Long-term deterioration of interstitial lung disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with abatacept.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the deterioration of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with abatacept over the long-term.

METHODS

We examined 131 patients with RA who had been treated with abatacept for more than 1 year. All patients underwent high-resolution computed tomographic (HRCT) scanning of the chest before administration of abatacept, and we examined deterioration of ILD over a follow-up period after administration of abatacept was initiated.

RESULTS

Eleven patients (8.4%) showed deterioration of ILD over a mean follow-up period of 47.8 months. The factors related to ILD deterioration were use of methotrexate (MTX) [odds ratio 12.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-148.77], and change in Krebs von-den Lungen-6 (odds ratio 1.00, 95% CI 1.00-1.01), according to multivariate logistic regression analysis.

CONCLUSION

MTX in patients with RA treated with abatacept was a risk factor for deterioration of ILD. Discontinuation of MTX should be considered one of treatment reduction to prevent the deterioration of ILD.