Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Secukinumab in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis Taking Methotrexate

A participant was considered to be a responder according to the ACR50 or ACR70 criteria if the participant had at least 50% or 70% improvement, respectively, in both the tender joint count and swollen joint count measures, and in at least 3 of the following 5 measures: patient's assessment of pain, patient's global assessment of disease activity, physician's global assessment of disease activity, Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ©) score, and/or C-reactive protein (CRP)/Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR).

The HAQ measures physical disability and functional status. It has 4 dimensions: disability, pain, drug side effects and dollar costs. In this trial, only the disability dimension was used. The disability dimension consists of 20 multiple choice items concerning difficulty in performing 8 common activities of daily living; dressing and grooming, arising, eating, walking, reaching, personal hygiene, gripping and activities. Participants choose from four response categories: 0 (without any difficulty), 1 (with some difficulty), 2 (with much difficulty) and 3 (unable to do). Within each of the 8 categories, only the item indicating the most severe impairment contributes to the category score. The HAQ score is calculated by summing the computed scores for each category and dividing by the number of categories answered. It ranges from 0 (without any difficulty) to 3 (unable to do). A negative change from baseline indicates improvement.

The Disease Activity Score (DAS) is a combined index to measure disease activity in RA participants. DAS28-CRP is determined using the following variables: 28-joint counts (tender28 and swollen28), CRP, and the participant's general health (GH) or global disease activity measured on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of 100 mm (0 = and 100 = ). Using the data from these variables, DAS28-CRP is calculated using the following formula: DAS28-4(crp) = 0.56*sqrt(TJC28) + 0.28*sqrt(SJC28) + 0.36*ln(CRP+1) + 0.014*GH + 0.96. The calculation results in a DAS28-CRP score from 0 to 10 indicating the current activity of the rheumatoid arthritis of your patient. A DAS28 above 5.1 means high disease activity whereas a DAS28 below 3.2 indicates low disease activity. Remission is achieved by a DAS28 lower than 2.6. A negative change from baseline indicates improvement.

The Disease Activity Score (DAS) is a combined index to measure disease activity in RA participants. DAS28 is determined using the following variables: 28-joint counts (tender28 and swollen28), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and the participant's general health (GH) or global disease activity measured on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of 100 mm (0 = and 100 = ). Using the data from these variables, DAS28-ESR is calculated using the following formula: DAS28 = 0.56 * sqrt(tender28) + 0.28 * sqrt(swollen28) + 0.70 * ln(ESR) + 0.014 * GH. The calculation results in a DAS28-ESR score from 0 to 10 indicating the current activity of the rheumatoid arthritis of your patient. A DAS28 above 5.1 means high disease activity whereas a DAS28 below 3.2 indicates low disease activity. Remission is achieved by a DAS28 lower than 2.6. A negative change from baseline indicates improvement.

EULAR response criteria are based on DAS28 status in combination with DAS28 improvements. The EULAR response criteria are as follows: present DAS28 <3.2 with DAS28 improvement >1.2 corresponds to 'good response'; present DAS28 <3.2 with DAS28 improvement between 0.6 to 1.2, or present DAS28 between 3.2 to 5.1 with DAS28 improvement from 0.6 to >1.2, or present DAS28 >5.2 with DAS28 improvement >1.2 correspond to 'moderate response; present DAS28 <3.2 with DAS28 improvement <0.6, or present DAS28 between 3.2 to 5.1 with DAS28 improvement <0.6, or present DAS28 >5.1 with DAS28 improvement <0.6 to 1.2 correspond to 'no response'.

The 66 joints assessed for swelling included the 8 distal interphalangeal, 10 proximal interphalangeal and 10 metacarpophalangeal joints of the hands, the 10 metatarsophalangeal and 10 proximal interphalangeal joints of the feet, the 2 wrists, 2 elbows , 2 shoulders , 2 acromioclavicular, 2 sternoclavicular, 2 temporomandibular, 2 knee, 2 talo-tibial, and 2 mid-tarsal joints. Swelling was graded present (1) or absent (0). A negative change in baseline indicates improvement.

The 68 joints assessed for tenderness included the 8 distal interphalangeal, 10 proximal interphalangeal and 10 metacarpophalangeal joints of the hands, the 10 metatarsophalangeal and 10 proximal interphalangeal joints of the feet, the 2 wrists, 2 elbows , 2 shoulders , 2 acromioclavicular, 2 sternoclavicular, 2 temporomandibular, 2 hip, 2 knee, 2 talo-tibial, and 2 mid-tarsal joints. Joint tenderness was graded present (1) or absent (0). A negative change from baseline indicates improvement.

The patient's assessment of pain was performed using 100 mm visual analog scale (VAS) ranging from 0 (no pain) to 100 (unbearable pain) after the question "Please indicate with a vertical mark through the horizontal line the most pain you had from your rheumatoid arthritis over the last 24 hours". A negative change from baseline indicates improvement.

The patient's global assessment of disease activity was performed using 100 mm VAS ranging from 0 (very good) to 100 (very poor), after the question "Considering all the ways rheumatoid arthritis affects you, please indicate with a vertical mark through the horizontal line how well you are doing today". A negative change from baseline indicates improvement.

The physician's global assessment of disease activity was performed using 100 mm VAS ranging from 0 (very good) to 100 (very poor), after the question "Considering all the ways rheumatoid arthritis affects your patient, how would you rate his or her current condition?". A negative change from baseline indicates improvement.

Blood for this assessment was obtained to identify the presence of inflammation, to determine its severity, and to monitor response to treatment. A negative change from baseline indicates improvement.

Blood for this assessment was obtained to monitor disease activity and response to therapy. A negative change from baseline indicates improvement.