Effectiveness and safety of secukinumab in axial spondyloarthritis and psoriatic arthritis: A retrospective analysis of its real-world usage from India

Abstract

Background: Although secukinumab has become available in India since mid-2016, there is no published data on its usage in axial spondyloarthritis (axial SpA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). In this study, we analyzed the real-world usage of this drug to assess the effectiveness and safety in axial SpA and PsA. Methods: All patients with active axial SpA or PsA who had received secukinumab as a biological disease-modifying antirheumatic therapy either as a primary or as a secondary biological therapy covering the period between August 2017 and February 2020 from five Indian centers were included in the study. Whereas Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) 50 and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) C-reactive protein (CRP) improvement were used to assess the treatment response in axial SpA, DAS 28ESR was used for PsA. The data were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Out of 45 patients included in the study, 27 had axial SpA and 18 had PsA. Disease duration (median [interquartile range]) was 60 (96) months in axial SpA and 54 (108) in PsA. In axial SpA, out of 21 patients who had completed at least 6 months of therapy, 19 demonstrated a BASDAI 50 response and 20 reported good response as per ASDAS CRP (15, low disease activity and 5, inactive disease). In PsA, 14 patients had completed at least 6 months of therapy and 8 of them went in remission and another 4 achieved low disease activity. Adverse events were few (2, upper respiratory tract infection; 1 pneumonia; 3, uveitis; and leukocytoclastic vasculitis in 1) with no tuberculosis reported. Conclusion: In its real-life usage to treat both active axial SpA and PsA, secukinumab was found to be effective and safe.