Objective Remission or low disease activity should be the treatment target of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). However, residual disease activity (RDA) in some domains could persist. The aim of this study was to assess RDA and its associated factors in a group of patients with PsA. Methods Patients with PsA were enrolled if they satisfied ClASsification for Psoriatic ARthritis (CASPAR) criteria with > 6 months’ followup and achieved a status of low disease activity (LDA), minimal disease activity (MDA), or remission [Disease Activity Index for PsA (DAPSA) remission or very low disease activity (VLDA)]. RDA was assessed by the percentage of patients who had, although in LDA or remission, tender and/or swollen joints > 1, Leeds Enthesitis Index > 1, Health Assessment Questionnaire > 0.5, Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) > 1, patient’s global assessment > 20, physician visual analog scale (VAS) > 20, and VAS pain > 15. Associated factors of RDA were also assessed. Results Of 113 enrolled patients, 78 (69%) were in MDA. Moreover, DAPSA remission was observed in 46 (40.7%) while VLDA only in 32 (28.3%) of patients with PsA. VLDA seems to be the most stringent criterion, with a minimal RDA only in the VAS physician in 1 patient (3.1%) and none in the different domains, while patients in MDA had RDA in tender joints (14.1%), VAS pain (29.4%) and PASI > 1 or body surface area (BSA) > 3% (17.9%). Of note, although patients in DAPSA remission show a very low rate of RDA in almost all domains, 12 (26%) of them show a PASI > 1 or BSA > 3%. Finally, LDA shows RDA in higher percentages, mainly in patient-reported outcomes, tender joints, and skin domain. Conclusion RDA can be recognized in patients with PsA. VLDA seems to be the most stringent composite index to identify patients in the absence of RDA.

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ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the discriminant capability of the Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS) according to disease activity, remission/low disease activity indices and quality of life indices in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).MethodsConsecutive patients with PsA were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. At each visit, the patients underwent a complete physical examination and their clinical/laboratory data were collected. Disease activity was assessed using the Disease Activity Score for Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) and remission/low disease activity using the DAPSA minimal disease activity (MDA) and very low disease activity (VLDA) criteria. The Psoriatic Arthritis Impact of Disease (PsAID) and the Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index scores were also collected. Finally, PASS was assessed by asking all patients to answer yes or no to a single question.ResultsPatients who answered yes to PASS showed a significantly better overall mean DAPSA score than those who were not in PASS. Furthermore, patients in PASS showed a significantly lower level of systemic inflammation, lower Leeds Enthesitis Index score, a significantly lower impact of disease (PsAID), lower pain and better function than patients who answered no to PASS. A moderate to good agreement was found between PASS, MDA, DAPSA low disease activity and PsAID score ≤4. Good sensitivity and specificity were found with PASS with respect to DAPSA low disease activity, and although PASS is sensitive in the identification of patients with MDA, DAPSA remission and VLDA it lacks of specificity.DiscussionThis study showed that PASS might be used as an alternative to determine disease activity in patients with PsA in real clinical practice, mainly in patients with low disease activity according to DAPSA criteria.

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IntroductionSustained remission should be considered the main therapeutic target in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Very low disease activity (VLDA) and a DAPSA score ≤ 4 are the most commonly used criteria. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the rate of sustained remission in a group of PsA patients followed in a real-life setting.MethodsAll PsA patients satisfying CASPAR criteria were followed prospectively every 3–6 months, in a context of clinical practice by January 2013. Sustained remission was defined when patients achieved a DAPSA score ≤ 4 and/or VLDA for at least 12 months. The exclusion criterion was the presence of a condition of VLDA or DAPSA ≤ 4 at the baseline assessment. Kaplan–Meier survival curve was used to evaluate the survival of patients.ResultsA total of 147 PsA patients were evaluated for the study. Of these, 80 performed at least 12 consecutive months of follow-up. The average duration of follow-up was 24 months (range, 12–60 months). At the last follow-up, 22 patients were on csDMARDs treatment while 58 patients were on bDMARDs. Of the 80 patients, 14 (17.5%) achieved a sustained VLDA while 24 (30%) achieved sustained remission according to the DAPSA criteria. The mean duration of remission in patients achieving VLDA and DAPSA ≤ 4 was 17 months for both criteria. High baseline levels of CRP, shorter disease duration, and less pain at baseline were found to be predictors of sustained VLDA and DAPSA remission.ConclusionsIn our study, based on clinical practice, a sustained VLDA was achieved in 17.5% and a sustained remission according to the DAPSA criteria in 30% of patients with PsA.

