Misalignment between physicians and patient satisfaction with psoriatic arthritis disease control

Assessment of Patient-Physician Interactions in Psoriatic Arthritis: National Results of the ASSIST Study

INTRODUCTION

An overarching principle for the management of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a shared decision-making process between physicians and patients. The aim of this study is to assess the patient-physician relationship in a group of patients with PsA, by using the Perceived Efficacy in Patient-Physician Interactions (PEPPI) and CollaboRATE instruments.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional multicenter study where consecutive patients with PsA were enrolled. For each patient, the main demographic, comorbid conditions, and clinical data were collected, including the assessment of disease activity, function, quality of life, and impact of disease. PEPPI and CollaboRATE questionnaires were used, respectively, to evaluate the patient's perception of the patient-physician relationship and the shared decision-making process.

RESULTS

A total of 81 patients with PsA were enrolled at four centers in Italy. Overall, our patients showed a high level of confidence in obtaining needed health care, with relatively high median (IQR) values of PEPPI (20; 16-23), and a good shared decision-making process, with high median (IQR) values of CollaboRATE questionnaire (7; 6-9). PEPPI and CollaboRATE scores showed a statistically significant inverse correlation with different clinical variables such as disease duration, Leeds Enthesitis Index, PsA impact of Disease, Health Assessment Questionnaire, pain, patient's global assessment of disease activity and clinical disease activity for PsA. The presence of comorbidities did not appear to be associated with lower values of PEPPI and CollaboRATE.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, few patients with PsA were at risk of suboptimal communication with their physician. This phenomenon appeared to be primarily related to higher disease activity and burden.

Elevating the Standard of Care for Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis: 'Calls to Action' from a Multistakeholder Pan-European Initiative

INTRODUCTION

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a complex, progressive, and often debilitating disease. Despite recent advances in treatment, numerous unmet needs in patient care persist. Rheumacensus is a multistakeholder, pan-European initiative designed to identify ways to elevate the standard of care (SoC) and treatment ambition for patients with PsA, using the perspectives of three key stakeholder groups: patients, healthcare professionals (HCPs) and payors.

METHODS

Rheumacensus followed three phases: an insights-gathering workshop to identify current unmet needs in PsA and an area of focus for the project, a modified Delphi process to gain consensus on improvements within the agreed area of focus, and a Consensus Council (CC) meeting which used consensus statements as inspiration to generate 'Calls to Action' (CTA)-practical measures which, if implemented, could elevate the SoC for patients with PsA.

RESULTS

The Rheumacensus CC consisted of four patient representatives, four HCPs and four payors. All 12 members completed all three Delphi e-consultations. The shared area of focus that informed the Delphi process was "patient empowerment through education on the disease and treatment options available, to enable patient involvement in management". Four key themes emerged from the Delphi process: patient empowerment, patient knowledge and sources of education, patient-HCP consultations, and optimal initial treatment. Statements within these themes informed 12 overarching CTA, which focus on the need for a multistakeholder approach to implementing a paradigm shift towards patient-centred care and improved outcomes for patients with PsA.

CONCLUSION

Rheumacensus has identified shortcomings in the current SoC for patients with PsA and provides a foundation for change through practical CTA. It is hoped that all stakeholders will now take practical steps towards implementing these CTA across Europe to elevate the SoC for patients with PsA.

Real-World Treatment Patterns, Clinical Outcomes, and Symptom Burden in Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis Prescribed Ixekizumab in the United States

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to describe the real-world characteristics and clinical status of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) currently prescribed ixekizumab.

METHODS

Data were drawn from the Adelphi PsA Plus Disease Specific Programme (DSP), a cross-sectional survey conducted in the United States between September 2021 and March 2022. Rheumatologists provided data for their next five consulting patients currently receiving ixekizumab, including demographic and clinical characteristics, disease severity, treatment history, reasons for treatment choice, satisfaction with current treatment, and current and historic symptom burden. Patients voluntarily completed questionnaires, providing perceptional data on symptom burden and satisfaction with current treatment.

