FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERITY OF DISEASE IN PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

• Published in: Revista română de reumatologie 2017-03, Vol.26 (1), p.24-29
• Main Authors: Gudu, Tania, Peltea, Alexandra, Balanescu, Andra, Bojinca, Violeta, Opris, Daniela, Predeteanu, Denisa, Ionescu, Ruxandra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: corticotherapy; disease severity; moderate/severe psoriasis; psoriatic arthritis
• ISSN: 1843-0791; 2069-6086
• DOI: 10.37897/RJR.2017.1.5

Objectives. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of disease severity in PsA and to assess the factors that might explain it. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study of unselected PsA patients. Severity was defined according to GRAPPA criteria of severity. Factors potentially associated with severity (demographical, clinical, laboratory variables, treatment related factors and comorbidities) were assessed by uni- and multivariate logistic regressions. Results. A total of 129 PsA patients were analysed: 77 (59.7%) women, mean±standard deviation age 53.5±11.8 years, and mean disease duration 7±7.4 years. Twenty-for patients (18.6%) had severe PsA. In the univariate regression, disease severity was associated with psoriasis duration, PsA duration, current moderate/severe skin disease, nail disease, history of corticotherapy, and total number of previous synthetic and biologic DMARDs. In the multivariate analysis, PsA severity was explained by the presence of current moderate/severe psoriasis – odds ratio 5.88 (95% confidence interval 1.39; 25.00) and history of corticosteroids – 4.65 (1.13; 18.87). Conclusion. PsA severity is best explained by the presence of moderate or severe psoriasis and past treatment with corticosteroids, but further longitudinal studies are needed to identify predictive factors.