TOPLINE:

In a consensus survey study, participants with atopic dermatitis (AD) agreed on a patient-centered definition of AD flare, which most agreed would help when communicating with their healthcare providers (HCPs).

METHODOLOGY:

• To develop a patient-centered definition of AD flare, researchers used a modified eDelphi method, which involved a focus group and survey to reach consensus on key aspects of an AD flare.
• The focus group included 26 US adults aged ≥ 18 years with AD who had experienced a flare within the past 12 months. The survey was conducted among 631 adults with AD to validate the identified concepts and assess their agreement with the consensus statements.
• Participants rated 98 statements on a scale from 1 to 9, with consensus defined as at least 70% rating a statement as 7-9 and less than 15% rating it as 1-3.
• In focus groups, participants identified six key concepts for a patient-centered definition of flare, including changes from baseline, mental and emotional consequences, and physical changes in skin.

TAKEAWAY:

• The focus group reached consensus on 15 statements, and survey participants reached consensus on 12 of those statements defining an AD flare, with the highest agreement on symptoms taking more attention than normal, worsening of physical symptoms associated with AD, and worsening of itching associated with AD.
• The statement “acute worsening of symptoms of AD” was ranked as the most important, while “a worsening of physical symptoms” was ranked the least important.
• Most participants (79.7%) reported that prior definitions of AD flare did not resonate with them.
• More than half (52.9%) agreed with their HCP on what constitutes an AD flare, and the majority (77.6%) indicated that a patient-centered definition would be useful for communication with their HCP and for self-management.

IN PRACTICE:

“In this consensus survey study, we identified statements that are critical to the definition of an AD flare from the patient perspective,” the authors wrote. These findings, they added, “may be useful in clinical practice to improve communication between patients and HCPs who may be using the term flare without a mutual understanding of its meaning” and “may also be applied to the development of outcome measures focused on AD flares, which is an important treatment outcome for people with AD.”

SOURCE:

The study was led by Aaron M. Drucker, MD, ScM, of the Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and was published online September 11 in JAMA Dermatology.

LIMITATIONS:

Participants had higher-than-average knowledge about AD, and the study’s findings may not be generalizable to all people with AD. The study included a higher proportion of moderate to severe AD cases than the general population, which may introduce responder bias. The findings may not be applicable to children, caregivers, or individuals in other countries.

DISCLOSURES:

This work was supported by a grant to the National Eczema Association from Pfizer. Dr. Drucker disclosed received compensation from the British Journal of Dermatology, American Academy of Dermatology, and Canadian Dermatology Today, and consultant fees from the National Eczema Association and Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health. Another author reported receiving personal fees from pharmaceutical companies.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

In a consensus survey study, participants with atopic dermatitis (AD) agreed on a patient-centered definition of AD flare, which most agreed would help when communicating with their healthcare providers (HCPs).

METHODOLOGY:

• To develop a patient-centered definition of AD flare, researchers used a modified eDelphi method, which involved a focus group and survey to reach consensus on key aspects of an AD flare.
• The focus group included 26 US adults aged ≥ 18 years with AD who had experienced a flare within the past 12 months. The survey was conducted among 631 adults with AD to validate the identified concepts and assess their agreement with the consensus statements.
• Participants rated 98 statements on a scale from 1 to 9, with consensus defined as at least 70% rating a statement as 7-9 and less than 15% rating it as 1-3.
• In focus groups, participants identified six key concepts for a patient-centered definition of flare, including changes from baseline, mental and emotional consequences, and physical changes in skin.

TAKEAWAY:

• The focus group reached consensus on 15 statements, and survey participants reached consensus on 12 of those statements defining an AD flare, with the highest agreement on symptoms taking more attention than normal, worsening of physical symptoms associated with AD, and worsening of itching associated with AD.
• The statement “acute worsening of symptoms of AD” was ranked as the most important, while “a worsening of physical symptoms” was ranked the least important.
• Most participants (79.7%) reported that prior definitions of AD flare did not resonate with them.
• More than half (52.9%) agreed with their HCP on what constitutes an AD flare, and the majority (77.6%) indicated that a patient-centered definition would be useful for communication with their HCP and for self-management.

IN PRACTICE:

“In this consensus survey study, we identified statements that are critical to the definition of an AD flare from the patient perspective,” the authors wrote. These findings, they added, “may be useful in clinical practice to improve communication between patients and HCPs who may be using the term flare without a mutual understanding of its meaning” and “may also be applied to the development of outcome measures focused on AD flares, which is an important treatment outcome for people with AD.”

SOURCE:

The study was led by Aaron M. Drucker, MD, ScM, of the Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and was published online September 11 in JAMA Dermatology.

LIMITATIONS:

Participants had higher-than-average knowledge about AD, and the study’s findings may not be generalizable to all people with AD. The study included a higher proportion of moderate to severe AD cases than the general population, which may introduce responder bias. The findings may not be applicable to children, caregivers, or individuals in other countries.

DISCLOSURES:

This work was supported by a grant to the National Eczema Association from Pfizer. Dr. Drucker disclosed received compensation from the British Journal of Dermatology, American Academy of Dermatology, and Canadian Dermatology Today, and consultant fees from the National Eczema Association and Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health. Another author reported receiving personal fees from pharmaceutical companies.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

In a consensus survey study, participants with atopic dermatitis (AD) agreed on a patient-centered definition of AD flare, which most agreed would help when communicating with their healthcare providers (HCPs).

METHODOLOGY:

• To develop a patient-centered definition of AD flare, researchers used a modified eDelphi method, which involved a focus group and survey to reach consensus on key aspects of an AD flare.
• The focus group included 26 US adults aged ≥ 18 years with AD who had experienced a flare within the past 12 months. The survey was conducted among 631 adults with AD to validate the identified concepts and assess their agreement with the consensus statements.
• Participants rated 98 statements on a scale from 1 to 9, with consensus defined as at least 70% rating a statement as 7-9 and less than 15% rating it as 1-3.
• In focus groups, participants identified six key concepts for a patient-centered definition of flare, including changes from baseline, mental and emotional consequences, and physical changes in skin.