RESULTS

Overall, 68 rheumatologists provided data on 275 patients with PsA, 90 of whom completed the voluntary questionnaire. Patients had been prescribed ixekizumab for a mean of 11.7 (SD 10.6) months. Clinical characteristics, disease severity, and symptom burden of patients with PsA improved significantly from ixekizumab initiation to the most recent consultation, including symptom burden, tender and swollen joint counts, and body surface area affected by psoriasis (all P < 0.001). Both rheumatologists and patients were satisfied with ixekizumab treatment and reported improvements in pain and fatigue. Improvements were noted after more than three months of ixekizumab treatment duration and regardless of whether the patients had prior exposure to an advanced therapy or were treatment naïve.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that ixekizumab was efficacious in the treatment of PsA in real-world clinical practice, complementing efficacy data from randomized controlled clinical trials. The results of this study may assist rheumatologists and their patients in making informed treatment choices.

Multiple-Perspective Data-Driven Analysis of Online Health Communities

The growth of online health communities and socially generated health-related content has the potential to provide considerable value for patients and healthcare providers alike. For example, members of the public can acquire medical knowledge and interact with others online. However, the volume of information-and the consequent 'noise' associated with large data volumes-can create difficulties for users. In this paper, we present a data-driven approach to better understand these data from multiple stakeholder perspectives. We utilise three techniques-sentiment analysis, content analysis, and topic analysis-to analyse user-generated medical content related to Lyme disease. We use a supervised feature-based model to identify sentiments, content analysis to identify concepts that predominate, and latent Dirichlet allocation strategy as an unsupervised generative model to identify topics represented in the discourse. We validate that applying three different analytic methods highlights differing aspects of the information different stakeholders will be interested in based on the goals of different stakeholders, expert opinion, and comparison with patient information leaflets.

Challenges in the Management of Psoriatic Arthritis in Latin America: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

In 2020, the International League of Associations for Rheumatology published recommendations for managing psoriatic arthritis (PsA), aiming to adapt the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis and the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology recommendations to low-income countries. At that time, the paucity of clinical studies examining the management of patients with PsA in Latin America was remarked on by the international working group. Therefore, the primary objective of this systematic literature review was to investigate the main challenges in managing PsA in Latin America as described in recent publications.

METHODS

A systematic literature review of trials reporting at least one challenge/difficulty in the management of PsA in Latin America was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. References published in the PubMed, EMBASE, and LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature) databases between 1980 and February 2023 were included. The selection of references was conducted independently by 2 researchers in the Rayyan Qatar Computing Research Institute program. Two other reviewers independently extracted data. All challenges were noted and categorized into domains. Data analysis was descriptive.

FINDINGS

The search strategy yielded 2085 references, with 21 studies included in the final analysis. Most studies were conducted in Brazil (66.6%; n = 14) and were observational studies (100%; N = 21). Difficulties faced by PsA patients and physicians included the high incidence of opportunistic infections (described in 42.8% of the publications; n = 9), followed by nonadherence to therapy, discordance between patients and physicians regarding remission rates, low drug persistence, limited access to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, issues related to the storage of biologic drugs, elevated cost of biologic drugs, limited access to medical care, diagnostic delay, and the individual- and country-level impact of socioeconomic factors on work- and health-related outcomes.

IMPLICATIONS

Challenges in the management of PsA in Latin America extend beyond the care of opportunistic infections, encompassing several other socioeconomic factors. More research is needed to better understand the peculiarities of treating PsA in Latin America to improve patient care. PROSPERO identifier: CRD42021228297.

Perceived treatment satisfaction in patients with systemic rheumatic diseases treated with biologic therapies: results of a self-reported survey

