Conference Coverage
The Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) meeting was held in Stockholm this year on July 7 and 8. This year’s meeting was packed with updates regarding numerous projects, including, but not limited to, educational initiatives, research work streams, inclusion of patients in the research process in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and updating of the core set of outcome measures to be included in both psoriasis and PsA clinical trials through Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) and International Dermatology Outcome Measures (IDEOM) initiatives.
Among the most exciting initiatives was the review of the 2015 GRAPPA PsA Treatment Recommendations. The new treatment recommendations began 2 years ago and have included extensive literature reviews, small group discussions, and large group surveys. The final manuscript includes overarching principles and specific recommendations broken down by disease manifestations (for example, peripheral arthritis, axial disease, enthesitis, dactylitis, skin psoriasis, and nail disease). Changes from the 2009 GRAPPA Treatment Recommendations (Ann. Rheum. Dis. 2009;68:1387-94) include addition of new therapies (for example, phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors, interleukin (IL) 12/23 inhibitors, IL-17 inhibitors) and recommendations for screening for comorbidities, as well as a table noting the influence of comorbidities on therapy selection. Each recommendation is supported as “weak” or “strong” depending on the level of evidence. Patient research partners were involved in all steps of the process. The final manuscript has been submitted for publication.
Dr. Alexis R. Ogdie-Beatty
In addition to treating the disease, better defining the disease is also of critical importance. In particular, defining a “flare” of rheumatoid arthritis or PsA has been quite difficult, and there has been great interest in building an assessment tool to measure the occurrence of flare. During the meeting, Dr. Anna Moverley and Dr. Philip Helliwell, both from the NIHR Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Leeds (England) Institute of Rheumatic & Musculoskeletal Medicine, presented their work to date on defining PsA flares. They began their work by conducting a qualitative analysis of 18 patient interviews to identify themes related to having a PsA flare. Domains (or themes) identified included physical, psychological, social withdrawal, fatigue, and loss of function. In addition, patients described flare triggers, timing of flares, preflare management, and flare management. The results of this study were recently published in a paper titled, “It’s not just the joints, it’s the whole thing: qualitative analysis of patients’ experience of flare in psoriatic arthritis” (Rheumatology 2015;54:1448-54). The team then used these themes to create a Delphi survey, which was sent to both patients and physicians. Working groups at GRAPPA were used to determine the next steps, in particular whether a physician or patient tool (or both) should be developed.
Care of the patient with PsA from a multispecialty perspective was discussed in the “combined clinics” presentation. Several academic centers across North America have developed combined dermatology-rheumatology clinics. The functioning of these clinics varies widely from monthly dual clinics in which the dermatologist and rheumatologist see the patient together for virtual combined clinics in which time is set aside for discussion of shared patients. The advantages of these dual clinics include rich educational opportunities for medical students, residents, and fellows; the ideal clinical care model for patients; enhanced patient satisfaction with their care; improved patient care and quicker transition to a disease-modifying agent when indicated; and physician satisfaction and learning opportunities through collaborative work. Institutions using these collaborative models have combined to form the Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Clinics Multicenter Advancement Network (PPACMAN). The group has had two meetings and has developed research initiatives that are moving forward. Another goal of the group is to assist others centers interested in creating similar collaborative clinics.
The GRAPPA PsA BioDam (Psoriatic Arthritis Biomarkers for Joint Damage) initiative was also discussed at the meeting. The goal of this initiative is to examine soluble biomarkers as predictors of structural damage in PsA. Blood samples are taken at enrollment and then patients are followed prospectively. At 24 months of follow-up, repeat radiographs are obtained to monitor the development of new erosions. In addition to plain film radiographs, three sites are now also including MRI to assess for erosions. The study team, led by Dr. Oliver FitzGerald, hopes to begin analyzing some of the results from the study in the next 1-2 years.
Dr. Ogdie-Beatty is director of the Penn Psoriatic Arthritis Clinic at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and is a member of the GRAPPA Steering Committee.