Objectives:
In this study, we aimed to determine the clinical, laboratory and demographic characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using tofacitinib, and the drug survival rates.
Materials and Methods:
A total of 78 RA patients who were prescribed tofacitinib between May 2016 and July 2019 were retrospectively evaluated and included in the study. The clinical, laboratory and demographic features of the patients were recorded. Drug survival rates were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results:
The mean age of all patients was 58.6±11.3 years and 62 (79.4%) were female. Thirty-six (46.1%) of the patients had used biological disease modifying drug (DMARD) prior to the use of tofacitinib. In 28 (35.9%) patients, tofacitinib treatment was discontinued. When the characteristics of the patients were compared according to the continuation of tofasitinib, the initial SDAI score was significantly higher in the group in which tofacitinib was discontinued (p=0.028). Other features were similar between the groups. Drug survival was significantly higher in patients who underwent tofacitinib monotherapy at follow-up (p=0.012).
Conclusion:
Tofacitinib may be considered as an effective treatment agent in patients who cannot undergo remission with conventional DMARDs in the treatment of RA.
Keywords: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Tofacitinib, Drug Survival