Biological agents are widely used for the management of systemic rheumatic diseases (SRDs) and their therapeutic implications have been expanded beyond inflammatory arthropathies to more complicated autoimmune disorders, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, vasculitis, and systemic sclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate treatment satisfaction and overall experience of SRDs' patients receiving biologics as well as to explore patient's perspectives on the quality of services provided by rheumatology departments and to determine factors related to the level of satisfaction. We performed a synchronous correlation study. Patients with SRDs answered an anonymous questionnaire assessing their satisfaction and how treatment with biologics has affected their quality of life and functionality. Sample consisted by 244 patients (65.2% women), with mean age of 50.4 years, and the most common diagnosis was rheumatoid arthritis (37.3%). Sixty one percent of patients received intravenous therapy and 39% subcutaneously. Overall, 80.5% of the patients reported a positive/very positive effect of their treatment on their life. The average total patient satisfaction from the unit was 79.8%. The presence of mental disease was significantly associated with less positive impact of the treatment on patients' life, worse quality of life, and greater pain. In conclusion, patients with a broad spectrum of SRDs were generally satisfied and treatment with biologic regimens appeared to have a positive impact on several aspects of their life. The majority of patients were at least satisfied with all the characteristics of the unit staff and better quality of life was associated with greater satisfaction about the Unit and more positive affect of the treatment in patients' life.

Impact of Patient and Physician Disconnect on Satisfaction with Treatment for Atopic Dermatitis in Japan

INTRODUCTION

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory disease causing severe skin itching. Data on patient-physician disconnect on treatment satisfaction in patients with AD in Japan are limited. We investigated patient-physician disconnect on treatment satisfaction in AD and if it influences treatment patterns, clinical characteristics, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs).

METHODS

Data were drawn from the Adelphi AD Disease Specific Programme (DSP), a real-world, point-in-time survey of physicians and patients with AD conducted in Japan from April to July 2019. Patients and physicians were grouped according to level of treatment satisfaction ("extremely satisfied" to "extremely dissatisfied"); with any level of dissatisfaction recorded as "less than satisfied." Data were collected on treatment patterns, clinical characteristics, and PROs including the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM), EQ-5D-3L questionnaire, and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire.

RESULTS

Data were provided by 184 patients with AD and 56 physicians; 72.8% of patient-physician pairs reported a fair (kappa coefficient: 0.40) level of agreement on treatment satisfaction, 51.6% of patient-physician pairs were both satisfied, and 21.2% were both less than satisfied. Satisfied physicians prescribed a mean 1.2 fewer treatments than dissatisfied physicians (p < 0.05). Cases where both physician and patient were less than satisfied or where patients were less satisfied than their physicians reported the worst PROs, DLQI (both less than satisfied: mean 10.7 versus patient less satisfied than physician: 10.6 versus overall: 7.9), POEM (19.5 versus 17.3 versus 17.0), EQ-5D-3L (0.82 versus 0.81 versus 0.87) (all, p < 0.05). Work impairment was highest when both patient and physician were less than satisfied (p < 0.05). Physicians cited treatment efficacy and patients cited efficacy and usability as main reasons for dissatisfaction.

CONCLUSION

Overall, 12.0% of patients were less satisfied with their AD treatment than the physician, demonstrating some of the worst PROs, suggesting unmet need that could be improved by better patient-physician communication.

The Psoriatic Arthritis Experience in Saudi Arabia from the Rheumatologist and Patient Perspectives

BACKGROUND

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a musculoskeletal disease that adversely affects physical mobility and quality of life. It is challenging to manage because of the heterogeneous nature of the symptoms and the current treatment options.

PURPOSE

To explore the patient and rheumatologist perspectives of PsA to help improve understanding of the disease experience and improve disease management.

METHODS

A descriptive, observational cross-sectional study of Saudi Arabian dermatologists and rheumatologists and patients with psoriasis or PsA was conducted. Questionnaire data were collected from 31 dermatologists, 34 rheumatologists, 90 patients with psoriasis, and 98 patients with PsA and analysed using descriptive statistics. Here, data from rheumatologists and patients with PsA are presented.

RESULTS

The results revealed similarities and differences in the rheumatologist and patient perspectives of PsA. Rheumatologists and patients agreed on the impact that PsA had on patients' quality of life and that more education was needed. However, they differed on several aspects of disease management. Rheumatologists estimated the time to diagnosis as four times shorter than what patients experienced. Patients accepted their diagnosis more than rheumatologists perceived them to; rheumatologists perceived patients to be worried or fearful. Patients perceived joint pain as their most severe symptom, in contrast to rheumatologists, who presumed skin appearance was the most severe symptom. Reported input into PsA treatment goals differed significantly. More than half of the rheumatologists reported equal patient-physician input into goal development as opposed to <10% of patients reporting the same. Almost half of patients reported no input into the development of their treatment goals.

