Long-term Outcomes of Psoriatic Arthritis in Daily Practice: Results from a Real World Cohort

This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and its influencing factors in real-world practice.

In the current multicenter study, 321 patients with PsA aged >18 years, being followed-up for at least six months, and visited at least three times per year, were collected from four referral rheumatology centers. Disease outcomes were evaluated with rate of minimal disease activity (MDA), sustained remission, medication-free remission, and occurrence of clinically damaged joints from the time of diagnosis to the last visit.

Mean age at diagnosis was 41.7 years and median follow-up duration was 36 months. MDA and sustained remission occurred at least once in 228 and 74 patients. Medication-free remission occurred in 34 (10.7%) patients. At least one clinically damaged joint was present in 99 (30.8%) patients at the last visit. Current smoking and psoriasis phenotype of skin psoriasis were predictors of sustained remission. Having no flare after sustained remission and PsA before or concurrently with psoriasis were predictors of medication-free remission. Age at cohort entry over 40, starting PsA after psoriasis, and going to sustained remission over six months of treatment were predictors of having clinically damaged joints.

A significant proportion of patients with PsA achieved sustained remission in daily practice; however, medication-free remission remained unachievable.