FRI0243 Act-life study: patterns of tocilizumab use, and dosing among patients with rheumatoid arthritis in the clinical practice

Background Currently, there is not substantial evidence about tocilizumab (TCZ) use for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) outside of clinical trials. Objectives To describe usage patterns and dosage of TCZ, as well as its effectiveness and safety profile under real conditions of use. Methods This is a 12-month prospective, observational study carried out in 40 Spanish centers. The study population consisted of adult patients with moderate or severe RA and disease duration of ≥6 months who initiated treatment with TCZ after failure of at least one previous DMARD or TNF inhibitor. Final results are presented. Results A total of 379 patients were evaluated (83% female) with a median age of 57 years (47-66). At baseline, patients had mean disease duration of 12.1±8.2 years, 70.5% were rheumatoid factor positive and 68% anti-CCP positive. Mean baseline DAS28, SDAI, HAQ scores and CRP levels were 5.6±1.0, 22.9±15, 1.6±0.7 and 5.6±11.6 mg/dl, respectively. 78.4% of patients received TCZ in combination and 84.4% after prior use of biological agents. 97.6% of patients initiated TCZ at dose of 8 mg/kg. During the follow-up period, 68 (17.9%) discontinued TCZ treatment due to inadequate response (35.3%) and as result of adverse events (33.8%). At the end of follow-up, the mean DAS28 decreased significantly from baseline (5.6±1.0 vs 2.8±1.4; p