Digital biomarkers for psoriatic arthritis: a qualitative focus group study on patient-perceived opportunities and barriers.

Objectives: The widespread adoption of wearables, for example, smartphones and smartwatches in the daily lives of the general population, allows passive monitoring of physiological and behavioural data in the real world. This qualitative study explores the perspective of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients towards these so-called digital biomarkers (dBMs).

Methods: As part of a Design Thinking approach, six focus groups were conducted involving 27 PsA patients.

Determinants of radiographic progression in early psoriatic arthritis: insights from a real-world cohort.

Objective: Persistent articular inflammation in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is associated with radiographic damage. Despite advances in diagnosis and therapy, radiographic structural damage remains prevalent in PsA. To elucidate this topic, we studied which baseline clinical characteristics determine radiographic progression.

Window of opportunity in psoriatic arthritis: the earlier the better?

Objectives: To investigate whether there is a window of opportunity for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients and to assess which patient characteristics are associated with a longer diagnostic delay.

Methods: All newly diagnosed, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug-naïve PsA patients who participated in the Dutch southwest Early PsA cohoRt and had ≥3 years of follow-up were studied. First, total delay was calculated as the time period between symptom onset and PsA diagnosis made by a rheumatologist and then split into patient and physician delays.

Impact of psoriasis remains important in psoriatic arthritis patients with low musculoskeletal disease activity.

Objectives: Achieving low disease activity (LDA) is important in patients with psoriatic arthritis. It is of value to know if health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients who reached musculoskeletal low disease activity can be further improved by additionally achieving remission of their psoriasis. So, the aim of this study was to assess HRQoL in patients with active psoriasis who reached disease activity in psoriatic arthritis (DAPSA) LDA after one year of follow-up.

A Practical Guide for Assessment of Skin Burden in Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis.

Objective: Rheumatologists play a pivotal role in the management of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Due to time constraints during clinic visits, the skin may not receive the attention needed for optimal patient outcome. Therefore, the aim of this study was to select a set of core questions that can help rheumatologists in daily rheumatology clinical practice to identify patients with PsA with a high skin burden.

The burden of psoriasis in patients with early psoriatic arthritis.

Objectives: Psoriasis impacts health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in PsA patients. However, this is not adequately measured with a general HRQoL questionnaire. The aim of this study was to quantify the degree of psoriasis evolution in PsA patients over the first year of follow-up and to evaluate whether the impact of psoriasis on HRQoL can be adequately measured with a dermatology-specific HRQoL questionnaire.

Two-year cost effectiveness between two gradual tapering strategies in rheumatoid arthritis: cost-utility analysis of the TARA trial.

Objective: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the 2-year cost-utility ratio between tapering conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARD) first followed by the tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-inhibitor, or vice versa, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Two-year data of the Tapering strategies in Rheumatoid Arthritis trial were used. Patients with RA, who used both a csDMARD and a TNF-inhibitor and had a well-controlled disease (disease activity score ≤2.

Achieving sustained minimal disease activity with methotrexate in early interleukin 23-driven early psoriatic arthritis.

Objectives: Methotrexate (MTX) is currently the recommended first-line therapy for treating psoriatic arthritis (PsA), despite lacking clear evidence. No estimates of efficacy of MTX in usual care and no clear MTX responsive clinical or laboratory variables are currently available. This study describes the response to MTX monotherapy in newly diagnosed patients with PsA in usual care.

Comparison of disease activity measures in early psoriatic arthritis in usual care.

Objectives: To compare responsiveness and longitudinal validity of Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28), Disease Activity index for PSoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA), Composite Psoriatic Disease Activity Index (CPDAI), Psoriatic ArthritiS Disease Activity Score (PASDAS), GRAppa Composite scorE (GRACE) and Minimal Disease Activity (MDA) in usual care PsA patients, within 1 year after diagnosis.

Methods: Data collected in the Dutch southwest early PsA cohort (DEPAR) were used. Responsiveness was assessed using effect size (ES), standardized response mean (SRM), and discrimination between different general health states.

Gradual tapering TNF inhibitors versus conventional synthetic DMARDs after achieving controlled disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: first-year results of the randomised controlled TARA study.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of two tapering strategies after achieving controlled disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), during 1 year of follow-up.

