The relationship between lifestyle factors and outcome of treatment with TNFα inhibitors in axial spondyloarthritis – results from 14 European countries
(2025) In BMC Rheumatology 9(1).- Abstract
Objectives: To quantify the influence of lifestyle factors on tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment response, in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Methods: Data on biologics-naïve adults with axSpA were captured from European rheumatology registries. Information on lifestyle factors (smoking, overweight/obesity, and/or alcohol consumption) were identified ± 30 days of commencing their first TNFi. Treatment response (BASDAI-50, ASDAS or ASAS response criteria) was determined at 3 and 12 months. In separate models, the relationship between treatment response and baseline smoking, BMI and alcohol was assessed using logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, country, calendar year of treatment initiation, disease duration and... (More)
Objectives: To quantify the influence of lifestyle factors on tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment response, in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Methods: Data on biologics-naïve adults with axSpA were captured from European rheumatology registries. Information on lifestyle factors (smoking, overweight/obesity, and/or alcohol consumption) were identified ± 30 days of commencing their first TNFi. Treatment response (BASDAI-50, ASDAS or ASAS response criteria) was determined at 3 and 12 months. In separate models, the relationship between treatment response and baseline smoking, BMI and alcohol was assessed using logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, country, calendar year of treatment initiation, disease duration and baseline disease activity. Results: From 14 registries, 14,885 patients were included. Of those with available data, 29% were current smokers, 49% current drinkers, 37% were overweight and 21% were obese. At 12 months, smokers were less likely to achieve BASDAI-50 treatment response compared to non-smokers (adjusted odds ratio: 0.77; 95%CI: 0.68–0.86). A similar effect was observed among overweight (0.76; 0.66–0.87) or obese patients (0.53; 0.45–0.63). In contrast, alcohol drinkers experienced a seemingly beneficial effect (1.47; 1.16–1.87). These associations were also observed with other measures of treatment response and were robust to further adjustment for clinical characteristics. Conclusion: Smoking and high BMI decrease the odds of bDMARD treatment success in axSpA. Rheumatologists should consider referral to smoking cessation and/or weight management interventions at the time of commencing therapy, to enhance treatment response. The relationship between alcohol and treatment response is unlikely to be causal and warrants further investigation.
(Less)
- author
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-12
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Alcohol, Axial spondylarthritis, Body mass index, Lifestyle, Smoking
- in
- BMC Rheumatology
- volume
- 9
- issue
- 1
- article number
- 88
- publisher
- BioMed Central (BMC)
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:40646655
- scopus:105010484708
- ISSN
- 2520-1026
- DOI
- 10.1186/s41927-025-00529-4
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 7aa2a951-834e-4f8f-82ba-ca3a34a05c00
- date added to LUP
- 2025-10-28 14:48:26
- date last changed
- 2025-10-29 03:00:04
@article{7aa2a951-834e-4f8f-82ba-ca3a34a05c00,
abstract = {{<p>Objectives: To quantify the influence of lifestyle factors on tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment response, in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Methods: Data on biologics-naïve adults with axSpA were captured from European rheumatology registries. Information on lifestyle factors (smoking, overweight/obesity, and/or alcohol consumption) were identified ± 30 days of commencing their first TNFi. Treatment response (BASDAI-50, ASDAS or ASAS response criteria) was determined at 3 and 12 months. In separate models, the relationship between treatment response and baseline smoking, BMI and alcohol was assessed using logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, country, calendar year of treatment initiation, disease duration and baseline disease activity. Results: From 14 registries, 14,885 patients were included. Of those with available data, 29% were current smokers, 49% current drinkers, 37% were overweight and 21% were obese. At 12 months, smokers were less likely to achieve BASDAI-50 treatment response compared to non-smokers (adjusted odds ratio: 0.77; 95%CI: 0.68–0.86). A similar effect was observed among overweight (0.76; 0.66–0.87) or obese patients (0.53; 0.45–0.63). In contrast, alcohol drinkers experienced a seemingly beneficial effect (1.47; 1.16–1.87). These associations were also observed with other measures of treatment response and were robust to further adjustment for clinical characteristics. Conclusion: Smoking and high BMI decrease the odds of bDMARD treatment success in axSpA. Rheumatologists should consider referral to smoking cessation and/or weight management interventions at the time of commencing therapy, to enhance treatment response. The relationship between alcohol and treatment response is unlikely to be causal and warrants further investigation.</p>}},
author = {{Jones, Gareth T. and Rotariu, Ovidiu and MacDonald, Ross and Michelsen, Brigitte and Glintborg, Bente and van der Horst-Bruinsma, Irene and Gudbjornsson, Bjorn and Geirsson, Arni Jon and Relas, Heikki and Isomäki, Pia and Závada, Jakub and Pavelka, Karel and Rotar, Ziga and Tomšič, Matija and Nissen, Michael J. and Ciurea, Adrian and Codreanu, Catalin and Wallman, Johan K. and Kristianslund, Eirik Klami and Rasmussen, Simon Horskjaer and Ørnbjerg, Lykke Midtbøll and Santos, Maria José and Østergaard, Mikkel and Hetland, Merete Lund and Macfarlane, Gary J.}},
issn = {{2520-1026}},
keywords = {{Alcohol; Axial spondylarthritis; Body mass index; Lifestyle; Smoking}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
publisher = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
series = {{BMC Rheumatology}},
title = {{The relationship between lifestyle factors and outcome of treatment with TNFα inhibitors in axial spondyloarthritis – results from 14 European countries}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s41927-025-00529-4}},
doi = {{10.1186/s41927-025-00529-4}},
volume = {{9}},
year = {{2025}},
}