Treatment of Psoriasis in Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis: An Updated Literature Review Informing the 2021 GRAPPA Treatment Recommendations.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to summarize and evaluate the current quality of evidence regarding the efficacy of therapies for cutaneous psoriasis (PsO) in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

METHODS

A literature search of MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library databases, and conference abstracts was conducted to identify interventional randomized controlled trials in patients with PsA between February 2013 and December 2021. Studies were included if PsO outcomes included achieving at least 75% improvement in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and the blinded comparison period was ≥ 10 weeks. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology was employed to assess quality of the evidence to inform and update the 2021 Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) treatment recommendations.

RESULTS

A total of 116 studies and 36 abstracts identified in the initial search were screened. A total of 37 studies (40 treatment arms) met the criteria for final inclusion. Phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors, Janus kinase inhibitors, and tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitors, interleukin 17 inhibitors (IL-17i), IL-12/23i, IL-23i, and tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) had high-quality data broadly supporting the efficacy of each class for plaque PsO over placebo. Head-to-head studies with high-quality data supported both IL-17i and IL-23i over TNFi.

CONCLUSION

Several pharmacologic therapeutic classes have high-quality evidence demonstrating efficacy for cutaneous PsO in the PsA population. The findings will be integrated into the 2021 GRAPPA treatment recommendations, intended to guide selection of a therapeutic class where efficacy in 1 or more cutaneous or musculoskeletal domains is required.