OP0153 PRECONCEPTIONAL NSAID TREATMENT IS ASSOCIATED WITH LONGER TIME-TO-CONCEPTION IN WOMEN WITH SPONDYLOARTHRITIS: ANALYSIS OF THE PROSPECTIVE GR2 COHORT

Abstract

BackgroundSpondyloarthritis (SpA) is one of the most common chronic inflammatory diseases and regularly affects women of childbearing age1. However, there is limited knowledge about the impact of the disease and its treatment on fertility2.ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to determine factors associated with time-to-conception in women with SpA.MethodsWe performed an analysis of SpA patients (diagnosis according to the rheumatologist) included in the national multicenter cohort GR2 from 2015 to June 2021. Patients could be included either with a pregnancy wish (i.e., preconceptional period) or because of a clinical pregnancy (<12 weeks of gestation): for this analysis, only patients included preconceptionally were included. The main endpoint was time-to-conception, and the secondary endpoints were the number of subfertile patients (i.e., time-to-conception >12 months or non-achievement of pregnancy), as well as the number exposed to csDMARDs and biologics in the preconception period. We performed survival analyses, using a Cox model including a random effect for the center to account for heterogeneity of practices among participating centers. We used a multiple imputation to address missing data among the explanatory variables. Results are presented as a hazard ratio (HR) with confidence interval (CI) to assess associations between the factors studied and time-to-conception.ResultsAmong the 207 patients with SpA included in the GR2 cohort, 88 were selected for analysis of time-to-conception (i.e., include preconceptionally). Of these, 56 (63.6%) had a clinical pregnancy during follow-up. Subfertility was observed in 40 (45.4%) women and the median time-to-conception was 16.1 months. The mean preconceptional BASDAI score was 2.9 (+/- 2.1). Patients were treated with NSAIDs, corticosteroids, csDMARDs and biotherapy in 23 (26.1%), 8 (9.1%), 12 (13.6%), and 61 (69.3%) cases, respectively. The multivariate model adjusted for age, BMI, nulligestity, BASDAI, disease duration, smoking, form of spondyloarthritis (axial, peripheral, or both), and exposure to NSAIDs, csDMARDs, and biotherapy in the preconception period found an association between longer time-to-conception and age (HR 1. 22 95% CI [1.08-1.40] p < 0.001), as well as the use of NSAIDs during preconception (HR 3.01 95% CI [2.15-3.85] p = 0.01).ConclusionThis study provides original results on fertility in women with SpA. The factors associated with a longer time-to-conception were age and the NSAIDs use during the preconception period, which argues for their cautious use in case of pregnancy wish in patients needing continuous NSAID intake for the management of their disease.