Evaluation of the Possibility of Axial Psoriatic Arthritis Patients Meeting Classification Criteria for Axial Spondyloarthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis.

The objective of the study was to analyze whether axial psoriatic arthritis (axPsA) patients meet classification criteria for axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). A total of 104 patients (66 men and 38 women) with PsA according to CASPAR criteria were examined, all patients had back pain. Patients were evaluated for presence of inflammatory back pain (IBP) by ASAS criteria. Back pain not meeting the ASAS criteria was taken to be chronic back pain (chrBP). Patients underwent hands, feet and pelvis, cervical spine and lumbar spine X-rays. Erosions, osteolysis, and juxta-articular new bone formation were evaluated. Definite radiographic sacroiliitis (d-rSI) was defined as bilateral grade ≥ 2 or unilateral grade ≥ 3. Nineteen patients without d-rSI underwent sacroiliac joints MRI. Ninety-three patients underwent HLA B27 examination. The number of patients who met the criteria for axSpA (ASAS) and the modified New York (mNY) criteria for AS was determined. IBP was identified in 67 (64.4%) patients; chrBP, in 37 (35.6%) patients; 31 (29.8%) patient were of older age (over 40) at the onset of IBP/chrBP; 57 (58.8%) patients had d-rSI; 6 (31.6%) patients had MRI-SI; syndesmophytes were detected in 57 (58.8%) cases. Among 40 patients without d-rSI, 19 (47.5%) had syndesmophytes. In 38/97 (39.2%) patients d-rSI was detected along with syndesmophytes, while 19/97 (19.6%) patients had isolated d-rSI without spondylitis, and 19/97 (19.6%) patients had isolated syndesmophytes without d-rSI. HLA B27 was present in 28 (30.1%) cases. 51 (55.4%) patients met criteria for axSpA. Forty-one (44.6%) patients did not meet criteria for axSpA; however, 27 (65.9%) of them had syndesmophytes. Forty-eight (48.5%) PsA patients met mNY criteria for AS. Among these patients, a set of specific features was revealed: 18 (37.5%) had no IBP, 18 (37.5%) were of older age (over 40) at the onset of IBP/chrBP, 34 (70.8%) had dactylitis, 38 (79.2%) had erosive polyarthritis, 23 (48.8%) had juxta-articular new bone formation, 14 (30.2%) had osteolysis, 23 (48.9%) had "chunky" non-marginal syndesmophytes, and 40 (82.6%) had nail psoriasis; 28 (66.6%) patients were HLA-B27 negative. Forty-five percent of axPsA patients do not meet criteria for axSpA. Characteristic features have been identified to differentiate axPsA from AS.

Results of one-year treat-to-target strategy in early psoriatic arthritis: data of an open-label REMARCA study.

AIM: To study efficacy of treat-to-target (T2T) strategy in early peripheral psoriatic arthritis (EPsA) after one year of treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 44 (M/F - 18/26) DMARD-naїve patients (pts) with active EPsA, according to the CASPAR criteria, mean age 37.5±11.3 years, PsA duration 7 [4; 24] months, psoriasis duration 36 [12; 84] months, disease activity index (DAS) 3.78 [3.18; 4.67], DAS28 4.33 [3.67; 4.8] study were included. At the baseline and every other 3 months for total 12 months of therapy all pts underwent standard clinical examination, tender joint count (TJC), swollen joint count (SJC), patient pain VAS, patient/physician´s global disease activity VAS, enthesitis by Leeds Enthesial Index (LEI)+Plantar Fascia (PF), dactylitis, Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI), body surface area (BSA), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), DAS, DAS28-C-RP, C-RP (mg/l). The dose of MTX s/c was escalated by 5 mg every 2 weeks from 10 mg/wk to appropriate dose 20-25 mg/wk according to the drug intolerance. If pts does not achieve the lower disease activity (LDA), MDA or remission after 3 months of MTX subcutaneous (s/c) mono-therapy, then combination therapy of MTX+Adalimumab (ADA) by standard regime was continued up to one year. At 12 months of therapy the proportion of pts who attained LDA by DAS/DAS28 or remission by DAS<1.6/DAS28-C-RP<2.6 or MDA, ACR20/50/70, PASI75 and dynamics of HAQ, LEI+PF, dactylitis were calculated. Mean±SD, Me [Q25; Q75], %, Friedman (Fr.) ANOVA, U-test, Wilcoxon test were performed. All p<0.05 were considered to indicate statistical significance. RESULTS: At one year of treatment according to T2T strategy significant improvements disease activity and physical health function related to quality of life was seen. By 12 months of therapy remission by DAS and MDA was reached 61.4%/65.9% of pts accordingly. By 12 months of therapy ACR20/50/70 was seen in 88%/77%/59% of pts. In pts with BSA≥3% (n=16) at baseline psoriasis improvements by PASI75 was seen in 88% of pts. In 55% of active EPsA pts MTX (s/c) mono-therapy was an effective treatment. CONCLUSION: One-year treatment according to T2T strategy significantly improves all PsA clinical domains - arthritis, dactylitis, enthesitis, skin psoriasis and quality of life despite of type of treatment. It seems that T2T is a useful strategy in EPsA but additional research concerning its implementation in real practice are needed.

[Cardiovascular risk in patients with psoriatic arthritis].

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic.immune-mediated disease that is observed in 8-30% of psoriatic patients. It has been recently established that PsA and psoriasis are closely associated with the high prevalence of metabolic syndrome, hypertension; abdominal obesity, and a risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including fatal myocardial infarction (Ml) and acute cerebrovascular accidents, which shortens lifespan in the patients compared to the general population. The authors state their belief that the synergic effect of traditional risk factors (RFs) for CYD and systemic inflammation underlie the development of atherosclerosis in PsA. It is pointed out that the risk of CYD may be reduced not only provided that the traditional RFs for CVD are monitored, but also systemic inflammation is validly suppressed. The cardioprotective abilities of methotrexate and tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) inhibitors are considered; the data of investigations showing that the treatment of PsA patients with TNF-a inhibitors results in a reduction in carotid artery intima-media thickness are given. lt is noted that there is a need for the early monitoring of traditional RFs for CVD in patients with PsA and for the elaboration of interdisciplinary national guidelines.