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.

Keywords::

• adalimumab
• monoclonal antibody
• psoriatic arthritis
• spondyloarthritis
• TNF

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Martin Rudwaleit has received speaking fees from Abbott, Centocor, Pfizer, MSD, Schering-Plough and Wyeth, and has received honoraria for advisory board meetings from Abbott, Schering-Plough and Wyeth. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.