TAKEAWAY:

• The focus group reached consensus on 15 statements, and survey participants reached consensus on 12 of those statements defining an AD flare, with the highest agreement on symptoms taking more attention than normal, worsening of physical symptoms associated with AD, and worsening of itching associated with AD.
• The statement “acute worsening of symptoms of AD” was ranked as the most important, while “a worsening of physical symptoms” was ranked the least important.
• Most participants (79.7%) reported that prior definitions of AD flare did not resonate with them.
• More than half (52.9%) agreed with their HCP on what constitutes an AD flare, and the majority (77.6%) indicated that a patient-centered definition would be useful for communication with their HCP and for self-management.

IN PRACTICE:

“In this consensus survey study, we identified statements that are critical to the definition of an AD flare from the patient perspective,” the authors wrote. These findings, they added, “may be useful in clinical practice to improve communication between patients and HCPs who may be using the term flare without a mutual understanding of its meaning” and “may also be applied to the development of outcome measures focused on AD flares, which is an important treatment outcome for people with AD.”

SOURCE:

The study was led by Aaron M. Drucker, MD, ScM, of the Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and was published online September 11 in JAMA Dermatology.

LIMITATIONS:

Participants had higher-than-average knowledge about AD, and the study’s findings may not be generalizable to all people with AD. The study included a higher proportion of moderate to severe AD cases than the general population, which may introduce responder bias. The findings may not be applicable to children, caregivers, or individuals in other countries.

DISCLOSURES:

This work was supported by a grant to the National Eczema Association from Pfizer. Dr. Drucker disclosed received compensation from the British Journal of Dermatology, American Academy of Dermatology, and Canadian Dermatology Today, and consultant fees from the National Eczema Association and Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health. Another author reported receiving personal fees from pharmaceutical companies.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

Nailfold capillaroscopy identifies distinct changes in capillary density, length, and morphology in patients with conditions such as nail psoriasis, onychomycosis, and retronychia.

METHODOLOGY:

• The single-center, observational cross-sectional pilot study evaluated patients aged ≥ 7 years with newly diagnosed nail disorders between January 2022 and May 2023.
• A total of 128 patients (average age, 46.1 years; range, 8-84 years) with nail psoriasis, onychomycosis, idiopathic/traumatic onycholysis, brittle nail syndrome, nail lichen planus, retronychia, and other nail conditions and those with no nail findings (controls) were enrolled.
• Researchers performed nailfold capillaroscopy imaging and compared capillary features between patients with nail conditions and the controls.

TAKEAWAY:

• Patients with nail psoriasis had decreased capillary density and length (P < .001), more crossed and tortuous capillaries (P < .02), and increased abnormal capillary morphology (P = .03) compared with controls. Specific abnormalities, such as branching and meandering capillaries, were more common among those with nail psoriasis (both 26.5%).
• Patients with fingernail and toenail onychomycosis had a higher frequency of abnormal capillary morphology (P < .02), particularly meandering capillaries (75.0% for fingernails and 76.9% for toenails). However, other abnormalities were less frequently observed.
• Patients with nail lichen planus (P < .01), onychopapilloma (P = .01), and retronychia (P = .03) showed significantly shorter capillaries than controls. Retronychia was also associated with increased disorganized polymorphic capillaries (P = .02).
• Patients with brittle nail syndrome and eczema showed no significant differences compared with controls.

IN PRACTICE:

“Our findings highlight nailfold capillaroscopy as a potentially quick, cost-effective, and noninvasive imaging modality as an adjunct for diagnosis and treatment initiation for patients with onychodystrophies,” the authors wrote.

SOURCE:

This study was led by Jonathan K. Hwang, MD, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, and was published online in The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

LIMITATIONS: 

The study’s limitations included a small sample size for certain nail conditions and the single-center design, which limited generalizability. Additionally, the uneven surface, scaling, onycholysis, and thickening of toenails made some capillaroscopy images difficult to capture and interpret.

DISCLOSURES:

The study did not receive any funding. One author reported serving as a consultant for Eli Lilly, Ortho-Dermatologics, BelleTorus, and Moberg Pharma.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

Nailfold capillaroscopy identifies distinct changes in capillary density, length, and morphology in patients with conditions such as nail psoriasis, onychomycosis, and retronychia.

METHODOLOGY:

• The single-center, observational cross-sectional pilot study evaluated patients aged ≥ 7 years with newly diagnosed nail disorders between January 2022 and May 2023.
• A total of 128 patients (average age, 46.1 years; range, 8-84 years) with nail psoriasis, onychomycosis, idiopathic/traumatic onycholysis, brittle nail syndrome, nail lichen planus, retronychia, and other nail conditions and those with no nail findings (controls) were enrolled.
• Researchers performed nailfold capillaroscopy imaging and compared capillary features between patients with nail conditions and the controls.

TAKEAWAY:

• Patients with nail psoriasis had decreased capillary density and length (P < .001), more crossed and tortuous capillaries (P < .02), and increased abnormal capillary morphology (P = .03) compared with controls. Specific abnormalities, such as branching and meandering capillaries, were more common among those with nail psoriasis (both 26.5%).
• Patients with fingernail and toenail onychomycosis had a higher frequency of abnormal capillary morphology (P < .02), particularly meandering capillaries (75.0% for fingernails and 76.9% for toenails). However, other abnormalities were less frequently observed.
• Patients with nail lichen planus (P < .01), onychopapilloma (P = .01), and retronychia (P = .03) showed significantly shorter capillaries than controls. Retronychia was also associated with increased disorganized polymorphic capillaries (P = .02).
• Patients with brittle nail syndrome and eczema showed no significant differences compared with controls.

IN PRACTICE:

“Our findings highlight nailfold capillaroscopy as a potentially quick, cost-effective, and noninvasive imaging modality as an adjunct for diagnosis and treatment initiation for patients with onychodystrophies,” the authors wrote.