The development of new biologic and targeted synthetic DMARDs can lead to good disease control. The aim of the present study was to assess the rate of remission and low disease activity, and the improvement of pain and function, in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients treated with new anti-IL-12/23 and anti-IL-17 biologic agents. A prospective 6-month study was performed. Patients fulfilling the CASPAR criteria for PsA that started ustekinumab, secukinumab and ixekizumab were enrolled and prospectively followed in a setting of clinical practice. Patients were considered in minimal disease activity (MDA), when they met at least 5/7 of the criteria previously defined. DAPSA score ≤4 was also evaluated as a remission criterion. Pain on VAS, PtGA and HAQ were also assessed in all patients. Patients achieving MDA were compared to non-MDA to identify outcome predictive factors. Of the 70 patients treated with ustekinumab, secukinumab and ixekizumab, at baseline, no patients were in MDA or had a DAPSA score ≤4. Ten patients (14.2%) were lost during the follow-up. After 6 months, MDA was achieved in 22 (31.4%) patients. DAPSA≤4 was achieved in 17 (24.2%) patients. Significant improvement in pain, PtGA and HAQ was also found. Patients naïve to anti-TNF treatment achieved more frequently MDA compared to anti-TNF-experienced patients. Male sex, high levels of CRP and absence of comorbidities were found to be predictors of MDA. In our prospective observational study, MDA was achieved in 31.4% and DAPSA remission in 24.2% of patients treated with inhibitors of IL-12/23 and IL-17, thus making this target achievable in PsA patients treated with these drugs.

Introduction The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of comorbidities on disease activity, patient’s impact of the disease, patient global assessment, and function in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Methods Consecutive PsA patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. During the visit, the patients underwent a complete physical examination and clinical/laboratory data were collected, including type and number of comorbidities, recorded as simple comorbidity count (SCC). Disease activity was assessed using the Disease Activity Score for Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) and the Minimal Disease Activity (MDA) was also evaluated. The Psoriatic Arthritis Impact of Disease (PsAID), the Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI), and the Patient Global Assessment of disease activity (PtGA) were also collected. Results A total of 144 patients were enrolled. At least one comorbidity was registered in 104 (72.2%) patients. The SCC was associated with DAPSA ( β = 1.48, p = 0.013), PsAID ( β = 0.41, p < 0.01), HAQ-DI ( β = 0.11, p < 0.01) and PtGA ( β = 0.50, p < 0.01). The comorbidities that showed an impact on outcome measures were anxiety and fibromyalgia (FM). Anxiety showed an impact on DAPSA ( β = 14.46, p < 0.001), PsAID ( β = 1.98, p = 0.039) and HAQ-DI ( β = 0.54, p = 0.036). FM showed an impact on DAPSA ( β = 6.46, p = 0.025), PsAID ( β = 2.88, p < 0.001), HAQ-DI ( β = 0.70, p < 0.001), PtGA ( β = 2.00, p = 0.014), and MDA ( β = − 2.79, p = 0.01). The median PtGA value was different among patients with different numbers of comorbidities . Conclusions This study showed that comorbidities, either as a simple comorbidity count number or as single comorbidity, might have an impact on the main domains affecting PsA patients in real clinical practice.