Tumor necrosis factor blocker dose escalation among biologic naïve rheumatoid arthritis patients in commercial managed-care plans in the 2 years following therapy initiation

Figures & data

Figure 1.  Patient attrition.

Table 1.  Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients persistent with etanercept. Adalimumab, or infliximab far 12 or 24 months.

Table 2.  Dose escalation in the first 24 months of etanercept, adalimumab, or infliximab use.

	12-Months						24-Months
	Etanercept		Adalimumab		Infliximab		Etanercept		Adalimumab		Infliximab
	N = N/Msan	1.207%/SD	N = N/Mean	1.004%/SD	N = N/Mean	536%/SD	N = N/Mean	477%/SD	N = N/Mean	399%/SD	N = N/Mean	250%/SD
Index weekly dose (Mean, SD)	48.7	2.1	21.0	4.8	52.6	24.3	48.8	2.6	21.1	4.7	52.4	22.2
Percentage with dose increase from index (N, %)
115%	13	1.5%	126	12.5%	223	42.5%	10	2.1%	70	17.5%	144	57.6%
130%	14	1.2%	120	12.0%	162	30.2%	7	1.5%	66	16.5%	103	41.2%
150%	10	0.8%	103	10.8%	33	16.4%	4	0.8%	57	14.3%	66	26.4%
Two instances method (N, %)
115%	11	0.9%	91	9.1%	134	34.3%	5	1.0%	55	13.8%	123	51.2%
130%	10	0.8%	87	8.7%	123	22.9%	4	0.8%	53	13.3%	94	37.6%

Note: All differences between etanercept and adalimumab and between etanercept and infliximab are significant at p < 0.001.

Figure 2.  Dose escalation in the 12 months following therapy initiation, using the single-instance method at 130% of the initial dose.