SOURCE:

This study was led by Jonathan K. Hwang, MD, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, and was published online in The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

LIMITATIONS: 

The study’s limitations included a small sample size for certain nail conditions and the single-center design, which limited generalizability. Additionally, the uneven surface, scaling, onycholysis, and thickening of toenails made some capillaroscopy images difficult to capture and interpret.

DISCLOSURES:

The study did not receive any funding. One author reported serving as a consultant for Eli Lilly, Ortho-Dermatologics, BelleTorus, and Moberg Pharma.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

Nailfold capillaroscopy identifies distinct changes in capillary density, length, and morphology in patients with conditions such as nail psoriasis, onychomycosis, and retronychia.

METHODOLOGY:

• The single-center, observational cross-sectional pilot study evaluated patients aged ≥ 7 years with newly diagnosed nail disorders between January 2022 and May 2023.
• A total of 128 patients (average age, 46.1 years; range, 8-84 years) with nail psoriasis, onychomycosis, idiopathic/traumatic onycholysis, brittle nail syndrome, nail lichen planus, retronychia, and other nail conditions and those with no nail findings (controls) were enrolled.
• Researchers performed nailfold capillaroscopy imaging and compared capillary features between patients with nail conditions and the controls.

TAKEAWAY:

• Patients with nail psoriasis had decreased capillary density and length (P < .001), more crossed and tortuous capillaries (P < .02), and increased abnormal capillary morphology (P = .03) compared with controls. Specific abnormalities, such as branching and meandering capillaries, were more common among those with nail psoriasis (both 26.5%).
• Patients with fingernail and toenail onychomycosis had a higher frequency of abnormal capillary morphology (P < .02), particularly meandering capillaries (75.0% for fingernails and 76.9% for toenails). However, other abnormalities were less frequently observed.
• Patients with nail lichen planus (P < .01), onychopapilloma (P = .01), and retronychia (P = .03) showed significantly shorter capillaries than controls. Retronychia was also associated with increased disorganized polymorphic capillaries (P = .02).
• Patients with brittle nail syndrome and eczema showed no significant differences compared with controls.

IN PRACTICE:

“Our findings highlight nailfold capillaroscopy as a potentially quick, cost-effective, and noninvasive imaging modality as an adjunct for diagnosis and treatment initiation for patients with onychodystrophies,” the authors wrote.

SOURCE:

This study was led by Jonathan K. Hwang, MD, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, and was published online in The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

LIMITATIONS: 

The study’s limitations included a small sample size for certain nail conditions and the single-center design, which limited generalizability. Additionally, the uneven surface, scaling, onycholysis, and thickening of toenails made some capillaroscopy images difficult to capture and interpret.

DISCLOSURES:

The study did not receive any funding. One author reported serving as a consultant for Eli Lilly, Ortho-Dermatologics, BelleTorus, and Moberg Pharma.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Key clinical point: Nearly two out of three patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) had clinically significant central sensitization (CS), with the severity of psoriasis, anxiety level, and sleep quality being independent predictors of worse CS Inventory (CSI) scores.

Major finding: Overall, 65.1% patients had clinically significant CS, with a CSI score ≥ 40, with the severity of psoriasis and disease activity scores for PsA being positively associated with CSI scores (correlation coefficient 0.393-0.652; P < .001). The Psoriasis Area Severity Index (odds ratio [OR] 9.70; P = .017), General Anxiety Disorder-7 (OR 2.89; P = .014), and Insomnia Severity Index (OR 5.56; P = .041) scores were independent predictors of CS.

Study details: This cross-sectional observational study included 103 patients with PsA (age 18-75 years) with a mean CSI score of 45.4.

Disclosures: This study did not receive any financial support. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Kaya MN, Tecer D, Kılıç Ö, et al. Impact of central sensitization on clinical and functional aspects of psoriatic arthritis. Medicina. 2024;60(9):1449 (Sept 4). Source

Key clinical point: Nearly two out of three patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) had clinically significant central sensitization (CS), with the severity of psoriasis, anxiety level, and sleep quality being independent predictors of worse CS Inventory (CSI) scores.

Major finding: Overall, 65.1% patients had clinically significant CS, with a CSI score ≥ 40, with the severity of psoriasis and disease activity scores for PsA being positively associated with CSI scores (correlation coefficient 0.393-0.652; P < .001). The Psoriasis Area Severity Index (odds ratio [OR] 9.70; P = .017), General Anxiety Disorder-7 (OR 2.89; P = .014), and Insomnia Severity Index (OR 5.56; P = .041) scores were independent predictors of CS.

Study details: This cross-sectional observational study included 103 patients with PsA (age 18-75 years) with a mean CSI score of 45.4.

Disclosures: This study did not receive any financial support. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Kaya MN, Tecer D, Kılıç Ö, et al. Impact of central sensitization on clinical and functional aspects of psoriatic arthritis. Medicina. 2024;60(9):1449 (Sept 4). Source

Key clinical point: Nearly two out of three patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) had clinically significant central sensitization (CS), with the severity of psoriasis, anxiety level, and sleep quality being independent predictors of worse CS Inventory (CSI) scores.

Major finding: Overall, 65.1% patients had clinically significant CS, with a CSI score ≥ 40, with the severity of psoriasis and disease activity scores for PsA being positively associated with CSI scores (correlation coefficient 0.393-0.652; P < .001). The Psoriasis Area Severity Index (odds ratio [OR] 9.70; P = .017), General Anxiety Disorder-7 (OR 2.89; P = .014), and Insomnia Severity Index (OR 5.56; P = .041) scores were independent predictors of CS.

Study details: This cross-sectional observational study included 103 patients with PsA (age 18-75 years) with a mean CSI score of 45.4.

Disclosures: This study did not receive any financial support. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Kaya MN, Tecer D, Kılıç Ö, et al. Impact of central sensitization on clinical and functional aspects of psoriatic arthritis. Medicina. 2024;60(9):1449 (Sept 4). Source

Key clinical point: Bimekizumab demonstrated consistent safety and sustained efficacy for up to 2 years in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who were biologic-naive or inadequately responsive to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi-IR).

