PROFILE OF PACIENTS WITH RHEUMATIC DISEASES RECEIVING BIOLOGIC THERAPY: AN ANALYSIS AT A SPECIALIZED MEDICAL CENTER IN WESTERN PARANA, BRAZIL

Abstract

The article sought to analyze the epidemiological profile of individuals who use biologics in the treatment of rheumatic diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis) at a specialized medical center in western Parana. This was a descriptive, quantitative study conducted by analyzing data collected from the medical records of the Intermunicipal Health Consortium of Western Parana (CISOP) in patients with the following rheumatic diseases: rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis, using biologics between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2024. The sample consisted of 177 patients, mostly female (79.7%), with a mean age of 55.9 (±11.36) years and a mean disease duration of 9.5 (±8.5) years. The most prevalent disease was rheumatoid arthritis (65%), and the most used biologic was golimumab (24.8%). Clinical improvement was reported in 71.7% of patients using biologics, demonstrating that this therapeutic option can be effective and represents an important advance in the management of rheumatic diseases.