Objective: We conducted a survey on actual doses administered to patients on long-term treatment with etanercept (ETN) to evaluate situations resulting in dose reduction and background factors for the increased likelihood of such dose reduction.
Subjects and methods: We investigated data such as actual doses and patient characteristics from rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving ETN for more than2years at Minami Osaka Rheumatology Conference member institutions.
Results: Twenty institutions contributed to this survey, reporting on82patients. Major patient characteristics: mean administration period 47.1±17.1 months (max 91months); mean age 57.3±13.1 years; and mean disease duration 10.6±9.0 years. Of the 82 patients, 27 (32.9％) had ETN dose reduction to 25 mg/wk, 25 mg/10 days, 25 mg/2 wks, 25 mg/3 wks and 25 mg/4 wks. Comparison of background factors between ETN dose reduction and maintenance groups showed a significant difference in disease duration, proportion of Class1＋2and presence/absence of previous treatment with other biologicals, but no difference in age, Stage and pre-dose disease activity.
Conclusion: Initiation of ETN treatment in the early time point of disease duration may increase possibility of dose reduction in patients that have to be on long-term treatment.