Effectiveness and safety of secukinumab in 608 patients with psoriatic arthritis in real life: a 24-month prospective, multicentre study.

Objectives: To evaluate in a multicentric Italian cohort of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) on secukinumab followed for 24 months: (1) the long-term effectiveness and safety of secukinumab, (2) the drug retention rate and minimal disease activity (MDA), (3) differences in the outcomes according to the biological treatment line: biologic-naïve patients () versus multifailure () patients.

Methods: Consecutive patients with PsA receiving secukinumab were evaluated prospectively. Disease characteristics, previous/ongoing treatments, comorbidities and follow-up duration were collected.

Sarcopenia in Patients with Rheumatic Diseases: Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors.

The prevalence of sarcopenia in rheumatic diseases has been evaluated in single diseases using various diagnostic approaches, generating conflicting data on the pathogenetic mechanism(s). Herein, we evaluated both muscle mass index (MMI) and muscle strength to assess sarcopenia and presarcopenia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Moreover, we evaluated the possible impact of disease/patient-related characteristics, therapeutic regimens, and nutritional aspects on sarcopenia.

Obesity reduces the drug survival of second line biological drugs following a first TNF-α inhibitor in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess whether body mass index (BMI) affects clinical outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients starting a second line biological drug after failure of a first TNF-α blocker.

Methods: From a longitudinal cohort, we analyzed 292 RA patients (66 obese, 109 overweight, and 117 normal-weight) treated with a first ever anti-TNF-α drug. Patients discontinuing the therapy were followed-up if began a second biological drug.