Effect of a 1-month methotrexate delay on pneumococcal vaccine immunogenicity and disease control in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (VACIMRA): an open-label randomised trial.

Background: Pneumococcal vaccination is recommended for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Because immunosuppressant therapies for rheumatoid arthritis hinder vaccine efficacy, vaccination should be administered before initiating immunosuppressive drugs. We aimed to compare humoral responses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving the pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate vaccine (PCV13) before methotrexate initiation or simultaneously.

Prognosis of essential mixed cryoglobulinemia and connective tissue disease-related cryoglobulinemia after rituximab-induced remission.

Objectives: Rituximab (RTX) and glucocorticoids are the first line treatment for essential (EM) and connective tissue disease (CTD)-related mixed cryoglobulinemia vasculitis (CryoVas). Data on long term outcomes of these CryoVas are lacking. We aimed to describe the prognosis of patients with EM and CTD-related CryoVas.

Maintenance of Remission After Tocilizumab Withdrawal in Patients With Glucocorticoid-Dependent Polymyalgia Rheumatica.

Objective: The SEMAPHORE trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab (TCZ) treatment in patients with glucocorticoid (GC)-dependent polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). TCZ reduced GC dose and disease activity at week 24. This study aimed to assess relapse rates after stopping TCZ treatment in patients achieving remission at week 24.

Baricitinib in early polymyalgia rheumatica (BACHELOR): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial.

Background: Moderate doses of glucocorticoids result in improvements in nearly all patients with polymyalgia rheumatica, but related adverse events are common in older individuals. We aimed to evaluate whether treatment with baricitinib (a Janus kinase 1/2 inhibitor) results in disease control without the use of oral glucocorticoids in people with recent-onset polymyalgia rheumatica.

Methods: We conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial at six expert centres in France.

Association Between Patient Perception of Disease Status and Different Components of the Minimal Disease Activity Criteria in Psoriatic Arthritis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether meeting minimal disease activity (MDA) as measured by the MDA criteria was perceived as good disease control by patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) regardless of which MDA components were not met.

Methods: We analyzed data from the Remission/Flare in PsA (ReFlaP) study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03119805), a cross-sectional international study of adult patients with PsA.

Distinct Pathophysiologic Pathways Support Stratification of Sjögren's Disease Based on Symptoms, Clinical, and Routine Biological Data.

Objective: Recently, three distinct phenotypes of patients with Sjögren disease (SjD) have been described based on cluster analysis: B cell active with low symptoms (BALS), high systemic activity (HSA), and low systemic activity with high symptoms (LSAHS). We aimed to assess whether these clusters were associated with distinct biomarkers and the prognostic value of interferon (IFN) signature.

Methods: The Assessment of Systemic Signs and Evolution in Sjögren's Syndrome cohort is a 20-year prospective cohort of patients with SjD.

Do SMS/e-mail reminders increase influenza vaccination of rheumatoid arthritis patients under anti-TNF: a nested randomized controlled trial in the ART e-cohort.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of short message service (SMS) and/or email reminders in improving influenza vaccination coverage rates among RA patients treated with anti-TNF therapies, and to identify factors associated with vaccination.

Methods: This study was a nested randomized controlled trial in the ART e-cohort, an ongoing French nationwide multicentre prospective cohort of RA patients treated with anti-TNF therapy. Patients were 1:1 randomized, with stratification on age.

Unmet needs in axial spondyloarthritis. Proceedings of the French spondyloarthritis taskforce workshop.

The progress observed over the last 30 years in the field of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) has not made it possible to answer all the current questions. This manuscript represents the proceedings of the meeting of the French spondyloArthitiS Task force (FAST) in Besançon on September 28 and 29, 2023. Different points of discussion were thus individualized as unmet needs: biomarkers for early diagnosis and disease activity, a common electronic file dedicated to SpA nationwide, a better comprehension of dysbiosis in the disease, a check-list for addressing to the rheumatologist, adapt patient reported outcomes thresholds for female gender, implementation of comorbidities screening programs, new imaging tools, in research cellular and multi omics approaches, grouping, at a nationwide level, different cohorts and registries, therapeutic strategy studies, consensual definition of difficult to treat disease and management, preclinical stage of the disease, mastering AI as a tool in the various aspects of research.

Standardized reporting for systematic global evaluation of axial spondyloarthritis: An evidence-based and consensus-driven initiative.

Introduction: National and international scientific societies advocate for a regular, systematic, and standardized global evaluation of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) patients. However, there are no recommendations specifying the content of this global evaluation. This initiative aimed to propose a standardized reporting framework, using evidence-based and consensus approaches, to collect data on all domains of axSpA.

Recommendations of the French Society of Rheumatology for the management in current practice of patients with polymyalgia rheumatica.

Objective: To develop recommendations for the routine management of patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR).