CONCLUSION

The management of PsA could benefit from enhanced screening and re-evaluation of what PsA outcomes have the most value to patients and rheumatologists. A multidisciplinary approach is recommended with increased patient involvement in disease management and individualized treatment options.

Patients' Perspectives on Shared Decision-Making About Medications in Psoriatic Arthritis: An Interview Study

OBJECTIVE

Decision-making regarding medications to manage psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is complex because of multiple disease manifestations and comorbidities. Fear of side effects from systemic medications and misalignment in priorities between patients with PsA and rheumatologists makes shared decision-making challenging. We aimed to describe the perspectives of patients with PsA on shared decision-making regarding medication taking.

METHODS

Face-to-face semistructured interviews were conducted with 25 adult patients with PsA in Australia. Transcripts were thematically analyzed.

RESULTS

Five themes were identified: lacking agency in decision-making (denied choice, knowledge asymmetry, desperation and necessity, restricted by unfair eligibility criteria, automated approach); overwhelmed by potential harms (daunted by aggressive therapy, anticipating lifestyle disruption from side effects, jeopardizing fertility and pregnancy, avoiding relapse); gaining confidence (discernible benefit in function and mental health, sharpening knowledge over time, expertise of family and peers, empowered by information); opting for alternatives (pursuing normality, suspicion of over-medicalization, seeking comprehensive solutions); and developing trust and fortifying collaboration (assurance through a personable approach, seeking consistency, supported in decisional power, resolution through respectful negotiation).

CONCLUSION

Patients with PsA lack agency in making treatment decisions and are overwhelmed by the potential harms of systemic medication. Improving knowledge and trust with medical teams in a supportive and collaborative environment, and strategies for managing risks and side effects may improve decision-making about pharmacologic management of PsA.

Patient Perception of Medical Care for Psoriatic Arthritis in North America and Europe: Results from a Global Patient Survey

Introduction

To compare perceptions of disease control and treatment satisfaction between patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in North America and Europe, and between participating countries within each region.

Methods

Data were collected from patients with self-reported PsA diagnoses using an online survey. Results from questions on perceptions of overall health, disease severity, PsA symptoms, PsA impacts, and treatment satisfaction/preferences were reported using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests.

Results

A total of 456 patients from North America (Canada, n = 155; US, n = 301) and 417 patients from Europe (France, n = 123; Spain, n = 135; UK, n = 159) were included in this analysis. Patients in North America were more likely to rate their overall health as excellent/good compared with those in Europe (49 vs. 14%), but also rate their disease as severe (27 vs. 15%). Despite treatment, patients in North America and Europe still experienced musculoskeletal (92 vs. 91%) and skin/nail (62 vs. 58%) symptoms. Similar proportions of patients in North America vs. Europe experienced a social impact (81 vs. 85%); more patients in Europe vs. North America experienced PsA-related work impacts (83 vs. 74%). Satisfaction with PsA medication was more common in North America (89%) vs. Europe (79%), and more common in Spain (91%) vs. the UK (82%) or France (66%). Across all regions and countries, ≥ 75% of patients agreed that symptoms were controlled. However, ≥ 66% wished they had more medication choices, and ≥ 84% wanted to change something about their medication.

Conclusions

Although perception of overall health and disease severity varied, many patients from both regions still experienced symptoms despite receiving medications for PsA, wished they had greater choice of medications, and/or would like to change an aspect of their medications. While these survey findings are subject to selection bias, they do indicate there is scope to improve the treatment of PsA.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40744-022-00435-y.

