Psoriatic arthritis therapy advances.
OBJECTIVE
This paper will review the data published in 2004 on the treatment of psoriatic arthritis, which arthritis affects 6 to 39% of all patients with psoriasis.


RESULTS
New data from placebo-controlled trials of anti-tumor necrosis factor agents, etanercept, infliximab, and adalimumab continue to show sustained effectiveness of these therapies in their ability to control the symptoms and signs of both arthritis and psoriasis, improve quality of life and function, and inhibit disease progression as measured by radiologic changes. Medications that inhibit T cells have been approved for the treatment of psoriasis and have been studied in psoriatic arthritis. The effectiveness of one of these agents, efalizumab, did not achieve statistical significance in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis. The results of a trial with a second agent, alefacept are pending public review.


CONCLUSIONS
There has been a persistent increased focus on the diagnosis and treatment of psoriatic arthritis as newer and more effective drugs than traditional disease-modifying agents have become available.
Mease
Philip J
PJ
Seattle Rheumatology Associates, Swedish Medical Center, Rheumatology Research Division, and University of Washington School of Medicine Seattle, Washington 98104, USA. pmease@nwlink.com
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000639:trends*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007155:Immunologic Factors