Major finding: From weeks 52 to 104, the incidence of treatment emergent adverse events (TEAE) was consistent with previous studies, with no new safety signals. SARS-CoV2 infection (18.6 per 100 patient-years) was the most common TEAE. Approximately 50% biologic-naive and TNFi-IR patients maintained a ≥50% improvement in the American College of Rheumatology response.

Study details: This open-label extension (BE-VITAL) of two phase 3 trials included biologic-naive (n = 852) and TNFi-IR (n = 400) patients with PsA who were randomly assigned to receive bimekizumab, placebo with crossover to bimekizumab at week 16, or adalimumab followed by bimekizumab at week 52.

Disclosures: This study was sponsored by UCB Pharma. Five authors declared being employees or shareholders of UCB Pharma. LC Coates declared being an editorial board member of Rheumatology and Therapy. Other authors declared having ties with various sources, including UCB.

Source: Mease PJ, Merola JF, Tanaka Y, et al. Safety and efficacy of bimekizumab in patients with psoriatic arthritis: 2-year results from two phase 3 studies. Rheumatol Ther. 2024 (Aug 31). doi: 10.1007/s40744-024-00708-8 Source

Key clinical point: Bimekizumab demonstrated consistent safety and sustained efficacy for up to 2 years in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who were biologic-naive or inadequately responsive to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi-IR).

Major finding: From weeks 52 to 104, the incidence of treatment emergent adverse events (TEAE) was consistent with previous studies, with no new safety signals. SARS-CoV2 infection (18.6 per 100 patient-years) was the most common TEAE. Approximately 50% biologic-naive and TNFi-IR patients maintained a ≥50% improvement in the American College of Rheumatology response.

Study details: This open-label extension (BE-VITAL) of two phase 3 trials included biologic-naive (n = 852) and TNFi-IR (n = 400) patients with PsA who were randomly assigned to receive bimekizumab, placebo with crossover to bimekizumab at week 16, or adalimumab followed by bimekizumab at week 52.

Disclosures: This study was sponsored by UCB Pharma. Five authors declared being employees or shareholders of UCB Pharma. LC Coates declared being an editorial board member of Rheumatology and Therapy. Other authors declared having ties with various sources, including UCB.

Source: Mease PJ, Merola JF, Tanaka Y, et al. Safety and efficacy of bimekizumab in patients with psoriatic arthritis: 2-year results from two phase 3 studies. Rheumatol Ther. 2024 (Aug 31). doi: 10.1007/s40744-024-00708-8 Source

Key clinical point: Bimekizumab demonstrated consistent safety and sustained efficacy for up to 2 years in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who were biologic-naive or inadequately responsive to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi-IR).

Major finding: From weeks 52 to 104, the incidence of treatment emergent adverse events (TEAE) was consistent with previous studies, with no new safety signals. SARS-CoV2 infection (18.6 per 100 patient-years) was the most common TEAE. Approximately 50% biologic-naive and TNFi-IR patients maintained a ≥50% improvement in the American College of Rheumatology response.

Study details: This open-label extension (BE-VITAL) of two phase 3 trials included biologic-naive (n = 852) and TNFi-IR (n = 400) patients with PsA who were randomly assigned to receive bimekizumab, placebo with crossover to bimekizumab at week 16, or adalimumab followed by bimekizumab at week 52.

Disclosures: This study was sponsored by UCB Pharma. Five authors declared being employees or shareholders of UCB Pharma. LC Coates declared being an editorial board member of Rheumatology and Therapy. Other authors declared having ties with various sources, including UCB.

Source: Mease PJ, Merola JF, Tanaka Y, et al. Safety and efficacy of bimekizumab in patients with psoriatic arthritis: 2-year results from two phase 3 studies. Rheumatol Ther. 2024 (Aug 31). doi: 10.1007/s40744-024-00708-8 Source

People who received systemic glucocorticoids during short hospital stays were more than twice as likely to develop new onset diabetes than those who didn’t, reported the authors of a large study that analyzed more than a decade’s worth of patient records.

Rajna Golubic, MD, PhD, of the diabetes trials unit at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, and colleagues did an observational cohort study, using data from electronic healthcare records of more than patients admitted between January 1, 2013, and October 1, 2023.

They looked for patients who didn’t have a diabetes diagnosis at the time of admission and who were not taking a steroid. Their research was presented this month at the 2024 annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Madrid, Spain.

About 1.8%, of 316, of the 17,258 patients who received systemic glucocorticoids (tablets, injections, or infusions) during their hospital stay developed new-onset diabetes, while this happened to only 0.8%, or 3450, of the 434,348 who did not get these drugs, according to an abstract of the EASD presentation.

The median length of stay was 3 days (2-8) for the group of patients who took steroids, compared with 1 day (1-3) in those who did not. Further analysis showed that, when age and sex were factored in, patients receiving systemic glucocorticoids were more than twice as likely (2.6 times) to develop diabetes as those not receiving the treatment, Dr. Golubic said.

This research builds on previous studies that looked at smaller groups of patients and the diabetes risk in patients with specific conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, Dr. Golubic said. It may prove helpful for clinicians considering when to employ steroids, which are useful medications for managing inflammation associated with many conditions.

“This gives them a very good estimate of how much more likely people treated with systemic glucocorticoids are to develop new-onset diabetes,” Dr. Golubic said.

Glucocorticoids have for decades been used for managing acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. The link to diabetes has been previously reported in smaller studies and in ones linked to specific conditions such as respiratory disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Carolyn Cummins, PhD, an associate professor at the University of Toronto, Canada, who was not part of this study, told this news organization she was pleased to see a study of diabetes and steroids done with the scope that Dr. Golubic and colleagues undertook. Dr. Cummins in 2022 published an article titled “Fresh insights into glucocorticoid-induced diabetes mellitus and new therapeutic directions” in Nature Reviews Endocrinology. 

