Comparative Effectiveness of a Second Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor Versus a Non–Tumor Necrosis Factor Biologic in the Treatment of Patients With Polyarticular‐Course Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Abstract

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a second tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) versus a non‐TNFi biologic following discontinuation of a TNFi for patients with polyarticular‐course juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA).MethodsUsing the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Registry, patients with pJIA who started receiving a second biologic following a first TNFi were identified. Patients were required to have no active uveitis on the index date and a visit six months after the index date. Outcome measures included Clinical Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score with a maximum of 10 active joints (cJADAS10), cJADAS10 inactive disease (ID; ≤2.5) and cJADAS10 minimal disease activity (MiDA; ≤5). Multiple imputation was used to account for missing data. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) were calculated using propensity score quintiles to compare outcomes at six months following second biologic initiation.ResultsThere were 216 patients included, 84% initially received etanercept, and most patients stopped receiving it because of its ineffectiveness (74%). A total of 183 (85%) started receiving a second TNFi, and 33 (15%) started receiving a non‐TNFi. Adalimumab was the most common second biologic received (71% overall, 84% of second TNFi), and tocilizumab was the most common non‐TNFi second biologic received (9% overall, 58% of non‐TNFi). There was no difference between receiving TNFi versus non‐TNFi in cJADAS10 ID (29% vs 25%; aOR 1.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.47–3.20) or at least MiDA (43% vs 39%; aOR 1.11, 95% CI 0.47–2.62) at six months.ConclusionMost patients with pJIA started receiving TNFi rather than non‐TNFi as their second biologic, and there were no differences in disease activity at six months.image