Stopping the march

Can effective treatment of psoriasis prevent progression to PsA?

2024-06-12

(Press-News.org) The estimated prevalence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in people with psoriasis ranges widely –between 6% and 42% – but in most cases, skin symptoms precede PsA, thus making skin psoriasis a model for pre-PsA.2 Assuming that there are shared pathways in the pathogenesis, it is possible that stringent treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis could reduce progression to clinically overt PsA.3,4 Biologic treatments are effective at controlling psoriasis, but there are no conclusive data that these treatments help prevent people from developing PsA. Several risk factors for transition have previously been identified by a EULAR taskforce.5 Identifying a profile of those psoriasis patients likely to go on to develop joint involvement is key to the idea of intercepting PsA.3

This retrospective study used Big Data from a global network of electronic records – making it possible to look at over 1 million people with psoriasis to compare the incidence of new-onset PsA between those receiving a first- or second-line biologic for psoriasis. This included tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) and biologics directed against interleukins (IL-12i, -23i, -17i, and -12/23i). The incidence of PsA was compared in the different cohorts at 5 years, and throughout the follow up, using the first-line TNFi population as a comparator.

The results showed that the risk of developing PsA during first-line treatment was 37% lower with an IL-12/23i, and 39% lower with IL-23i compared to TNFi at 5 years. For those on second-line treatment, the risk was 32% lower with IL-12/23i and 31% lower with IL-23i at 3 years than with a first-line TNFi. In both first- and second-line treatment, IL-23i presented a 47% lower probability of developing PsA compared to IL-17i at 3 and 5 years.

These kinds of analyses based on ‘Big Data’ offer an opportunity to obtain information on the efficiency of drugs in real life. This large study is relevant because it explores the incidence of PsA in matched, adjusted cohorts with a 5-year follow-up. According to these data, IL-12/23i and IL-23i reduce the incidence of PsA compared to TNFi and IL-17i, both in naïve and bio-experienced patients. As more knowledge becomes available, the concept of intercepting PsA before it becomes clinically apparent becomes a possibility.

Source

Joven-Ibáñez B, et al. Evaluation of the risk of psoriatic arthritis in patients with psoriasis undergoing biological treatment. Global population study (TRINETX). Presented at EULAR 2024; OP0010.

Ann Rheum Dis 2024; DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2024-eular.5872.

References

1. Gossec L, et al. EULAR recommendations for the management of psoriatic arthritis with pharmacological therapies: 2023 update. Ann Rheum Dis 2024;83:706–19.

2. Zabotti A, et al. EULAR points to consider for the definition of clinical and imaging features suspicious for progression from psoriasis to psoriatic arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 2023;82(9):1162–70.

3. Gisondi P, et al. Reducing the Risk of Developing Psoriatic Arthritis in Patients with Psoriasis. Psoriasis (Auckl) 2022;12:213–20.

4. Soriano ER. Interventions on modifiable risk factors for the development of psoriatic arthritis. Curr Treat Options in Rheum 2019;5:313–25.

5. De Marco G, et al. Characterisation of prodromal and very early psoriatic arthritis: a systematic literature review informing a EULAR taskforce. RMD Open 2023;9(2):e003143.

About EULAR

EULAR is the European umbrella organisation representing scientific societies, health professional associations and organisations for people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). EULAR aims to reduce the impact of RMDs on individuals and society, as well as improve RMD treatments, prevention, and rehabilitation. To this end, EULAR fosters excellence in rheumatology education and research, promotes the translation of research advances into daily care, and advocates for the recognition of the needs of those living with RMDs by EU institutions.

Contact

EULAR Communications, communications@eular.org

Notes to Editors

EULAR Recommendations

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Stopping the march

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