Objective: The authors tested the Psoriatic Arthritis Screening and Evaluation (PASE) to assess usefulness for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) screening before and after anti-TNF treatment in a clinical trial setting.
Methods: Participants of the PRISTINE trial (NCT0066305) were randomized to etanercept 50 mg once weekly or twice weekly. PASE was administered at baseline and 12 weeks of treatment. Scores were compared by a paired sample t-test. Logistic regression and receiver operating curves were used to compare disease assessments against the PASE scores.
Results: Participants (N = 273, once weekly, N = 137; twice weekly, N = 136) had a mean age of 44 years; 70% were male; mean PASI was 21. At baseline, 31% had a self-reported history of physician-diagnosed PsA (mean duration, 8 years); ∼25% had a PASE total score ≥47, indicating active PsA. At week 12, 14% had scores ≥47 (p =. 0143). PASE scores correlated with subject global assessment of joint pain.
Conclusions: The PASE was used in a randomized controlled clinical trial in a moderate to severe psoriasis population with a high prevalence of PsA. The findings also support the use of PASE as a tool to measure treatment response for PsA.