Clinical Trials Logo

Clinical Trial Summary

Comparative effectiveness of different drugs used to treat patients in Rheumatoid Arthritis Saudi database (RASD) Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease-causing significant disability among patients(1). The prevalence rate of RA varies based on the geographical locations, however, several reviews reported a global prevalence rate of 0.5-1.1% with an annual incidence rate of 20-50 cases per 100 000 of the American and North European population(1,2). Of this population, the World Health Organization reports that 50% will not be able to hold a sustainable job after 10 years of diagnosis . In Saudi Arabia, recent and generalisable epidemiological data regarding RA in Saudi Arabia are limited and suboptimal(1). One study by Al Dalaan et al in 1998, that was conducted in Al-Qassim region reported that the prevalence rate of RA is about 0.2%(3). In patients with RA, early diagnosis was found to halt the ailment's relentless progression to joint destruction which carried a detrimental effect on the patient's functional and psychological state (4). However, the international lag time from the onset of symptoms until the initiation of treatment in patients with RA has been collectively calculated to be around almost one year time (5). Diseases modifying anti rheumatic agents (DMARDS) are the main drugs used for the management of RA, and it mainly reduce the inflammation and improve the outcomes(6). Several DMARSs drugs are available for the management of RA, however, recently, biological DMARDS have also been widely used and recommended in case the conventional DMARDS fail to control the diseases(6,7). Worldwide, there have been multiple studies that examined the effectiveness of DMARDS and bDMARDS drugs for the management of RA, this include large controlled trials which are the gold standard method for investigating medications efficacy(8,9). However, observational real-world data to examine the effectiveness of these medications is also important and can be more generalizable, have longer follow up and can examine different characteristics. Previous observational studies investigating the effectiveness of DMARDS and bDMARDS were mainly in Europe and North America which does not necessarily represent the current situation and the characteristics of the middle eastern population(10,11), as there is so much variability in access to different biological drugs in different countries. In addition, these studies did not compare treatment lines. In the middle east there were limited studies that addressed the effectiveness of different drugs used to treat RA in Saudi Arabia(5,12-14). These studies were mainly cross sectional in nature or reviews, and it is difficult to draw any conclusions with such study designs. Therefore, this research is to compare the effectiveness of multiple DMARDS medication for the treatment of RA patients in Saudi Arabia. Literature Review Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic progressive inflammatory disease that causes irreversible joint deformities which can have debilitating effects on a patient's overall wellbeing. RA has a global prevalence rate of 0.5-1.1% with an annual incidence rate of 20-50 cases per 100 000 of the American and North European population (1). Of this population, the World Health Organization reports that 50% will not be able to hold a sustainable job after 10 years of diagnosis. RA is strongly associated with the female gender, with a female to male ratio of 2:1 to 3:1. Smoking habits have also been shown to both increase the risk of acquiring RA and of worsening its prognosis(1,15). Early diagnosis was found to halt the ailment's relentless progression to joint destruction which carried a detrimental effect on the patient's functional and psychological state. A study found that only 31% of RA patients visited a rheumatologist within less than 12 weeks of symptom onset, those who did had ameliorated progression rates at 6 years as measured by the Sharp/van der Heijde score (SHS) as well as higher rates of DMARD-free remission than patients who delayed their presentation to more than 12 weeks (16) Even though the importance of optimal treatment has been demonstrated, in Africa and the Middle East diagnoses are often delayed for months or even years after symptom onset(5,12,17,18) Our group conducted a study in Saudi Arabia showed that patients may not receive a diagnosis of RA for up to 30 months after the onset of symptoms (12). Raising public awareness of RA and treatment options is also an important tool for reducing time to diagnosis(17). Public education programs can lead to earlier diagnosis and initiation of therapy, as observed in patients in the United Arab Emirates(19). Increased public awareness may also lead to patients with symptoms of RA visiting rheumatology clinics rather than other specialties, thereby receiving adequate and timely treatment. Delayed diagnoses can be attributed to a variety of reasons. In


Clinical Trial Description

n/a


Study Design


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT06417138
Study type Observational
Source Umm Al-Qura University
Contact Hani Mohammad O Almoallim Principal investigator, MBBS Professor
Phone 00966+505703935
Email hmmoallim@uqu.edu.sa
Status Recruiting
Phase
Start date December 15, 2023
Completion date March 15, 2025

See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Terminated NCT03410056 - Safety and Efficacy of Efavaleukin Alfa in Subjects With Active Rheumatoid Arthritis Phase 1/Phase 2