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. 2024 Mar 18;83(6):706–719. doi: 10.1136/ard-2024-225531

Table 3.

Comparison of the 2019 and 2023 EULAR recommendations for the management of psoriatic arthritis

2019 version Changes performed 2023 version
Overarching principles
A Psoriatic arthritis is a heterogeneous and potentially severe disease, which may require multidisciplinary treatment. Unchanged A Psoriatic arthritis is a heterogeneous and potentially severe disease, which may require multidisciplinary treatment.
B Treatment of psoriatic arthritis patients should aim at the best care and must be based on a shared decision between the patient and the rheumatologist, considering efficacy, safety and costs. Reformulated B Treatment of psoriatic arthritis patients should aim at the best care and must be based on a shared decision between the patient and the rheumatologist, considering efficacy, safety, patient preferences and costs.
C Rheumatologists are the specialists who should primarily care for the musculoskeletal manifestations of patients with psoriatic arthritis; in the presence of clinically significant skin involvement, a rheumatologist and a dermatologist should collaborate in diagnosis and management. Reformulated C Rheumatologists are the specialists who should primarily care for the musculoskeletal manifestations of patients with psoriatic arthritis; in the presence of clinically relevant skin involvement, a rheumatologist and a dermatologist should collaborate in diagnosis and management.
D The primary goal of treating patients with psoriatic arthritis is to maximise health-related quality of life, through control of symptoms, prevention of structural damage, normalisation of function and social participation; abrogation of inflammation is an important component to achieve these goals. Unchanged D The primary goal of treating patients with psoriatic arthritis is to maximise health-related quality of life, through control of symptoms, prevention of structural damage, normalisation of function and social participation; abrogation of inflammation is an important component to achieve these goals.
E In managing patients with psoriatic arthritis, consideration should be given to each musculoskeletal manifestation and treatment decisions made accordingly. Unchanged E In managing patients with psoriatic arthritis, consideration should be given to each musculoskeletal manifestation and treatment decisions made accordingly.
F When managing patients with psoriatic arthritis, non-musculoskeletal manifestations (skin, eye and gastrointestinal tract) should be taken into account; comorbidities such as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease or depression should also be considered. Reformulated F When managing patients with psoriatic arthritis, non-musculoskeletal manifestations (particularly skin, eye and gastrointestinal tract) should be taken into account; comorbidities such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease or depression should also be considered.
New G The choice of treatment should take account of safety considerations regarding individual modes of action to optimise the benefit–risk profile.
Recommendations
1 Treatment should be aimed at reaching the target of remission or, alternatively, low disease activity, by regular disease activity assessment and appropriate adjustment of therapy. Unchanged 1 Treatment should be aimed at reaching the target of remission or, alternatively, minimal/low disease activity, by regular monitoring and appropriate adjustment of therapy.
2 and 3
  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be used to relieve musculoskeletal signs and symptoms.

  • Local injections of glucocorticoids should be considered as adjunctive therapy in psoriatic arthritis; systemic glucocorticoids may be used with caution at the lowest effective dose.

Merged and modified 2 Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be used to relieve musculoskeletal signs and symptoms; local injections of glucocorticoids may be considered as adjunctive therapy.
4 and 5
  • In patients with polyarthritis, a csDMARD should be initiated rapidly, with methotrexate preferred in those with relevant skin involvement.

  • In patients with monoarthritis or oligoarthritis, particularly with poor prognostic factors such as structural damage, high erythrocyte sedimentation rate / C-reactive protein, dactylitis or nail involvement, a csDMARD should be considered.

Merged and modified 3 In patients with polyarthritis, or those with monoarthritis/oligoarthritis and poor prognostic factors (eg, structural damage, elevated acute phase reactants, dactylitis or nail involvement), a csDMARD should be initiated rapidly, with methotrexate preferred in those with clinically relevant skin involvement.
6 In patients with peripheral arthritis and an inadequate response to at least one csDMARD, therapy with a bDMARD should be commenced; when there is relevant skin involvement, an IL-17 inhibitor or IL-12/23 inhibitor may be preferred. Split into two recommendations 4 In patients with peripheral arthritis and an inadequate response to at least one csDMARD, therapy with a bDMARD should be commenced.
7 In patients with peripheral arthritis and an inadequate response to at least one csDMARD and at least one bDMARD, or when a bDMARD is not appropriate, a JAK inhibitor may be considered. Modified 5 In patients with peripheral arthritis and an inadequate response to at least one bDMARD, or when a bDMARD is not appropriate, a JAKi may be considered, taking safety considerations into account.
8 In patients with mild disease and an inadequate response to at least one csDMARD, in whom neither a bDMARD nor a JAK inhibitor is appropriate, a PDE4 inhibitor may be considered. Unchanged 6 In patients with mild disease and an inadequate response to at least one csDMARD, in whom neither a bDMARD nor a JAKi is appropriate, a PDE4 inhibitor may be considered.
9 In patients with unequivocal enthesitis and insufficient response to NSAIDs or local glucocorticoid injections, therapy with a bDMARD should be considered. Unchanged 7 In patients with unequivocal enthesitis and an insufficient response to NSAIDs or local glucocorticoid injections, therapy with a bDMARD should be considered.
10 In patients with predominantly axial disease which is active and has insufficient response to NSAIDs, therapy with a bDMARD should be considered, which according to current practice is a TNF inhibitor; when there is relevant skin involvement, IL-17 inhibitor may be preferred. Modified 8 In patients with clinically relevant axial disease with an insufficient response to NSAIDs, therapy with an IL-17Ai, a TNFi, an IL-17 A/Fi or a JAKi should be considered.
New 9 The choice of the mode of action should reflect non-musculoskeletal manifestations related to psoriatic arthritis; with clinically relevant skin involvement, preference should be given to an IL-17A or IL-17A/F or IL-23 or IL-12/23 inhibitor; with uveitis to an anti-TNF monoclonal antibody; and with IBD to an anti-TNF monoclonal antibody or an IL-23i or IL-12/23i or a JAKi.
11 In patients who fail to respond adequately to or are intolerant of a bDMARD, switching to another bDMARD or tsDMARD should be considered, including one switch within a class. Modified 10 In patients with an inadequate response or intolerance to a bDMARD or a JAKi, switching to another bDMARD or JAKi should be considered, including one switch within a class.
12 In patients in sustained remission, cautious tapering of DMARDs may be considered. Reformulated 11 In patients in sustained remission, tapering of DMARDs may be considered.

bDMARD, biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; csDMARD, conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; DMARD, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; IBD, inflammatory bowel disease; IL, interleukin; JAK, Janus kinase; JAKi, Janus kinase inhibitor; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug; PDE4, phosphodiesterase 4; TNF, tumour necrosis factor; TNFi, tumour necrosis factor inhibitor; tsDMARD, targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug.