Adalimumab for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis

Abstract

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory joint disease occurring in 6–39% of patients with psoriasis. Standard therapy of PsA includes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, intra-articular steroids and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. Failure of standard therapy is an indication for anti-TNF-α therapy. Adalimumab – a fully human monoclonal antibody against TNF-α – is an effective and generally reasonably well-tolerated drug for treating signs and symptoms of PsA. In placebo-controlled clinical trials, adalimumab showed American College of Rheumatology (ACR)20 response rates of 39–58% and ACR50 response rates of 25–39% in patients with active PsA who had failed previous standard therapy. Significant improvement of psoriatic skin changes and disease-related quality of life were also noted. The response of joints and skin and quality of life improvement was sustained over 2 years of therapy. In addition, adalimumab suppressed structural joint damage and retards radiographic progression of PsA.