AB0543 CHARACTERISTICS AND TREATMENT CHANGES IN PATIENTS WITH PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS SEEN IN A COMBINED DERMATOLOGY-RHEUMATOLOGY CLINIC

Background:

Data on patients with Psoriasis (PSO) referred to a combined Dermatology-Rheumatology outpatient Clinic (Derm-Rheum) with suspected psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are limited.

Objectives:

To assess patient characteristics and treatment changes in PsA patients referred to a Derm-Rheum Clinic.

Methods:

Prospective study of PSO patients referred to a combined Derm - Rheum Clinic from February 2018 to June 2020 in a Tertiary University Hospital.

Results:

Among 151 patients with PSO referred to the Clinic, 129 (85%) with a final diagnosis of PsA were included. In 73% of patients (n=94) PsA was diagnosed there for the 1st time. 56% were females with a mean age of 55 years and a median disease duration of 14.2 years. At initial evaluation, 95% had peripheral arthritis, 45% nail involvement, 23% axial involvement, 12% enthesitis and 6% dactylitis with a median DAPSA score of 20.5 and PASI score of 1.6, respectively. 31% of the patients were not receiving any systemic treatment, 45% were on biologics (30% as monotherapy, 15% in combination with non-biologics), 29% were on non-biologics (14% as monotherapy, 15% in combination with biologics or targeted synthetic agents] and 10% were on targeted synthetic (ts) agents. At last visit (median follow-up: 15 months) only 8% did not receive any systemic therapy (p<0.001 compared to 1st visit), 62% were on biologics (39% monotherapy – 23% in combination with non-biologics, p=0.009), 46% were on non-biologics (20% as monotherapy – 26% in combination with biologics or ts agents, p=0.01) and 10% of the patients were on apremilast. The median DAPSA and PASI scores at last visit were 5.3 and 0, respectively.

Conclusion:

About 2/3 of patients with PSO referred to a combined Derm - Rheum Clinic with suspicious musculoskeletal complaints were diagnosed for the 1st time as PsA. During follow-up the percentage of PsA patients who started or continued systemic therapy significantly increased with significant improvement of disease activity indices. These data emphasize the value of combined Derm - Rheum Clinics for earlier diagnosis and more efficacious treatment of PsA patients.

Acknowledgements:

This work was supported by research grants from the Special Account for Research Grants (S.A.R.G.), National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared.

Treatment of erythrodermic psoriasis with etanercept

BACKGROUND

Severe variants of psoriasis, such as erythrodermic psoriasis, may be associated with serious morbidity and mortality. Current treatment options for erythrodermic psoriasis are limited, unsatisfactory and potentially associated with organ-specific toxicity. Recently, a new class of agents, targeted biological therapies, has emerged. Etanercept is a recombinant human fusion protein acting as a competitive inhibitor of tumour necrosis factor-alpha. The safety and efficacy of etanercept have been widely demonstrated in psoriatic arthritis and moderate to severe plaque-type psoriasis.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the efficacy and tolerability of etanercept in the treatment of erythrodermic psoriasis over a period of 24 weeks.

METHODS

Ten patients, eight men and two women, were selected to receive etanercept 25 mg subcutaneously twice weekly. The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score, ranging from 0 to 72, was used to assess the severity of disease.

RESULTS

Etanercept was well tolerated and led to a significant reduction in the severity of disease over the period of treatment. After 24 weeks, the mean PASI score decreased from 39.1 (baseline) to 5.1. At week 12, five of 10 (50%) patients achieved an improvement of PASI score from baseline exceeding 75%. At week 24, six of 10 patients (60%) achieved or maintained an improvement of PASI score from baseline exceeding 75% while two patients (20%) maintained an improvement of between 50% and 75%.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, etanercept has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for erythrodermic psoriasis, providing a safe and convenient alternative to current therapies.