Fatigue In Psoriatic Arthritis Research Articles

Fatigue in psoriatic arthritis: Is it related to disease activity?

Fatigue is commonly associated with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). However, information about its prevalence and associated factors is sparse. The primary objective here was to find the prevalence and magnitude of PsA fatigue. The secondary objective was to explore its associated risk factors, particularly emphasis on the effect of disease activity control. PsA patients who fulfilled Classification Criteria For Psoriatic Arthritis were consecutively recruited from local rheumatology clinics. Fatigue was assessed by a 13-item self-administered questionnaire (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Fatigue [FACIT-F]) (0-52). Data collected and analyzed included: demographic data, disease activity data, comorbidities and medications use. There were 231 eligible PsA patients recruited. The mean FACIT-F score was 37.5±9.1. Severe fatigue, defined as FACIT-F score<30, was found in 49 (22.1%) of them. The univariate model identified these associated factors of fatigue: tender and swollen joint count, dactylitis count, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score, pain and general health perception, Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) score, Health Assessment Questionnaire, the use of cyclosporine, sulphasalazine and biologic agents. The final regression model identified DAPSA and PASI were closely associated with severe fatigue (P=.003 and P=.04 respectively). No associations with fatigue were found between age, gender, disease duration, comorbidities and medication use. However, there were weak correlations between the magnitude of FACIT-F score, DAPSA and PASI with r=-.3 and r=-.26 respectively. Severe fatigue was common in PsA patients, and its magnitude was closely correlated with DAPSA and PASI score, indicating its multifactorial nature. Achieving DAPSA and PASI remission could significantly alleviate the fatigue intensity to a certain extent. However, treatment for PsA-related fatigue should adopt a multidisciplinary approach in addition to disease activity control.

Comorbidities, pain and fatigue in psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis and healthy controls: a clinical cohort study

To explore the prognostic value of pre-specified comorbidities on treatment outcomes in PsA, and to compare baseline data with cutaneous psoriasis without arthritis and healthy controls (HC). Patients initiating conventional synthetic/biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs were enrolled in this clinical observational cohort study, and data on comorbidities, and clinical and patient-reported outcomes were retrieved at baseline and after 4 months. Pearson's chi-squared tests were performed to investigate the prognostic value of pre-specified comorbidities and achievement of ACR20, DAPSA50 and MDA. Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare OMERACT PsA Core Outcome Set (COS) measures at baseline and follow-up for the pre-specified comorbidities. A total of 100 PsA patients were included at baseline. Statistically significantly fewer patients with obesity achieved DAPSA50 compared with patients without obesity (P=0.035), and fewer patients with hypertension (P=0.034) and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) ≥1 (P=0.027), respectively, achieved MDA compared with patients without these comorbidities. Patients with obesity, hypertension, widespread pain, and CCI ≥1 had significantly worse COS measures at follow-up compared with patients without these comorbidities. At baseline, patients with PsA had higher disease burden compared with patients with cutaneous psoriasis and HC, including higher pain (P<0.001) and fatigue (P<0.001) scores, and more widespread pain (P=0.002). Obesity, hypertension and CCI ≥1 were prognostic factors for poorer treatment outcome rates in PsA. Pain and fatigue were more frequently reported among patients with PsA compared with patients with cutaneous psoriasis and HC. The Danish National Committee on Health Research Ethics: H-15009080; Data Protection Agency: 2012-58-0004; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02572700.

Prevalence and variables associated with fatigue in psoriatic arthritis: a cross-sectional study.

To describe the prevalence of and evaluate the factors associated with fatigue patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in an Asian population. We used baseline data from a registry of patients with PsA attending an outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital in Singapore. Demographic data and disease characteristics were evaluated. Fatigue was assessed by question one of the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI-F) and the vitality domain of the Medical Outcome Survey, Short-Form 36 (SF-36 VT). We evaluated clusters of variables, and individual variables in association with fatigue. We included 131 patients (50.4% men, 63.4% Chinese, median PsA duration 21.0months) with completed data for fatigue. Forty-five patients (34%) experienced severe fatigue (defined by BASDAI-F > 5/10). We used principal component analysis and identified five clusters of variables that explained 62.9% of the variance of all factors. Of these, disease activity and impact, and disease chronicity were significantly associated with BASDAI-F and SF-36 VT. In multivariable analyses, back pain, peripheral joint pain and patient global assessment were associated with BASDAI-F, whereas peripheral joint pain and mental health were associated with SF-36 VT. PsA-associated fatigue is prevalent in this Asian PsA cohort and is associated with disease activity, impact and chronicity.

Bristol rheumatoid arthritis fatigue scale is valid in patients with psoriatic arthritis and is associated with overall severe disease and higher comorbidities.

