Uveitis recurrence risk in ankylosing spondylitis may be significantly reduced with Golimumab

December 2018

A Netherlands’ clinical trial assessed the effectiveness of the TNF inhibitor golimumab in reducing the recurrence of Acute Anterior Uveitis (AAU), eye inflammation, in ankylosing spondylitis. Study participants were treated for one year with a monthly dose of 50mg of golimumab. The 93 study participants had a mean age of 44, and a median disease duration of seven years. 65% were male, 45% had previously been treated with a TNF inhibitor, and 7% had a history of AAU with a total of nine attacks in the year prior to their first TNF inhibitor use.

Results from the study showed a 78% reduction in AAU attacks. Furthermore, researchers found that golimumab-treated patients experienced a significant decrease in ankylosing spondylitis disease activity over the study period. At the one-year follow-up, the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) was used to assess disease activity in the participants. Patients showed a significant decrease in disease activity with a reduction from a median ASDAS score of 3.1 to a 1.9 by the 12-month mark. In addition, ASAS-20 (ASAS Response Criteria) which is defined as an improvement of at least 20%, was achieved by 36% of patients at month three and by 49% of patients at the 12-month mark.

Of the 17 patients who withdrew from the study, seven did so because of serious adverse reactions, with infection being the most common reaction.

Sources Used and Further Reading:

Golimumab may reduce uveitis risk in patients with ankylosing sp

Significantly reduced recurrence rate of acute anterior uveitis in ankylosing spondylitis during treatment with golimumab

Citation:

Heslinga SC, Nurmohamed MT, Gerards AH, Griep E, Koehorst C, Kok MR, Schilder A, Verhoef M, Van der Horst – Bruinsma IE. Significantly Reduced Recurrence Rate of Acute Anterior Uveitis in Ankylosing Spondylitis during Treatment with Golimumab [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016; 68 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/significantly-reduced-recurrence-rate-of-acute-anterior-uveitis-in-ankylosing-spondylitis-during-treatment-with-golimumab/. Accessed December 13, 2018.

Barnard, C. (2018, November 20). Golimumab may reduce uveitis risk in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Retrieved December 17, 2018, from Golimumab may reduce uveitis risk in patients with ankylosing-sp