Methods: Following standard procedures, a systematic review of the literature by five supervised junior rheumatologists, based on the questions selected by the steering committee (5 senior rheumatologists), was used as the basis for working meetings, followed by a one-day plenary meeting with the working group (15 members), leading to the development of the wording and determination of the strength of the recommendations and the level of agreement of the experts.

Results: Five general principles and 19 recommendations were drawn up.

Identification of distinct subgroups of Sjögren's disease by cluster analysis based on clinical and biological manifestations: data from the cross-sectional Paris-Saclay and the prospective ASSESS cohorts.

Background: Sjögren's disease is a heterogenous autoimmune disease with a wide range of symptoms-including dryness, fatigue, and pain-in addition to systemic manifestations and an increased risk of lymphoma. We aimed to identify distinct subgroups of the disease, using cluster analysis based on subjective symptoms and clinical and biological manifestations, and to compare the prognoses of patients in these subgroups.

Methods: This study included patients with Sjögren's disease from two independent cohorts in France: the cross-sectional Paris-Saclay cohort and the prospective Assessment of Systemic Signs and Evolution of Sjögren's Syndrome (ASSESS) cohort.

Abatacept in early polymyalgia rheumatica (ALORS): a proof-of-concept, randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial.

Background: Medium-dose glucocorticoids can improve symptoms in nearly all patients with polymyalgia rheumatica. According to its good safety profile, abatacept could be used instead of glucocorticoids in early polymyalgia rheumatica. We aimed to determine whether the efficacy of abatacept is sufficient to justify larger studies in early polymyalgia rheumatica.

How do patient-reported outcome measures affect treatment intensification and patient satisfaction in the management of psoriatic arthritis? A cross sectional study of 503 patients.

Objectives: The AsseSSing Impact in pSoriatic Treatment (ASSIST) study investigated prescribing in routine PsA care and whether the patient-reported outcome-PsA Impact of Disease questionnaire (PsAID-12)-impacted treatment. This study also assessed a range of patient and clinician factors and their relationship to PsAID-12 scoring and treatment modification.

Methods: Patients with PsA were selected across the UK and Europe between July 2021 and March 2022.

An international multicentre analysis of current prescribing practices and shared decision-making in psoriatic arthritis.

Objectives: Shared decision-making (SDM) is advocated to improve patient outcomes in PsA. We analysed current prescribing practices and the extent of SDM in PsA across Europe.

Methods: The ASSIST study was a cross-sectional observational study of PsA patients ≥18 years of age attending face-to-face appointments between July 2021 and March 2022.

Towards the Lowest Efficacious Dose: Results From a Multicenter Noninferiority Randomized Open-Label Controlled Trial Assessing Tocilizumab or Abatacept Injection Spacing in Rheumatoid Arthritis in Remission.

Objective: We assess the clinical and structural impact at two years of progressively spacing tocilizumab (TCZ) or abatacept (ABA) injections versus maintenance at full dose in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in sustained remission.

Methods: This multicenter open-label noninferiority (NI) randomized clinical trial included patients with established rheumatoid arthritis in sustained remission receiving ABA or TCZ at a stable dose. Patients were randomized to treatment maintenance (M) at full dose (M-arm) or progressive injection spacing (S) driven by the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints every 3 months up to biologics discontinuation (S-arm).

Patient-defined flares and disease activity worsening in 222 patients with psoriatic arthritis from 14 countries.

Objectives: To explore patient-defined flares in psoriatic arthritis (PsA), compared to an increase in disease activity in psoriatic arthritis (DAPSA) and to analyze the validity of a patient-reported flare question.

Methods: ReFlap (NCT03119805) was a longitudinal study in 14 countries of consecutive patients with definite PsA. Patients were seen twice in the context of usual care, 4.

Development and Validation of a Self-Administered Questionnaire Measuring Essential Knowledge in Patients With Axial Spondyloarthritis.

Objective: To develop and validate a patient knowledge questionnaire regarding axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).

Methods: Knowledge considered essential for patients with axSpA was identified through Delphi rounds among rheumatologists, healthcare professionals (HCPs), and patients, then reformulated to develop the knowledge questionnaire. Cross-sectional validation was performed in 14 rheumatology departments to assess internal validity (Kuder-Richardson coefficient), external validity, acceptability, reproducibility (Lin concordance correlation coefficient), and sensitivity to change (knowledge score before vs after patient education sessions and effect size).

2022 French Society for Rheumatology (SFR) recommendations on the everyday management of patients with spondyloarthritis, including psoriatic arthritis.

Objective: Update the French Society for Rheumatology (SFR) recommendations on the everyday management of patients with spondyloarthritis, including psoriatic arthritis.

Methods: Following standardized procedures, a systematic literature review was done by four supervised rheumatology residents based on questions defined by a task force of 16 attending rheumatologists. The findings were reviewed during three working meetings that culminated in each recommendation receiving a grade and the level of agreement among experts being determined.