To (1) determine the reliability and validity of the Bristol Rheumatoid Arthritis Fatigue scale (BRAF-NRS) in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and (2) examine possible clinical associations of worse fatigue in PsA. Study phase 1: BRAF-NRS scale validation cohort. A consecutive cohort of 70 PsA patients was recruited to complete the 3-item BRAF-NRS and the 13-item Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) questionnaires, alongside disease activity assessment. All patients also completed the BRAF-NRS questionnaire, 1day later. Study phase 2: Identifying the potential clinical associations of fatigue by using BRAF-NRS (n = 283). A second cohort of 283 PsA patients underwent detailed skin and rheumatologic assessments including disease activity measures. Comorbidities were measured using the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI). Factors predicting worse fatigue as measured by BRAF-NRS were determined using regression analysis. In phase 1, 67 out of 70 patients from the first cohort had complete assessments. The internal consistency of BRAF-NRS as measured by Cronbach's alpha was 0.92. Test-retest reliability as measured by the intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.97. There was excellent correlation between the BRAF-NRS and FACIT-F score(r = - 0.83) (p = <0.001, 95% CI -0.74 to - 0.91). In phase 2, using data from the second cohort of 283 PsA patients, possible clinical associations of worse fatigue were examined. On multiple linear regression analyses, the model predicted significant association of worse fatigue scores with low education status (p = 0.03), number of deformed joints (p = 0.01), not achieving minimal disease activity state (p < 0.001), higher CCI scores, and worse health assessment questionnaire score (p < 0.001). BRAF-NRS is a reliable, reproducible, and valid instrument for measuring fatigue in PsA. Fatigue in PsA is associated with low education status and overall more severe disease.Key Points• Fatigue is increasingly recognized as an important measure to examine among patients with PsA, but the available valid fatigue scores in PsA are relatively long and time-consuming especially when other core domains also need to be measured• BRAF-NRS is a short, easily readable, only 3-item tool to measure fatigue, and this is the first study which has examined its performance among the patients with PsA. Our results show that it is a reliable, reproducible, and valid (construct validity) instrument for measuring fatigue in PsA• This study also clearly showed a significant positive relationship between fatigue and comorbidities, and it was also found that comorbidities play the largest role in the multivariate model.

Effect of biologics on fatigue in psoriatic arthritis: A systematic literature review with meta-analysis

ObjectivesFatigue is a significant issue in psoriatic arthritis. The objective was to assess the effect of biological disease modifying antirheumatic drugs and apremilast on fatigue in psoriatic arthritis randomised controlled trials and to compare this effect with the effect in the same trials, on pain, through a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. MethodsA systematic literature review was performed up to January 2017 in PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases. All randomized controlled trials in psoriatic arthritis of biological disease modifying antirheumatic drugs or apremilast, assessing fatigue (whatever the score used), were included. Data were collected by 2 assessors regarding levels of fatigue and pain at baseline and at the time point closest to 24 weeks after the treatment introduction. Pooled standardized mean differences were calculated using RevMan. ResultsAfter screening 295 publications, 7 randomised controlled trials were analysed: they pertained to adalimumab (n=2), certolizumab pegol (n=1), secukinumab (n=2), ustekinumab (n=1) and apremilast (n=1), compared to placebo. The studies included 2341 patients: weighted mean±standard deviation age: 48.6±1.3years, disease duration: 7.7±1.6years, 51.6% were females. Fatigue levels were high at baseline (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy score: 28.7±2.4). The pooled standardized mean difference was, for fatigue −0.44 (95% confidence interval: −0.54, −0.35) and for pain, −0.62 (−0.73, −0.52). ConclusionsBiological disease modifying antirheumatic drugs and apremilast had a small effect on fatigue at 24 weeks in psoriatic arthritis randomized controlled trials and a higher effect on pain. These results are important to take into account in shared decision-making.

Fatigue - an underestimated symptom in psoriatic arthritis.

The nature of fatigue is very complex and involves physiological, psychological and social phenomena at the same time, and the mechanisms leading to occurrence and severity of fatigue are still poorly understood. The condition of chronic inflammation associated with psoriatic arthritis can be regarded as a potential factor affecting development of fatigue. Only a few studies so far have focused on the occurrence of fatigue in psoriatic arthritis. The problem of chronic fatigue is underestimated in everyday clinical practice. Identification and analysis of subjective fatigue components in each patient can provide an objective basis for optimal fatigue treatment in daily practice. This review presents a definition of chronic fatigue and describes mechanisms that may be associated with development of fatigue, highlighting the role of chronic inflammation, selected fatigue measurement methods and relations of fatigue occurrence with clinical aspects of psoriatic arthritis.