“We know that this is an issue, but we didn’t necessarily know numerically how significant it was,” Dr. Cummins said. “I would say it wasn’t a surprising finding, but it’s nice to actually have the numbers from a large study.”

Dr. Golubic and Dr. Cummins reported no relevant financial relationships.
 

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

People who received systemic glucocorticoids during short hospital stays were more than twice as likely to develop new onset diabetes than those who didn’t, reported the authors of a large study that analyzed more than a decade’s worth of patient records.

Rajna Golubic, MD, PhD, of the diabetes trials unit at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, and colleagues did an observational cohort study, using data from electronic healthcare records of more than patients admitted between January 1, 2013, and October 1, 2023.

They looked for patients who didn’t have a diabetes diagnosis at the time of admission and who were not taking a steroid. Their research was presented this month at the 2024 annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Madrid, Spain.

About 1.8%, of 316, of the 17,258 patients who received systemic glucocorticoids (tablets, injections, or infusions) during their hospital stay developed new-onset diabetes, while this happened to only 0.8%, or 3450, of the 434,348 who did not get these drugs, according to an abstract of the EASD presentation.

The median length of stay was 3 days (2-8) for the group of patients who took steroids, compared with 1 day (1-3) in those who did not. Further analysis showed that, when age and sex were factored in, patients receiving systemic glucocorticoids were more than twice as likely (2.6 times) to develop diabetes as those not receiving the treatment, Dr. Golubic said.

This research builds on previous studies that looked at smaller groups of patients and the diabetes risk in patients with specific conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, Dr. Golubic said. It may prove helpful for clinicians considering when to employ steroids, which are useful medications for managing inflammation associated with many conditions.

“This gives them a very good estimate of how much more likely people treated with systemic glucocorticoids are to develop new-onset diabetes,” Dr. Golubic said.

Glucocorticoids have for decades been used for managing acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. The link to diabetes has been previously reported in smaller studies and in ones linked to specific conditions such as respiratory disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Carolyn Cummins, PhD, an associate professor at the University of Toronto, Canada, who was not part of this study, told this news organization she was pleased to see a study of diabetes and steroids done with the scope that Dr. Golubic and colleagues undertook. Dr. Cummins in 2022 published an article titled “Fresh insights into glucocorticoid-induced diabetes mellitus and new therapeutic directions” in Nature Reviews Endocrinology. 

“We know that this is an issue, but we didn’t necessarily know numerically how significant it was,” Dr. Cummins said. “I would say it wasn’t a surprising finding, but it’s nice to actually have the numbers from a large study.”

Dr. Golubic and Dr. Cummins reported no relevant financial relationships.
 

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

People who received systemic glucocorticoids during short hospital stays were more than twice as likely to develop new onset diabetes than those who didn’t, reported the authors of a large study that analyzed more than a decade’s worth of patient records.

Rajna Golubic, MD, PhD, of the diabetes trials unit at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, and colleagues did an observational cohort study, using data from electronic healthcare records of more than patients admitted between January 1, 2013, and October 1, 2023.

They looked for patients who didn’t have a diabetes diagnosis at the time of admission and who were not taking a steroid. Their research was presented this month at the 2024 annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Madrid, Spain.

About 1.8%, of 316, of the 17,258 patients who received systemic glucocorticoids (tablets, injections, or infusions) during their hospital stay developed new-onset diabetes, while this happened to only 0.8%, or 3450, of the 434,348 who did not get these drugs, according to an abstract of the EASD presentation.

The median length of stay was 3 days (2-8) for the group of patients who took steroids, compared with 1 day (1-3) in those who did not. Further analysis showed that, when age and sex were factored in, patients receiving systemic glucocorticoids were more than twice as likely (2.6 times) to develop diabetes as those not receiving the treatment, Dr. Golubic said.

This research builds on previous studies that looked at smaller groups of patients and the diabetes risk in patients with specific conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, Dr. Golubic said. It may prove helpful for clinicians considering when to employ steroids, which are useful medications for managing inflammation associated with many conditions.

“This gives them a very good estimate of how much more likely people treated with systemic glucocorticoids are to develop new-onset diabetes,” Dr. Golubic said.

Glucocorticoids have for decades been used for managing acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. The link to diabetes has been previously reported in smaller studies and in ones linked to specific conditions such as respiratory disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Carolyn Cummins, PhD, an associate professor at the University of Toronto, Canada, who was not part of this study, told this news organization she was pleased to see a study of diabetes and steroids done with the scope that Dr. Golubic and colleagues undertook. Dr. Cummins in 2022 published an article titled “Fresh insights into glucocorticoid-induced diabetes mellitus and new therapeutic directions” in Nature Reviews Endocrinology. 

“We know that this is an issue, but we didn’t necessarily know numerically how significant it was,” Dr. Cummins said. “I would say it wasn’t a surprising finding, but it’s nice to actually have the numbers from a large study.”

Dr. Golubic and Dr. Cummins reported no relevant financial relationships.
 

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Key clinical point: Guselkumab treatment every 4 or 8 weeks (Q4W/Q8W) showed minimal clinically important improvements (MCII) in Clinical Disease Activity Index for Psoriatic Arthritis (cDAPSA) after the first dose and sustained disease control for up to 1 year in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Major finding: Both guselkumab doses (Q4W and Q8W) vs placebo led to early achievement of MCII in cDAPSA (hazard ratio 1.6-1.7; all P < .0001), with higher response rates at week 4 (P < .01). Achieving early MCII in cDAPSA was associated with sustained disease control at 24 and 52 weeks (odds ratio 1.4-3.5; all P < .05).

Study details: This post hoc analysis of phase 3 trials, DISCOVER-1 and DISCOVER-2, included 1120 patients with active PsA who received guselkumab (Q4W or Q8W) or placebo with a crossover to guselkumab Q4W at week 24.

Disclosures: This study was supported by Janssen Research & Development (JRD), LLC. Four authors declared being employees or shareholders of JRD or other sources. Several authors declared having ties with various sources, including JRD.

