As use of Janus Kinase inhibitor (JAKi) therapies in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have increased, so has awareness of cardiovascular (CV) and malignancy safety concerns associated with the class. This study’s goal is to compare gender, comorbidities, and JAKi use in RA patients switched to JAKi therapies in the US and EU5.
In July-September 2020, US (n=200) and EU5 (n=310) rheumatologists contributed patient chart data for biologic/JAK treated RA patients (US (n=1,000); EU5 (n=1,288)). Data has been collected annually in the US since 2016 and EU5, 2017.
US females switched to a JAKi therapy were statistically more likely to have a high CV risk and obesity compared to EU5 females. EU5 males were statistically more likely to have malignancy risk and a history of smoking than US males. Additionally, statistical differences were found between the genders within a region. Tofacitinib use is higher than baricitinib in the US, while the opposite in the EU5. JAK cycling has increased in both regions year over year.
| Cardiovascular Risk | Malignancy Risk | Cancer | DVT/PE | High BP | Hyperlipidemia | MI | Obesity | Smoker | None | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EU5 JAK patients | Male (95) | 25.26% | 18.95% | 2.11% | 2.11% | 38.95% | 28.42% | 7.37% | 13.68% | 25.26% | 21.05% |
| Female (199) | 9.05% | 11.06% | 1.01% | 0.00% | 23.62% | 10.55% | 0.50% | 9.55% | 9.05% | 35.18% | |
| US JAK patients | Male (110) | 25.45% | 8.18% | 1.82% | 1.82% | 41.82% | 30.00% | 4.55% | 20.00% | 6.36% | 26.36% |
| Female (196) | 15.82% | 14.80% | 1.53% | 0.00% | 28.06% | 15.82% | 1.02% | 21.94% | 7.14% | 26.53% |
Different considerations between genders and regions should be given when switching RA patients to JAKi therapy in the US and EU5.