Efficacy and safety of subcutaneous golimumab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in a sample of Syrian patients: a cohort study

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic inflammatory disease, affecting the joints and other organs. Several treatments have been approved for use in its management including biologics. Golimumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks the binding of TNF-alpha to its receptor, has been considered a treatment since 2013. The efficacy and safety of golimumab was reported in some studies designed as open-label trials and a few randomized controlled trials in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous golimumab in a sample of Syrian patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis that was un-responded to different disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. Methods: 100 patients with rheumatoid arthritis from the rheumatology departments were enrolled in our study. The patients were divided into two groups: 50 patients who were given subcutaneous golimumab, as a patient group, and 50 patients who were receiving conventional antirheumatic modifiers, as a control group. Side effects of golimumab and the other treatments were registered. Results: We found that golimumab is effective in treating patients with rheumatoid arthritis, as it achieved a significant response rate during the follow-up period, as assessed by the DAS28-ESR score. The mean DAS28-ESR at the start was 5.33 ± 0.85), and with follow-up of the patients during the study period, it decreased significantly to 3.81 after 3 months and then to 2.03 after a year. Patients achieved a significant response of 94% within the first 3 months of golimumab administration according to EULAR response criteria. The rate of remission of the disease after 1 year was 90%. There was only one side effect, which was an upper respiratory infection, in two patients (4%) after 3 months, and in only one patient (2%) after 6 months. Conclusion: Golimumab is effective and safe in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis