Article Text
PDF
Abstract
Objectives To assess the effectiveness and safety of baricitinib in the treatment of Rhupus.
Methods We conducted a retrospective observational review of medical records from the Rheumatology Department at our hospital between 2019 and 2023, identifying patients diagnosed with Rhupus, who received baricitinib. The diagnosis of Rhupus was assigned to patients who met the diagnostic criteria for both Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). The study involves a comprehensive analysis of clinical outcomes and medication safety profiles for these patients.
Results A total of 8 patients diagnosed with Rhupus undergoing baricitinib treatment were included. 87.5% were female (median age of 60.5 years, and median follow-up of 12 years). The predominant clinical presentation was RA in 75% of the patients and SLE symptoms in 25%. All patients were ANA positive, while 75% had anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) and 87.5% were rheumatoid factor (RF) positive.
At the initiation of baricitinib treatment, 62.5% were also taking methotrexate, 37.5% were on hydroxychloroquine, and the median dose of prednisone was 8.75 mg/day. The median duration of baricitinib treatment was 2.5 years. Data on the evolution of activity parameters during the treatment are presented in table 1 and figure 1.
There were 3 reports of serious infections, 2 due to Herpes zoster infections, one of which required suspension of treatment.
Conclusion Baricitinib, possibly in combination with other DMARDs, appears to be a promising option for the management of Rhupus, offering benefits in terms of reducing disease activity and improving patient quality of life. These preliminary findings warrant further investigation with larger sample sizes to confirm the efficacy and safety of baricitinib in Rhupus.
Evolution of activity parameters during treatment
Comparative analysis of Rhupus activity parameters over time in patients treated with baricitinib
This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited, appropriate credit is given, any changes made indicated, and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ .