Delineating inflammatory from non-inflammatory mechanisms for therapy optimization in psoriatic arthritis. [Review]

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All Authors

Zabotti, A.
Aydin, SZ.
David, P.
Di Matteo, A.
McGonagle, D.

LTHT Author

Di Matteo, Andrea
McGonagle, Dennis

LTHT Department

NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre
Rheumatology

Non Medic

Publication Date

2025

Item Type

Journal Article
Review

Language

Subject

Subject Headings

Abstract

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is anatomically much more heterogeneous than rheumatoid arthritis, as, beyond synovitis, it often also involves enthesitis, peritendinitis, tenosynovitis, osteitis and periostitis. This heterogeneity currently precludes a gold standard for objectively defining resolution of inflammation following treatment, with enthesitis posing a particular challenge. Despite these difficulties, we apply lessons learned from rheumatoid arthritis to describe how patients with PsA and an inadequate response to therapy can be designated within two patient subgroups, characterized by persistent inflammatory PsA (PIPsA) and non-inflammatory PsA (NIPsA), respectively. The NIPsA phenotype is defined by the lack of ongoing joint inflammation, as confirmed through clinical assessment and imaging, along with normalized inflammatory marker levels. NIPsA might be associated with obesity, biomechanical-related pain, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, secondary post-inflammatory damage and central pain mechanisms. In this article, we frame PsA composite outcomes measures in relationship to the PIPsA and NIPsA phenotypes and propose that this approach might help to minimize unnecessary or ineffective cycling of PsA therapy in patients who acquire dominant non-inflammatory mechanisms and might also inform future trial design.

Journal

Nature Reviews Rheumatology