Why carry out this study?

Impaired work productivity burdens patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

This study investigated the effect of ixekizumab treatment for 52 weeks on work productivity in patients with active AS who were naïve to biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) or who were inadequate responders or intolerant to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi).

What was learned from the study?

Treatment with ixekizumab improved work productivity in both bDMARD-naïve and TNFi-experienced patients with AS at week 16, and improvements were maintained through 52 weeks.

The results of this study suggest that health-related quality of life in patients with AS may be improved with ixekizumab treatment.