Source: Curtis JR, Deodhar A, Soriano ER, et al. Early Improvements with guselkumab associate with sustained control of psoriatic arthritis: Post hoc analyses of two phase 3 trials. Rheumatol Ther. 2024 (Sept 11). doi: 10.1007/s40744-024-00702-0 Source

Key clinical point: Guselkumab treatment every 4 or 8 weeks (Q4W/Q8W) showed minimal clinically important improvements (MCII) in Clinical Disease Activity Index for Psoriatic Arthritis (cDAPSA) after the first dose and sustained disease control for up to 1 year in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Major finding: Both guselkumab doses (Q4W and Q8W) vs placebo led to early achievement of MCII in cDAPSA (hazard ratio 1.6-1.7; all P < .0001), with higher response rates at week 4 (P < .01). Achieving early MCII in cDAPSA was associated with sustained disease control at 24 and 52 weeks (odds ratio 1.4-3.5; all P < .05).

Study details: This post hoc analysis of phase 3 trials, DISCOVER-1 and DISCOVER-2, included 1120 patients with active PsA who received guselkumab (Q4W or Q8W) or placebo with a crossover to guselkumab Q4W at week 24.

Disclosures: This study was supported by Janssen Research & Development (JRD), LLC. Four authors declared being employees or shareholders of JRD or other sources. Several authors declared having ties with various sources, including JRD.

Source: Curtis JR, Deodhar A, Soriano ER, et al. Early Improvements with guselkumab associate with sustained control of psoriatic arthritis: Post hoc analyses of two phase 3 trials. Rheumatol Ther. 2024 (Sept 11). doi: 10.1007/s40744-024-00702-0 Source

Key clinical point: Guselkumab treatment every 4 or 8 weeks (Q4W/Q8W) showed minimal clinically important improvements (MCII) in Clinical Disease Activity Index for Psoriatic Arthritis (cDAPSA) after the first dose and sustained disease control for up to 1 year in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Major finding: Both guselkumab doses (Q4W and Q8W) vs placebo led to early achievement of MCII in cDAPSA (hazard ratio 1.6-1.7; all P < .0001), with higher response rates at week 4 (P < .01). Achieving early MCII in cDAPSA was associated with sustained disease control at 24 and 52 weeks (odds ratio 1.4-3.5; all P < .05).

Study details: This post hoc analysis of phase 3 trials, DISCOVER-1 and DISCOVER-2, included 1120 patients with active PsA who received guselkumab (Q4W or Q8W) or placebo with a crossover to guselkumab Q4W at week 24.

Disclosures: This study was supported by Janssen Research & Development (JRD), LLC. Four authors declared being employees or shareholders of JRD or other sources. Several authors declared having ties with various sources, including JRD.

Source: Curtis JR, Deodhar A, Soriano ER, et al. Early Improvements with guselkumab associate with sustained control of psoriatic arthritis: Post hoc analyses of two phase 3 trials. Rheumatol Ther. 2024 (Sept 11). doi: 10.1007/s40744-024-00702-0 Source

Key clinical point: Treatment with biologics, such as tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) and interleukin-17 inhibitors (IL-17i), altered serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3), S100 calcium-binding protein A8 (S100A8), acid phosphatase 5, tartrate resistant (ACP5), and CXC motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10), with initial levels of these biomarkers effectively predicting treatment response to biologics in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Major finding: The serum levels of MMP3, S100A8, ACP5, CCL2, and CXCL10 were significantly reduced with TNFi (all P < .05), whereas ACP5 and CCL2 levels increased with IL-17i (both P < .05). The baseline levels of MMP3, S100A8, ACP5, and CXCL10 effectively predicted response to biologic treatment (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve > 0.8).

Study details: This study retrospectively analyzed data from 205 patients with PsA who did (n = 130) or did not (n = 75) receive biologics or conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and 56 patients with psoriasis without arthritis, of whom 28 patients received biologics.

Disclosures: This study was partially funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research, with additional funding provided by the Krembil Foundation. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Offenheim R, Cruz-Correa OF, Ganatra D, Gladman DD. Candidate biomarkers for response to treatment in psoriatic disease. J Rheumatol. 2024 (Sept 1). doi: 10.3899/jrheum.2024-0396 Source

Key clinical point: Treatment with biologics, such as tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) and interleukin-17 inhibitors (IL-17i), altered serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3), S100 calcium-binding protein A8 (S100A8), acid phosphatase 5, tartrate resistant (ACP5), and CXC motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10), with initial levels of these biomarkers effectively predicting treatment response to biologics in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Major finding: The serum levels of MMP3, S100A8, ACP5, CCL2, and CXCL10 were significantly reduced with TNFi (all P < .05), whereas ACP5 and CCL2 levels increased with IL-17i (both P < .05). The baseline levels of MMP3, S100A8, ACP5, and CXCL10 effectively predicted response to biologic treatment (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve > 0.8).

Study details: This study retrospectively analyzed data from 205 patients with PsA who did (n = 130) or did not (n = 75) receive biologics or conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and 56 patients with psoriasis without arthritis, of whom 28 patients received biologics.

Disclosures: This study was partially funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research, with additional funding provided by the Krembil Foundation. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Offenheim R, Cruz-Correa OF, Ganatra D, Gladman DD. Candidate biomarkers for response to treatment in psoriatic disease. J Rheumatol. 2024 (Sept 1). doi: 10.3899/jrheum.2024-0396 Source

Key clinical point: Treatment with biologics, such as tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) and interleukin-17 inhibitors (IL-17i), altered serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3), S100 calcium-binding protein A8 (S100A8), acid phosphatase 5, tartrate resistant (ACP5), and CXC motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10), with initial levels of these biomarkers effectively predicting treatment response to biologics in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Major finding: The serum levels of MMP3, S100A8, ACP5, CCL2, and CXCL10 were significantly reduced with TNFi (all P < .05), whereas ACP5 and CCL2 levels increased with IL-17i (both P < .05). The baseline levels of MMP3, S100A8, ACP5, and CXCL10 effectively predicted response to biologic treatment (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve > 0.8).