Methods: In this multicentre single-blinded (research nurses) randomised controlled trial, patients with RA were included who achieved controlled disease, defined as a Disease Activity Score (DAS) ≤ 2.4 and a Swollen Joint Count (SJC) ≤ 1, treated with both a conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARD) and a TNF inhibitor.

Association of Physical Activity and Medication with Enthesitis on Ultrasound in Psoriatic Arthritis.

Objective: Enthesitis is a manifestation of psoriatic arthritis (PsA), but its symptoms are difficult to interpret clinically. We investigated the associations of ultrasonographic changes in entheses with clinical characteristics in patients with PsA, and compared enthesis changes of patients aged 35 to 60 years with healthy volunteers of that age.

Methods: Consecutive patients with PsA participated in this cross-sectional study, irrespective of enthesitis complaints and age.

Time to minimal disease activity in relation to quality of life, productivity, and radiographic damage 1 year after diagnosis in psoriatic arthritis.

Background: In a cohort of patients with newly diagnosed psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who received usual care, we investigated the impact of time elapsed to minimal disease activity (MDA) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), work productivity, and radiographic damage throughout the first year after diagnosis.

Methods: Data collected in the Dutch southwest early PsA cohort (DEPAR) study were analyzed. These three-monthly data encompassed disease activity, HRQOL was measured with the Short Form 36 (SF36) Physical Component Scale (SF36-PCS) and Mental Component Scale, and productivity was measured with the Productivity Cost Questionnaire.

Employment and the role of personal factors among patients with ankylosing spondylitis: a Dutch cross-sectional case-control study.

Objectives: To update the knowledge on employment and the role of mastery, a personal factor reflecting the level of control over life and disease, among Dutch patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) compared to general population subjects.

Methods: Data of persons ≤65 years participating in a Dutch cross-sectional multicentre study on social participation in AS were used. Being employed was the main outcome.

Influence of Disease Manifestations on Health-related Quality of Life in Early Psoriatic Arthritis.

Objective: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a multifaceted disease. Affecting joints, skin, entheses, and dactylitis, its effect on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) could be substantial. We aim to assess HRQOL in patients newly diagnosed with PsA and analyze its associations with disease manifestations.

Burden of Psoriatic Arthritis According to Different Definitions of Disease Activity: Comparing Minimal Disease Activity and the Disease Activity Index for Psoriatic Arthritis.

Objective: Treat-to-target strategies have improved outcomes in rheumatic diseases. In psoriatic arthritis (PsA), the proposed targets are the multidimensional target minimal disease activity (MDA) and the articular target Disease Activity index for PsA (DAPSA). The aim of this study was to compare the disease burden of PsA in patients with low disease activity according to the 2 definitions, MDA and DAPSA low disease activity (DAPSA-LDA), 1 year after diagnosis.

High-Frame-Rate Power Doppler Ultrasound Is More Sensitive than Conventional Power Doppler in Detecting Rheumatic Vascularisation.

Early recognition of joint inflammation will increase treatment efficacy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Yet, conventional power Doppler (PD) ultrasound might not be sufficiently sensitive to detect minor inflammation. We investigated the sensitivity of high-frame rate Doppler, combined with singular value decomposition technique, to suppress tissue signals, for microvascular flow in a flow phantom setup and in a proof-of-principle study in healthy controls and in RA patients with different disease activities.

Social Role Participation and Satisfaction With Life: A Study Among Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis and Population Controls.

Objective: Participation in society of persons with chronic diseases receives increasing attention. However, little is known about which components of participation are most relevant to life satisfaction. This study examines the association between several aspects of social role participation and satisfaction with life (SWL) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) compared to population controls.

Limited value for ultrasonography in predicting flare in rheumatoid arthritis patients with low disease activity stopping TNF inhibitors.

Objective: Ultrasonography (US) can be used for treatment decisions in RA patients. This study investigated the added value of US to clinical variables in predicting flare in RA patients with longstanding low disease activity when stopping TNF inhibitors (TNFi).

Methods: Cox models with and without using US added to clinical variables were developed in the Potential Optimization of Expediency of TNFi-UltraSonography study.

The Prevalence and Incidence of Axial and Peripheral Spondyloarthritis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: Inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] is a chronic disease which affects up to 0.5% of the population. Various extraintestinal manifestations occur, among which are rheumatic manifestations, grouped together under the name spondyloarthritis.