Key clinical point: The overall treatment discontinuation rate was similar among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who initiated tofacitinib vs tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi), but discontinuation because of adverse events was higher among those initiating tofacitinib.
Major finding: Patients initiating TNFi vs tofacitinib were less likely to discontinue treatment due to adverse events (hazard ratio 0.48; log-rank P = .003) but were equally likely to discontinue treatment due to any reason (log-rank P = .67) or inefficacy (log-rank P = .70). Concomitant methotrexate had no effect on treatment discontinuation.
Study details: This population-based retrospective cohort study pooled data from two registries and evaluated 1318 patients with RA who initiated tofacitinib (n = 493) or TNFi (n = 825), of which 746 patients received concomitant methotrexate.
Disclosures: This study did not receive any specific funding. Two authors declared receiving research funding, speaker honoraria or serving as consultants or advisory board members for various sources. Four authors declared being employees, faculty members, or owners of different organizations.
Source: Movahedi M et al. Discontinuation of tofacitinib and TNF inhibitors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Analysis of pooled data from two registries in Canada. BMJ Open . 2023;13:e063198 (Mar 6). Doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-063198