Study details: This study retrospectively analyzed data from 205 patients with PsA who did (n = 130) or did not (n = 75) receive biologics or conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and 56 patients with psoriasis without arthritis, of whom 28 patients received biologics.

Disclosures: This study was partially funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research, with additional funding provided by the Krembil Foundation. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Offenheim R, Cruz-Correa OF, Ganatra D, Gladman DD. Candidate biomarkers for response to treatment in psoriatic disease. J Rheumatol. 2024 (Sept 1). doi: 10.3899/jrheum.2024-0396 Source

Key clinical point: Patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) initiating biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARD) had a significantly higher risk for interstitial lung disease (ILD) than control individuals in the general population; with methotrexate co-medication not being a risk factor for ILD.

Major finding: The 5-year risk for ILD was significantly higher in patients with PsA vs individuals in the general population (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 4.4; 95% CI 2.8-7.0). The risk for ILD did not increase among patients with PsA who did vs did not use methotrexate as co-medication (aHR 1.0; 95% CI 0.4-2.2).

Study details: This observational cohort study included 10,919 patients with PsA and 29,478 patients with rheumatoid arthritis from five Nordic rheumatology registers (all age ≥ 18 years) who initiated bDMARD treatment, along with 362,087 control individuals from the general population.

Disclosures: This study was supported by NordForsk, Foreum, and other sources. Several authors declared receiving grants, honoraria, or consulting fees from or having other ties with various sources.

Source: Provan SA, Ljung L, Kristianslund EK, et al. Interstitial lung disease in rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis patients initiating biologics, and controls - Data from five Nordic registries. J Rheumatol.  2024 (Sept 1). doi: 0.3899/jrheum.2024-0252 Source

Key clinical point: Patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) initiating biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARD) had a significantly higher risk for interstitial lung disease (ILD) than control individuals in the general population; with methotrexate co-medication not being a risk factor for ILD.

Major finding: The 5-year risk for ILD was significantly higher in patients with PsA vs individuals in the general population (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 4.4; 95% CI 2.8-7.0). The risk for ILD did not increase among patients with PsA who did vs did not use methotrexate as co-medication (aHR 1.0; 95% CI 0.4-2.2).

Study details: This observational cohort study included 10,919 patients with PsA and 29,478 patients with rheumatoid arthritis from five Nordic rheumatology registers (all age ≥ 18 years) who initiated bDMARD treatment, along with 362,087 control individuals from the general population.

Disclosures: This study was supported by NordForsk, Foreum, and other sources. Several authors declared receiving grants, honoraria, or consulting fees from or having other ties with various sources.

Source: Provan SA, Ljung L, Kristianslund EK, et al. Interstitial lung disease in rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis patients initiating biologics, and controls - Data from five Nordic registries. J Rheumatol.  2024 (Sept 1). doi: 0.3899/jrheum.2024-0252 Source

Key clinical point: Patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) initiating biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARD) had a significantly higher risk for interstitial lung disease (ILD) than control individuals in the general population; with methotrexate co-medication not being a risk factor for ILD.

Major finding: The 5-year risk for ILD was significantly higher in patients with PsA vs individuals in the general population (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 4.4; 95% CI 2.8-7.0). The risk for ILD did not increase among patients with PsA who did vs did not use methotrexate as co-medication (aHR 1.0; 95% CI 0.4-2.2).

Study details: This observational cohort study included 10,919 patients with PsA and 29,478 patients with rheumatoid arthritis from five Nordic rheumatology registers (all age ≥ 18 years) who initiated bDMARD treatment, along with 362,087 control individuals from the general population.

Disclosures: This study was supported by NordForsk, Foreum, and other sources. Several authors declared receiving grants, honoraria, or consulting fees from or having other ties with various sources.

Source: Provan SA, Ljung L, Kristianslund EK, et al. Interstitial lung disease in rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis patients initiating biologics, and controls - Data from five Nordic registries. J Rheumatol.  2024 (Sept 1). doi: 0.3899/jrheum.2024-0252 Source

Key clinical point: Bimekizumab showed better clinical efficacy outcomes than risankizumab in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who were biologic-naive or showed inadequate response to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi-IR).

Major finding: At week 52, bimekizumab vs risankizumab led to a higher likelihood of achieving ≥70% improvement in the American College of Rheumatology response in biologic-naive (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.80; P < .001) and TNFi-IR (aOR 3.69; P < .001) patients. It was also linked to greater odds of minimal disease activity response in TNFi-IR patients (aOR 2.43; P = .003).

Study details: This matching-adjusted indirect comparison of data from four phase 3 trials (BE OPTIMAL, BE COMPLETE, KEEPsAKE-1, and KEEPsAKE-2) that involved biologic-naive or TNFi-IR patients with PsA who received bimekizumab (n = 698) or risankizumab (n = 589).

Disclosures: This study was supported by UCB Pharma and the National Institute of Health and Care Research Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, UK. Four authors declared being employees and shareholders of UCB Pharma. Other authors declared having ties with various sources, including UCB Pharma.

Source: Mease PJ, Warren RB, Nash P, et al. Comparative effectiveness of bimekizumab and risankizumab in patients with psoriatic arthritis at 52 weeks assessed using a matching-adjusted indirect comparison. Rheumatol Ther. 2024 (Aug 9). doi: 10.1007/s40744-024-00706-w Source

Key clinical point: Bimekizumab showed better clinical efficacy outcomes than risankizumab in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who were biologic-naive or showed inadequate response to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi-IR).

Major finding: At week 52, bimekizumab vs risankizumab led to a higher likelihood of achieving ≥70% improvement in the American College of Rheumatology response in biologic-naive (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.80; P < .001) and TNFi-IR (aOR 3.69; P < .001) patients. It was also linked to greater odds of minimal disease activity response in TNFi-IR patients (aOR 2.43; P = .003).

