FRI0194 Treatment with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) biologics to human t-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) positive patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA): a case-control study

Objectives To see whether the clinical features and responses to anti-TNF of HTLV-1 positive patients with RA are different from those of HTLV-1 negative patients. Methods The clinical features and response to anti-TNF were compared between 10 female HTLV-1 positive RA patients and 20 age-matched female HTLV-1 negative patients, who were diagnosed based on the 1987 ACR criteria for RA. Therapeutics response was evaluated using the EULAR improvement criteria. Results Significantly higher baseline level of C-reactive protein (CRP) was observed in HTLV-1 positive patients than in HTLV-1 positive patients (P = 0.003). The value of disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) and the levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) tended to be higher in HTLV-1 positive patients. The discontinuation rate of anti-TNF was higher in HTLV-1 positive patients 6 months after the beginning of treatment than in HTLV-1 negative patients (30 % v.s 0 %, respectively). Most of reason for discontinuation was inefficacy of anti-TNF. EULAR response rate in 3 months of the treatment was worse in HTLV-1 positive patients than in HTLV-1 positive patients. The levels of CRP, ESR and the value of DAS28 remained to be significantly higher in carrier RA than non-carrier RA. There is no development of lymphoma or myelopathy during 2-years observation period in HTLV-1 positive patients. Conclusions The result of this small study suggested that HTLV-1 positive RA patients have high inflammation and resistance to the treatment with anti-TNF. Further study with larger number of cases is necessary to confirm these data. Disclosure of Interest None Declared