BeSt Study: Patient Characteristics
Total Population 508Female 67%Male 33%Age (years) 54Duration of symptoms (weeks) 23Time diagnosis – inclusion (weeks) 2DAS 44 4.4RF-positive 65%With erosion 72%Sharp/vdHeijde score 4
Adapted from Goekoop-Ruiterman et al. Arthritis Rheum 2005;52(11):3381-90.
Remission Rates for Patients on Initial Methotrexate/Infliximab Treatment for Early RA
Adapted from: 1. Allaart et al. Clin Exp Rheumatol 2006;24:S77-S82. 2. Van der Kooij et al. ACR 2006, abstract 658. 3. Van der Kooij et al. EULAR 2007, abstract THU0215. 4. Klarenbeek et al. EULAR 2008, abstract THU0162.
DAS Results for Initial vs. Delayed Treatment with IFX + MTX at 2-year follow-up
Adapted from van der Kooij et al. EULAR 2007, abstract OP0010.
P<0.001
P=0.005
Delayed: Early RA patients started combination IFX + MTX therapy after failing DMARDs
25
56
18
28
15
5
0
20
40
60
80
100
% failed on IFX + MTX
Initial IFX + MTX (n=120)Delayed IFX+ MTX (n=86)
% stopped IFX and still DAS <2.4
% stopped IFX and still DAS <1.6
IFX = infliximab MTX = methotrexate
CR
P (
mg
/dL
)
Infliximab 3 mg/kg q 8 + MTX (N=10)
MTX alone (N=10)
Comparative Reduction in CRP Levels
Adapted from Quinn et al. Arthritis Rheum 2005;52:27-35.
0
10
20
30
40
50
Weeks
0 2 6 14 22 30 38 46 54 62 78 104
= Infliximab/placebo infusions
0 to 54 weeks CRP AUC (P<0.05)
Infliximab-free period
BeSt Safety Results
Sequential monotherapy
Step-up
combination
Initial
combination with prednisone
Initial combination
with infliximab
1 adverse event (% of pts) 43% 47% 37% 39%
No. of adverse events 54 57 49 50
Gastrointestinal symptoms 16% 15% 8% 11%
Rash/mild dermal or mucosal events
10% 12% 9% 6%
Infections 4% 7% 8% 8%
Cardiovascular events 2% 2% 6% 2%
No. of serious adverse events 8 9 17 6
Adapted from Goedkoop-Ruiterman et al. Arthritis Rheum 2005;52:3381-90.