Risk of hepatitis B virus reactivation following treatment with abatacept: A retrospective study of international pharmacovigilance databases

Update of the guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of rheumatoid arthritis by the Mexican College of Rheumatology 2023

OBJECTIVE

To develop updated guidelines for the pharmacological management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS

A group of experts representative of different geographical regions and various medical services catering to the Mexican population with RA was formed. Questions based on Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) were developed, deemed clinically relevant. These questions were answered based on the results of a recent systematic literature review (SLR), and the evidence's validity was assessed using the GRADE system, considered a standard for these purposes. Subsequently, the expert group reached consensus on the direction and strength of recommendations through a multi-stage voting process.

RESULTS

The updated guidelines for RA treatment stratify various therapeutic options, including different classes of DMARDs (conventional, biologicals, and JAK inhibitors), as well as NSAIDs, glucocorticoids, and analgesics. By consensus, it establishes the use of these in different subpopulations of interest among RA patients and addresses aspects related to vaccination, COVID-19, surgery, pregnancy and lactation, and others.

CONCLUSIONS

This update of the Mexican guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of RA provides reference points for evidence-based decision-making, recommending patient participation in joint decision-making to achieve the greatest benefit for our patients. It also establishes recommendations for managing a variety of relevant conditions affecting our patients.

Abrocitinib-associated adverse events: a real-world pharmacovigilance study using the FAERS database

BACKGROUND

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease. Janus kinase (JAK) modulates cytokines involved in AD pathophysiology, and JAK inhibitors have emerged as effective pharmacotherapeutic remedies for AD. Abrocitinib, an oral selective inhibitor of JAK1, is indicated for the management of moderate-to-severe AD. The current study evaluated the adverse events (AEs) associated with abrocitinib in a real-world setting.

METHODS

To quantify the signals of abrocitinib-associated AEs, we used the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) for this pharmacovigilance study with two established pharmacovigilance methods.

RESULTS

A total of 1071 AEs of abrocitinib were investigated as the primary suspected from the FAERS to detect and characterize relevant safety signals. The analysis revealed 85 signals for abrocitinib. The most common AE for abrocitinib was drug ineffective. The signal strength of eczema herpeticum was 515.87 (277.80-957.98) and 510.59 (5148.65) and exhibited the highest strength for abrocitinib. Rare AEs such as aggravated condition, pruritus, and hypersensitivity were not listed on the label, and attention to these AEs is required.

CONCLUSION

The analysis of the AE signals may provide support for clinical monitoring and risk identification of abrocitinib.

HBV reactivation in HBsAg-/HBcAb+ rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving biologic/targeted synthetic DMARDs

BACKGROUND

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients seropositive for hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) and negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) are at risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation when treated with biologic or targeted synthetic (b/ts) disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). The study aims to investigate the risk in this population.

METHODS

From January 2004 through December 2020, 1068 RA patients undergoing b/tsDMARDs therapy and 416 patients with HBsAg-/HBcAb+ were enrolled. Factors associated with HBV reactivation were analysed.

RESULTS

During 2845 person-years of follow-up, 27 of 416 (6.5%,9.5 per 1000 person-years) patients developed HBV reactivation, with a cumulative rate of HBV reactivation of 3.5% at 5 years, 6.1% at 10 years and 24.2% at 17 years. The median interval from beginning b/tsDMARDs to HBV reactivation was 85 months (range: 9-186 months). The risk of HBV reactivation varied by type of b/tsDMARD, with rituximab having the highest risk (incidence rate: 48.3 per 1000 person-years), followed by abatacept (incidence rate: 24.0 per 1000 person-years). In multivariate analysis, rituximab (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 15.77, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.12-60.32, p = .001), abatacept (aHR: 9.30, 1.83-47.19, p = .007), adalimumab (aHR: 3.86, 1.05-14.26, p = .04) and negative baseline HBV surface antibody (anti-HBs, <10 mIU/mL) (aHR: 3.89, 1.70-8.92, p < .001) were independent risk factors for HBV reactivation.

CONCLUSION

HBsAg-/HBcAb+ RA patients are susceptible to HBV reactivation during b/tsDMARD therapy. Those with negative baseline anti-HBs and those on certain b/tsDMARDs, such as rituximab, abatacept and adalimumab, have high reactivation risks. Risk stratification and management should be based on the patient's baseline anti-HBs titre and type of therapy.

Research on Liver Damage Caused by the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis with Novel Biological Agents or Targeted Agents

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by polyarticular, symmetric, and aggressive inflammation of the small joints in the hands and feet, resulting in dysfunction. With progress and development in medicine, treatment of RA is constantly evolving, making several drugs available for the treatment of RA. From the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) at the start of illness to glucocorticoids and then to conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs), biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs), and targeted synthetic DMARDs (tsDMARDs), therapeutic-use drugs for RA have been keeping pace with scientific research. However, various types of drugs have additional side effects when used over the long-term. New and emerging biological and targeted agents have been widely applied in recent years; however, the side effects have not been thoroughly investigated. In this paper, we review the research progress on liver damage caused by novel biological and targeted agents available for RA treatment. The aim is to provide a reference for rational clinical administration of such drugs.

Hepatitis B virus reactivation associated with Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors: a retrospective study of pharmacovigilance databases and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Recently, there have been clinical reports of hepatitis B virus reactivation (HBVr) related with Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors. However, there were no studies to investigate the association between HBVr and different JAK inhibitors.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This study was a retrospective review utilizing the FAERS pharmacovigilance database and a systematic literature search for all cases of HBVr reported with JAK inhibitors. Disproportionality analysis and Bayesian analysis were used in data detection to screen the suspected HBVr after the administration of different JAK inhibitors, based on the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) pharmacovigilance database from Q4 2011 to Q1 2022.

RESULTS

There were a total number of 2097 (0.02%) reports of HBVr in FAERS, of which 41 (1.96%) were associated with JAK inhibitors. Baricitinib appeared to have the strongest signal among four JAK inhibitors, based on the highest reporting odds ratio (ROR = 4.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.67-11.89). Ruxolitinib also showed signals, whereas no signals were detected among Tofacitinib and Upadacitinib.

CONCLUSION

While there may be an association between JAK inhibitors and HBVr, it appears to be a numerically uncommon occurrence. Further studies are needed to optimize the safety profiles of JAK inhibitors.