DANBIO: A nationwide registry of biological therapies in Denmark

M.L. Hetland

DANBIO, Copenhagen University Hospital at Hvidovre, Department of Rheumatology, Hvidovre, Denmark.

ABSTRACT
Since the year 2000, Danish rheumatologists have been collecting data on a routine basis in the nationwide DANBIO registry, which includes all rheumatologic patients receiving biological drugs. Demographic data, markers of disease activity, current treatment, serious and non-serious adverse events and reasons for discontinuation are registered at each visit either on paper forms or on-line. By June 2005, approximately 3000 treatment courses (18,000 visits) were in the registry, corresponding to close to 90% of eligible patients. Rheumatoid arthritis was the most prevalent diagnosis (75%) followed by ankylosing spondylitis (11%) and psoriatic arthritis (7%). Infections occurred in 43% of the treatment series.

Key words
Infliximab, etanercept, adalimumab, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, drug surveillance, observational studies, database.

Since 2004 Abbott, Wyeth and Schering-Plough have supported DANBIO. All are acknowledged for their support.
The sponsors had no influence on data collection, analyses or publication.
Please address correspondence to: Assistant Professor Merete L Hetland, MD, PHD, DANBIO, Copenhagen University Hospital at Hvidovre, Department of Rheumatology 232, Kettegård Alle 30, DK 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark.
E-mail: merete.hetland@dadlnet.dk

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2005; 23 (suppl. 39): S205-S207.
© CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL RHEUMATOLOGY 2005.