Study details: This matching-adjusted indirect comparison of data from four phase 3 trials (BE OPTIMAL, BE COMPLETE, KEEPsAKE-1, and KEEPsAKE-2) that involved biologic-naive or TNFi-IR patients with PsA who received bimekizumab (n = 698) or risankizumab (n = 589).

Disclosures: This study was supported by UCB Pharma and the National Institute of Health and Care Research Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, UK. Four authors declared being employees and shareholders of UCB Pharma. Other authors declared having ties with various sources, including UCB Pharma.

Source: Mease PJ, Warren RB, Nash P, et al. Comparative effectiveness of bimekizumab and risankizumab in patients with psoriatic arthritis at 52 weeks assessed using a matching-adjusted indirect comparison. Rheumatol Ther. 2024 (Aug 9). doi: 10.1007/s40744-024-00706-w Source

Key clinical point: Bimekizumab showed better clinical efficacy outcomes than risankizumab in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who were biologic-naive or showed inadequate response to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi-IR).

Major finding: At week 52, bimekizumab vs risankizumab led to a higher likelihood of achieving ≥70% improvement in the American College of Rheumatology response in biologic-naive (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.80; P < .001) and TNFi-IR (aOR 3.69; P < .001) patients. It was also linked to greater odds of minimal disease activity response in TNFi-IR patients (aOR 2.43; P = .003).

Study details: This matching-adjusted indirect comparison of data from four phase 3 trials (BE OPTIMAL, BE COMPLETE, KEEPsAKE-1, and KEEPsAKE-2) that involved biologic-naive or TNFi-IR patients with PsA who received bimekizumab (n = 698) or risankizumab (n = 589).

Disclosures: This study was supported by UCB Pharma and the National Institute of Health and Care Research Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, UK. Four authors declared being employees and shareholders of UCB Pharma. Other authors declared having ties with various sources, including UCB Pharma.

Source: Mease PJ, Warren RB, Nash P, et al. Comparative effectiveness of bimekizumab and risankizumab in patients with psoriatic arthritis at 52 weeks assessed using a matching-adjusted indirect comparison. Rheumatol Ther. 2024 (Aug 9). doi: 10.1007/s40744-024-00706-w Source

Key clinical point: Patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who were disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD)-naive or non-responders to previous conventional synthetic DMARD treatment (DMARD-failure) showed similar inflammation and structural damage on imaging.

Major finding: After adjusting for patient characteristics, structural imaging parameters including Achilles tendon structural damage and Joint Space Narrowing scores (both P > .6) were similar in DMARD-naive and DMARD-failure patients. Additionally, inflammatory imaging parameters (P > .2) showed no significant differences between the two groups, indicating that failing a DMARD was not associated with worsened imaging outcomes.

Study details: This cross-sectional study evaluated 80 patients with PsA from TOFA-PREDICT trial who were either DMARD-naive (n = 40) or DMARD non-responders (n = 40).

Disclosures: This study was supported by Pfizer. The collaboration project was co-funded by the public-private partnerships allowance by Health~Holland, Top Sector Life Sciences & Health. Six authors declared receiving research grants, consulting fees, and support from various sources, including Pfizer. Other authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Renkli NÖ, Kleinrensink NJ, Spierings J, et al, and the TOFA-PREDICT author group. Multimodal imaging of structural damage and inflammation in psoriatic arthritis: A comparison of DMARD-naive and DMARD-failure patients. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2024 (Aug 17). doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/keae450 Source

Key clinical point: Patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who were disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD)-naive or non-responders to previous conventional synthetic DMARD treatment (DMARD-failure) showed similar inflammation and structural damage on imaging.

Major finding: After adjusting for patient characteristics, structural imaging parameters including Achilles tendon structural damage and Joint Space Narrowing scores (both P > .6) were similar in DMARD-naive and DMARD-failure patients. Additionally, inflammatory imaging parameters (P > .2) showed no significant differences between the two groups, indicating that failing a DMARD was not associated with worsened imaging outcomes.

Study details: This cross-sectional study evaluated 80 patients with PsA from TOFA-PREDICT trial who were either DMARD-naive (n = 40) or DMARD non-responders (n = 40).

Disclosures: This study was supported by Pfizer. The collaboration project was co-funded by the public-private partnerships allowance by Health~Holland, Top Sector Life Sciences & Health. Six authors declared receiving research grants, consulting fees, and support from various sources, including Pfizer. Other authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Renkli NÖ, Kleinrensink NJ, Spierings J, et al, and the TOFA-PREDICT author group. Multimodal imaging of structural damage and inflammation in psoriatic arthritis: A comparison of DMARD-naive and DMARD-failure patients. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2024 (Aug 17). doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/keae450 Source

Key clinical point: Patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who were disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD)-naive or non-responders to previous conventional synthetic DMARD treatment (DMARD-failure) showed similar inflammation and structural damage on imaging.

Major finding: After adjusting for patient characteristics, structural imaging parameters including Achilles tendon structural damage and Joint Space Narrowing scores (both P > .6) were similar in DMARD-naive and DMARD-failure patients. Additionally, inflammatory imaging parameters (P > .2) showed no significant differences between the two groups, indicating that failing a DMARD was not associated with worsened imaging outcomes.

Study details: This cross-sectional study evaluated 80 patients with PsA from TOFA-PREDICT trial who were either DMARD-naive (n = 40) or DMARD non-responders (n = 40).

Disclosures: This study was supported by Pfizer. The collaboration project was co-funded by the public-private partnerships allowance by Health~Holland, Top Sector Life Sciences & Health. Six authors declared receiving research grants, consulting fees, and support from various sources, including Pfizer. Other authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Source: Renkli NÖ, Kleinrensink NJ, Spierings J, et al, and the TOFA-PREDICT author group. Multimodal imaging of structural damage and inflammation in psoriatic arthritis: A comparison of DMARD-naive and DMARD-failure patients. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2024 (Aug 17). doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/keae450 Source