Apremilast for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis.
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatoryarthropathy that affects joints and entheses andis associated with psoriasis (PsO). There are fiveclinical patterns of PsA: symmetrical polyarthritis,distal interphalangeal arthropathy, asymmetricaloligoarthritis, arthritis mutilans, and spondylitis, withor without sacroiliitis. Concerning PsA, the goals oftherapy are to control inflammation, prevent articulardamage, and reduce discomfort in the affected joints.Although there are many therapeutic options forthe treatment of PsAs, physicians most often beginwith nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)for mild disease. Disease-modifying anti-rheumaticdrugs (DMARDS) are reserved for moderate to severedisease. Apremilast may be a useful option for somepatients.
Brent C
BC
Martin
Department of Dermatology, University of California, Irvine. lwthomas@uci.edu.
Logan W
LW
Thomas
Francis J
FJ
Dann
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D013792:Thalidomide; C505730:apremilast