were 44%, 53%, and 60%, respectively (TCZ versus TNFi, p = 0.034). In patients aged ≥ 75 years, 3-year retention rates for TNFi, ABA, and TCZ were 38%, 63%, and 58%, respectively (ABA versus TNFi, p = 0.017).
We found that the effectiveness and safety of TCZ were maximal in patients aged < 75 years and that patients aged ≥ 75 years might be suitable candidates for TCZ and ABA therapy. The use of therapeutic strategies appropriate to each age group might improve the outcomes of bDMARD therapy for RA.