Introduction: We studied the effect of intravenous (IV)-golimumab on fatigue and the association of fatigue improvement with clinical response post hoc in adults with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in the GO-ALIVE trial.
Methods: Patients were randomized to IV-golimumab 2 mg/kg (N = 105) at week (W) 0, W4, then every 8 W (Q8W) or placebo (N = 103) at W0, W4, W12, crossover to IV-golimumab 2 mg/kg at W16, W20, then Q8W through W52. Fatigue measures included Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) Question #1 (fatigue; 0 [none], 10 [worst]; decrease indicates improvement) and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) vitality subscale (0 [worst], 100 [best]; increase indicates improvement). Minimum clinically important difference is ≥ 1 for BASDAI-fatigue and ≥ 5 for SF-36 vitality. GO-ALIVE primary endpoint was Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society ≥ 20% improvement criteria (ASAS20). Other clinical outcomes assessed included other ASAS responses, Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score, and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index score. The distribution-based minimally important differences (MIDs) were determined for BASDAI-fatigue and SF-36 vitality. The relationship between improvement in fatigue and clinical outcomes was assessed via multivariable logistic regression.
Results: Mean changes in BASDAI-fatigue/SF-36 vitality scores were greater with IV-golimumab versus placebo at W16 (- 2.74/8.46 versus - 0.73/2.08, both nominal p ≤ 0.003); by W52 (after crossover), differences between groups narrowed (- 3.18/9.39 versus - 3.07/9.17). BASDAI-fatigue/SF-36 vitality MIDs were achieved by greater proportions of IV-golimumab-treated versus placebo-treated patients at W16 (75.2%/71.4% versus 42.7%/35.0%). A one-point/five-point improvement in BASDAI-fatigue/SF-36 vitality scores at W16 increased likelihood of achieving ASAS20 (odds ratios [95% confidence intervals]: 3.15 [2.21, 4.50] and 2.10 [1.62, 2.71], respectively) and ASAS40 (3.04 [2.15, 4.28] and 2.24 [1.68, 3.00], respectively) responses at W16; concurrent improvements and clinical response at W52 were consistent. A one-point/five-point improvement in BASDAI-fatigue/SF-36 vitality scores at W16 predicted increased likelihood of achieving ASAS20 (1.62 [1.35, 1.95] and 1.52 [1.25, 1.86], respectively) and ASAS40 (1.62 [1.37, 1.92] and 1.44 [1.20, 1.73], respectively) responses at W52.
Conclusions: IV-golimumab provided important and sustained fatigue improvement in patients with AS that positively associated with achieving clinical response.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT02186873.
Keywords: Ankylosing spondylitis; Clinical response; Fatigue; Intravenous golimumab; Vitality.
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of arthritis that mostly affects the spine. Patients with AS also often have severe fatigue. Intravenous (IV)-golimumab, which blocks the inflammatory action of tumor necrosis factor, is approved to treat AS. We used information from a clinical trial (GO-ALIVE) to determine whether IV-golimumab reduced fatigue in patients with AS, and if fatigue improvement was associated with improvement in other AS symptoms, including spinal pain, ability to function, and inflammation. In the 1-year GO-ALIVE study, patients were assigned to receive either IV-golimumab or placebo. Patients assigned to placebo were switched to IV-golimumab starting at week 16. The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) fatigue question and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) vitality subscale were used to assess fatigue. Improvement in AS symptoms was measured using the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society ≥ 20% and ≥ 40% improvement criteria (ASAS20 and ASAS40). After 16 weeks of treatment, patients treated with IV-golimumab, on average, had statistically significantly greater improvement in both measures of fatigue than patients treated with placebo. At 1 year, after the placebo group had received IV-golimumab starting at week 16, improvement in fatigue was similar between groups. Improvement in fatigue at week 16 increased the likelihood that ASAS20 and ASAS40 would be achieved at week 16. Similar results were observed at 1 year. Additionally, improvement in fatigue at week 16 predicted the likelihood of achieving ASAS20 and ASAS40 at 1 year. Together, these results demonstrate that IV-golimumab provided important, long-term improvement in fatigue in patients with AS that was positively associated with improvement in AS symptoms.
© 2023. The Author(s).