Patient Profile and Outcomes Among Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Treated with Baricitinib Versus Other Therapies in Spain: The RA-BE-REAL Study.

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by joint inflammation and pain. Baricitinib, a targeted JAK inhibitor indicated for moderate to severe RA, has shown efficacy and safety, but real-world data on effectiveness and discontinuation rates are limited. This study aimed to report time to discontinuation, effectiveness, and patient-reported outcomes in patients initiating baricitinib or other biologic/targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (b/tsDMARD) in the Spanish clinical practice.

Methods: The subgroup from 11 Spanish hospitals in the multinational prospective RA-BE-REAL study was analysed. Patients treated for the first time with baricitinib or other b/tsDMARD were included. The primary objective was time to all-cause discontinuation of treatment at 24 months. Secondary objectives included assessing baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and effectiveness on disease activity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and pain. Statistical analyses were descriptive in nature.

Results: Eighty patients initiating baricitinib (cohort A, n = 31) or any b/tsDMARD (cohort B, n = 49) were included. Most patients were women, with mean age 62.6 and 57.0 years, respectively; 58.1% in cohort A and 40.8% in cohort B had prior b/tsDMARD treatment. After 24 months, 61.3% and 44.9% continued their initial treatment, respectively. Main reason for discontinuation was secondary loss of response (19.4% and 26.5%, respectively). After 3 months, both cohorts showed improvements in disease activity, swollen and tender joint counts, physician and patient global assessments, disability, pain, and HRQoL. This trend to improvement was maintained for up to 24 months, suggesting a rapid and sustained response. At 24 months, 46.4% and 29.3% achieved low disease activity; 10.7% and 26.8% achieved remission, respectively.

Conclusion: The study suggests that baricitinib, despite being used in an older and more treatment-experienced cohort, shows comparable effectiveness and a trend towards lower discontinuation rates for up to 24 months, reinforcing its potential as a treatment option.