Anti-TNF Treatment and Mortality in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Author Information
Author(s): Mark Lunt, Kath D Watson, William G Dixon, Deborah P M Symmons, Kimme L Hyrich
Primary Institution: University of Manchester
Hypothesis
Is there an association between anti-TNF therapy and mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis?
Conclusion
Anti-TNF therapies were not associated with an increase in mortality compared to standard DMARD therapy.
Supporting Evidence
- The anti-TNF cohort had a median age of 57 years and higher disease activity compared to the DMARD cohort.
- 856 deaths occurred in the anti-TNF cohort compared to 204 in the DMARD cohort.
- The study used inverse probability of treatment weighting to adjust for baseline differences.
Takeaway
This study looked at whether a specific treatment for arthritis affects how long people live. It found that this treatment doesn't make people live longer or shorter compared to other treatments.
Methodology
The study followed 12,672 patients starting anti-TNF therapy and compared mortality with 3,522 patients on DMARDs using Cox proportional hazards models.
Potential Biases
Potential channeling bias where healthier patients are more likely to receive anti-TNF therapy.
Limitations
Missing baseline data may introduce bias, and the study may not account for all confounding factors.
Participant Demographics
Median age 57 years, 76% women, with high levels of disease activity and disability.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.86
Confidence Interval
0.64–1.16
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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