A Study of Tocilizumab in Combination With DMARD Therapy in Patients With Active Rheumatoid Arthritis.

To achieve an ACR20 response required at least a 20% improvement, compared with baseline, in both (tender joints count)TJC and (swollen joints count) SJC, as well as in 3 out of 5 additional ACR core set variables: physician's global assessment of disease activity, participant's global assessment of disease activity, participant's assessment of pain, health assessment questionnaire disease index (HAQ-DI) and C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP was used primarily for the calculation of the ACR response; if missing, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) was substituted. ITT sensitivity analysis was carried out using an alternative imputation method (last observation carried forward [LOCF]).

To achieve an ACR50 or ACR 70 response required at least a 50% or 70% improvement, compared with baseline in both TJC and SJC, as well as in 3 out of 5 additional ACR core set variables: physician's global assessment of disease activity, participant's global assessment of disease activity, participant's assessment of pain, HAQ-DI and CRP. CRP was used primarily for the calculation of the ACR response; if missing, ESR was substituted.

Participants who did not achieve a 20% improvement from baseline in both SJC and TJC at week 16 could, if requested and deemed necessary by the investigator, receive escape therapy, comprising adjustment of the background DMARD dose and/or treatment with a different traditional DMARD.

68 joints were assessed for tenderness and joints were classified as tender/not tender giving a total possible tender joint count score of 0 to 68. 66 joints were assessed for swelling and joints were classified as swollen/not swollen giving a total possible swollen joint count score of 0 to 66.

The participant's global assessment of disease activity is assessed on a 0 to 100 mm horizontal visual analogue scale (VAS) by the participant. The left-hand extreme of the line equals 0 mm, and is described as "no disease activity" (symptom-free and no arthritis symptoms) and the right-hand extreme equals 100 mm, as "maximum disease activity" (maximum arthritis disease activity). A negative change from Baseline indicated improvement.

The physician's global assessment of disease activity is assessed on a 0 to 100 mm horizontal VAS by the physician. The left-hand extreme of the line equals 0 mm, and is described as "no disease activity" (symptom-free and no arthritis symptoms) and the right-hand extreme equals 100 mm as "maximum disease activity" (maximum arthritis disease activity).

The participants assessed their pain on a 0 to 100 mm VAS. The left-hand extreme of the line equals 0 mm, and is described as "no pain" and the right-hand extreme equals 100 mm as "unbearable pain". A negative change indicated improvement.

The serum concentration of CRP an acute phase inflammatory marker, is measured in milligrams/deciliter (mg/dL). A reduction in the level is considered an improvement.

The ESR was measured in mm/hour. A reduction in the level is considered an improvement.

DAS28 calculated from the number of swollen joints and tender joints using the 28-joint count, ESR and global health assessment (participant rated global assessment of disease activity using 10-mm VAS); DAS28 score ranged from 0 to 10, where higher scores correspond to greater disease activity. DAS28 less than or equal to (≤3.2) = low disease activity, DAS28 greater than (>)3.2 to 5.1 = moderate to high disease activity.

FACIT-F is a 13-item questionnaire. Patients scored each item on a 5-point scale: 0 (Not at all) to 4 (Very much). The larger the participant's response to the questions (with the exception of 2 negatively stated), the greater the fatigue. For all questions, except for the 2 negatively stated ones, the code was reversed and a new score was calculated as (4 minus the participant's response). The sum of all responses resulted in the FACIT-Fatigue score for a total possible score of 0 (worse score) to 52 (better score). A higher score reflects an improvement in health status.

Rheumatoid factor (RF) is a disease characteristic and more than 85% of the participants studied were positive for the factor. These data are from patients who were RF positive. RF level was reported in international units/milliliter (IU/mL). A positive RF= >15 IU/mL.

Levels of hemoglobin were determined in grams/liter (g/L)as a measure of anemia in participants

HAQ-DI is a self-completed participant questionnaire specific for RA. It consists of 20 questions referring to 8 domains: dressing/grooming, arising, eating, walking, hygiene, reach, grip; common daily activities. Each domain has at least 2 component questions. There are 4 possible responses for each component 0=without any difficulty 1=with some difficulty 2=with much difficulty 3=unable to do. The HAQ-DI is the sum of the scores, divided by the number of domains that have a score (in range 6-8) for a total possible score minimum/maximum 0 (best) to 3 (worst). A negative change from baseline indicated improvement.

ACR 20 responses are summarized by first onset as a percentage of the total number of responders at week 24. The number of participants first achieving an ACR20 response at each time point is represented by treatment arm as a proportion of the total number of participants that had an ACR20 response at Week 24 using n as the denominator.

Time to Low disease activity was calculated as the number of days from the first dose of drug administration to the date of first achievement of DAS28≤3.2.

Time to first Remission was calculated as the number of days from the date of first dose of study drug administration to the date of first achievement of DAS<2.6