title: Efficacy of cyclosporine A as monotherapy in patients with psoriatic arthritis: a subgroup analysis of the SYNERGY Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The SYNERGY Study is an observational, multicenter Italian study, conducted in patients with diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) treated from at least 3 months with cyclosporine and aimed at assessing patients' seropositivity for viral infections and efficacy and safety of cyclosporine, administered as monotherapy or in combination with other systemic drugs in the routine clinical practice. The aim of this subanalysis of the SYNERGY study was to evaluate the effects of CsA as monotherapy only in PsA over 12 months of observation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Psoriasis was evaluated by Body Surface Area and the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI). PsA was evaluated by number of swollen and tender joints, painful entheses and fingers with dactylitis, the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Activity Index (BASDAI) and by patients' and physicians' global assessment on a 10-point Visual Analogue Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cyclosporine in monotherapy was effective in reducing all the measured disease parameters. The major indexes of cutaneous and spinal involvement, PASI and BASDAI were significantly reduced over the study period, as were the number of swollen and tender peripheral joints, and enthesitis and dactylitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cyclosporine in monotherapy confirmed its efficacy in cutaneous psoriasis and suggested to be effective also on PsA, reducing spinal and peripheral joints' signs and symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Novartis Farma Italia, Origgio, Varese, Italy - delia.colombo@novartis.com.
authors.forename: Delia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.affiliation: Tor Vergata Policlinic, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chimenti
authors.affiliation: Ospedale di Circolo e Fondazione Macchi, Varese, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Grossi
authors.affiliation: Pini Orthopedic Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marchesoni
authors.affiliation: Azienda Universitaria Ospedaliera Policlinico Vittorio Emanuele, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Foti
authors.affiliation: Azienda Ospedaliera Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Piergiacomo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Calzavara-Pinton
authors.affiliation: Novartis Farma Italia, Origgio, Varese, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zagni
authors.affiliation: MediData Srl, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ori
authors.affiliation: Novartis Farma Italia, Origgio, Varese, Italy.
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bellia
mesh_terms: D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine