Influence of the duration of psoriatic arthritis on the achievement of remission and minimal disease activity during therapy with genetically engineered biologic drugs. Data from the all-russian register of patients with psoriatic arthritis

Aim. To study the frequency and timing of the onset of remission and minimal disease activity after the administration of genetically engineered biologic drugs (GEBD) in patients with early and long-term psoriatic arthritis observed within the framework of the All-Russian register of patients with psoriatic arthritis.

Material and methods. The study included 140 patients with psoriatic arthritis (77 men, 63 women) who met the CASPAR criteria, who took part in the All-Russian register and were followed up every 6 months. Previously, patients did not receive GEBD. The median age of the patients was 42 [19-73] years. All patients were divided into two groups depending on the duration of psoriatic arthritis before the appointment of GEBD: early psoriatic arthritis - ≤2 years (67 patients) and long-standing psoriatic arthritis - more than 2 years (73 patients). All patients were prescribed GEBD (37 - adalimumab, 26 - infliximab, 20 - etanercept, 19 - golimumab, 1 - certolizumab pegol, 33 - ustekinumab, 4 - secukinumab) in combination with or without methotrexate. All patients were assessed for the activity and efficacy of psoriatic arthritis therapy according to DAPSA and the criteria for minimal disease activity (number of painful joints - ≤1, number of swollen joints - ≤1, PASI - ≤1 or BSA - ≤3, pain score - ≤15, overall assessment of activity disease by the patient - ≤20 mm on a visual analogue scale, HAQ - ≤0.5, enthesitis -≤1) at the beginning of the study and every 6 months. The number of patients who achieved remission (DAPSA ≤4) or minimal disease activity (5 criteria out of 7) at least 1 time during therapy with GEBD was determined. The cumulative frequency and timing of achieving remission after the appointment of GEBD were calculated.

Results. After the initiation of treatment with GEBD, DAPSA remission was achieved at least once in 24 out of 67 (36%) patients with early psoriatic arthritis and in 19 out of 73 (26%) patients with long-standing psoriatic arthritis. The minimum disease activity was achieved, respectively, in 33 of 67 (49%) and 23 of 73 (32%) patients. The time interval to achieve remission in early psoriatic arthritis was significantly less than in long-standing one. Its median was 48 months (95% CI: 11.75-84.25) and 139 months (95% CI not determined) (p<0.05), respectively. The time until the minimum activity of the disease was reached in patients with early psoriatic arthritis was significantly less than in patients with long-standing psoriatic arthritis. Its median was 21 months (95% CI: 13.1-28.9) and 58 months (95% CI: 0-118.1), respectively (p<0.05).

Conclusion. In real clinical practice, after prescribing GEBD, patients with an early stage of psoriatic arthritis (no more than 2 years of illness) achieve remission and minimal disease activity significantly more often and faster than patients with long-term illness.

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