Fatigue in psoriatic arthritis – a cross-sectional study of 246 patients from 13 countries

ObjectivesFatigue is an aspect of psoriatic arthritis (PsA), which is important to patients. The objective was to evaluate magnitude of fatigue in PsA patients and to assess factors that might explain high levels of fatigue. MethodsThis was an ancillary analysis of a cross-sectional study in 13 countries of unselected PsA patients who fulfilled the CASPAR criteria. Patient-perceived importance of fatigue was assessed through a priority exercise. Levels of fatigue were assessed by a numeric rating scale (range 0–10). Factors potentially associated with fatigue>5/10: i.e., demographic variables (age, gender, disease duration, education level) and disease related characteristics including joint counts, C-reactive protein, skin psoriasis, axial involvement, enthesitis, dactylitis, structural damage, were assessed by univariate, multivariate logistic and multiple linear regression. ResultsIn all, 246 patients were analysed: mean±standard deviation age 51.2±13.0years, mean disease duration 9.9±10.1years, mean DAS28 3.5±1.3. Fatigue was ranked second in patient-perceived importance, after pain. Magnitude of fatigue was high: mean fatigue 5.0±3.0. Fatigue>5/10 was well explained (variance explained 73%) by skin psoriasis (odds ratio 4.67 [95% confidence interval 1.05; 20.72]), tender joints (1.30 [1.01; 1.68]) and lower education level (1.09 [1.02; 1.23]). In the multiple linear regression model, fatigue was explained by skin psoriasis, tender joints, enthesitis, female gender, education level. ConclusionsFatigue is a priority for PsA patients. Fatigue levels were high in these patients and fatigue>5/10 was mainly associated with disease-related factors but also patient-related variables, indicating that the etiology of fatigue in PsA is multifactorial.

Work productivity loss and fatigue in psoriatic arthritis.

To explore the relationship between fatigue and work productivity loss (WPL) in people with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Data were collected from participants in the Utah Psoriasis Initiative Arthritis registry between January 2010 and May 2013. WPL was measured with the 8-item Work Limitations Questionnaire. Fatigue was assessed with question 1 from the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI#1), "How would you describe the overall level of fatigue/tiredness you have experienced?" and with question 1 from the Psoriatic Arthritis Quality of Life Questionnaire (PsAQOL#1) "I feel tired whatever I do." Psoriatic activity was evaluated with tender joint count (TJC), swollen joint count (SJC), dactylitis count, enthesitis count, inflammatory back pain (IBP), physician global assessment, body surface area, and psoriasis pain and itch. Among 107 participants, work productivity was reduced by 6.7%, compared to benchmark employees without limitations. Fatigue was reported by 54 patients (50.5%) on PsAQOL#1, and 64 (60.0%) were classified as high fatigue by BASDAI#1. TJC, SJC, enthesitis count, IBP, and depressed mood were highest or most frequent in participants reporting fatigue. After adjustments for psoriatic activity and depressed mood, WPL was associated with fatigue, as measured by PsAQOL#1 (p = 0.01) and BASDAI#1 (p = 0.002). WPL was associated with fatigue, and the association was not entirely explained by the evaluated musculoskeletal, cutaneous, or psychiatric manifestations of PsA.

AB0749 Effect of Biological Therapy on Fatigue on Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis

BackgroundFatigue is a frequent symptom among patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Occurrence in literature is given in up to 45% of patients [1] and changes in fatigue were shown to...

SAT0398 Fatigue in Psoriatic Arthritis is Related to Disease Activity Rather than to Demographic Characteristics – an Ancillary Analysis of the Cross-Sectional International PSAID Study of 246 Patients

BackgroundFatigue is an important aspect of disease for people suffering from psoriatic arthritis (PsA) (ref 1). However, little is known about the factors explaining fatigue in PsA. The causes of...

Longitudinal Analysis of Fatigue in Psoriatic Arthritis

To describe the longitudinal course of fatigue in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Our study included 390 patients who attended the University of Toronto Psoriatic Arthritis Clinic between 1998 and 2006 and who completed 2 or more administrations of the modified Fatigue Severity Scale (mFSS) at yearly intervals. Clinical data were used that corresponded to visits in which mFSS was administered. We used linear mixed effects models to examine the relationships of disease-related and nondisease-related variables with mFSS scores across multiple clinic visits, and linear regression models to investigate the association between change in mFSS scores (DeltamFSS) and changes in covariates between visits. Clinical measures of disease activity were related to fatigue over time; however, these relationships disappeared in the context of patient-reported physical disability and pain. Patient-reported measures of physical disability, pain, and psychological distress were most closely related to higher mFSS scores (greater fatigue) across clinic assessments. Fatigue was found to vary over time, at least when assessed at yearly intervals. In general, measures of clinical and functional status at the current visit were more predictive of DeltamFSS in between previous and current visits than change scores in these measures between visits. Comorbid fibromyalgia or hypertension were also associated with greater fatigue across multiple visits and with change in fatigue between visits. A combination of factors is associated with fatigue in PsA. The full effect of comorbidities on fatigue warrants further study to better understand the effective management of fatigue in PsA.

Fatigue in psoriatic arthritis: Correlation between disease activity and various scales (FACIT, PDI, HAQ, BASDAI, and HAD)

Fatigue in psoriatic arthritis: Correlation between disease activity and various scales (FACIT, PDI, HAQ, BASDAI, and HAD)

Occurrence and correlates of fatigue in psoriatic arthritis

Objective:To determine the relationship between fatigue and disease-related and psychosocial variables in psoriatic arthritis (PsA).Method:499 patients attending the University of Toronto PsA Clinic were administered the modified fatigue severity scale...