Recent recommendations on psoriatic arthritis treatment in accordance with 2018 American College of Rheumatology and National Psoriasis Foundation guidelines
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory skeletal and muscular disease associated with psoriasis, which usually manifests itself in the peripheral arthritis, dactylitis, enthesitis and/or spondylitis. Early identification and diagnosis of PsA, as well as early start of therapy is important for improving the long-term outcomes of the disease. Clinical picture of PsA is heterogeneous, and doctors often face problems while determining treatment strategies. The purpose of our review was to discuss and interpret 2018 American College of Rheumatologists (ACR) and National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) guidelines for active PSA treatment in adults using pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods. These recommendations may help both clinicians and patients to make their best decisions about disease management. The presence or absence of comorbid conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, uveitis, diabetes or serious infections, as well as knowledge of medical history are factors enabling choice of an optimal therapy for a particular patient at a given time using a customized treatment approach. ACR/NPF guidelines for active PsA treatment recommend tumor necrosis factor inhibitors rather than small molecule oral drugs as a first line therapy, precisely because these biological agents prevent progression of the disease and joint damage. Early and aggressive therapy is emphasized in patients with a newly diagnosed PsA.