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a disease that can cause joint pain and stiffness, and is often associated with a skin rash called psoriasis. These symptoms can affect quality of life, and patients and doctors should work together when choosing treatment. There has not been a lot of information on what patients think about their disease and their medicines. We found that patients from different regions and countries had different opinions, and that treatment of PsA can be improved. For example, patients in North America were more likely to say that their overall health was excellent or good, compared with patients in Europe. However, more patients in North America than in Europe described their PsA disease as severe. Similar numbers of patients in both regions experienced impacts on their social life due to their PsA, but patients in Europe were more likely to report that PsA affected their work life compared with patients in North America. More patients in North America than in Europe were satisfied with their medicines, but patients across all regions and countries still had symptoms even when they took medicines. Many patients also wished they had more options and wanted to change something about their medicines. These findings were based on an online survey. Patients from North America (Canada and the US) and Europe (France, Spain, and the UK) answered questions about their PsA disease and medicines. We only compared answers between patients from North America and Europe, and between countries within each region.

Change in psoriatic arthritis outcome measures impacts SF-36 physical and mental component scores differently: an observational cohort study

Objective

The objective was to investigate interplay and physical and mental component scores between change (Δ) in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) quantified by the physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS) retrieved from short-form health survey (SF-36), change in disease activity (ΔDAS28CRP) and manifestations of PsA.

Methods

PsA patients initiating new medical therapy were enrolled. Independent disease measures evaluating disease activity, enthesitis, psoriasis, pain and fatigue were collected at treatment initiation and after 4 months. Interplay between independent disease measures and dependent outcome measures, ΔPCS and ΔMCS, was described with univariate regression analyses. Multivariate regression analyses were applied to assess the impact of independent variables, such as individual disease outcome measures vs ΔDAS28CRP on ΔPCS and ΔMCS.

Results

One hundred and eight PsA patients were included. In the univariate regression analyses, improvement in fatigue, pain and disability were associated with improvement in ΔPCS (β; -2.08, -0.18 and -13.00, respectively; all P < 0.001) and ΔMCS (β; -1.59, -0.12 and -6.07, respectively; P < 0.001, P < 0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively). When patient-reported outcomes were included in the final multivariate models, improvements in ΔPCS and ΔMCS were associated with improvements in pain, fatigue and disability (P < 0.001). Improvement in enthesitis impacted ΔPCS positively (β -0.31, P < 0.001). No association was found between change in skin psoriasis, ΔPCS and ΔMCS (β 0.15, P = 0.056 and β 0.05, P = 0.561, respectively).

Conclusion

In this PsA patient cohort, diminishing pain, disability and fatigue improved PCS and MCS significantly. Changes in enthesitis and psoriasis did not grossly impact HRQoL compared with DAS28CRP. Individual PsA manifestations influence HRQoL differently, which is important clinically when targeting treatment.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, http://clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02572700.

Real world effectiveness and satisfaction with secukinumab in the treatment of patients with psoriatic arthritis: a population survey in five European countries

OBJECTIVES

To describe the effectiveness of secukinumab in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and associated physician satisfaction with secukinumab treatment, in routine clinical practice across five European countries.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of PsA patients receiving secukinumab for ≥4 months in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK from March to December 2018. Data based on physician-completed questionnaires at initiation of treatment and at the data collection consultation were collected and used to assess effectiveness.

RESULTS

572 PsA patients with a mean age of 47.9 years, 57.0% were male, with 5.6% of patients with mild, 55.2% with moderate and 38.1% severe PsA prior to treatment initiation were included. 33.0% of patients received a dosage of 150 mg and 67.0% a dosage of 300 mg secukinumab. Around 84% of patients received secukinumab for 6 months or longer. Symptoms seen at current assessment in over 20% of patients were tender or swollen joints or psoriatic skin lesions. Between initiation of treatment and the current consultation, improvements in skin, joint and overall severity were reported. Physician satisfaction with secukinumab's ability to control disease was very high during the study period, greater than 90%, and was seen irrespective of disease severity at initiation, prior biologic use, treatment duration, time since diagnosis or onset of symptoms, treatment history, and BMI.

CONCLUSION

Physicians were satisfied with the ability of secukinumab to control disease and it was effective in the treatment of PsA patients in routine clinical settings.

Exploring the Quality of Communication Between Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis and Physicians: Results of a Global Online Survey

INTRODUCTION

Effective communication between patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and their physicians is important for optimizing treatment outcomes. We assessed the quality of patient-physician communication in terms of awareness and impact of PsA symptoms, their levels of satisfaction, and their perceptions of communications.

METHODS

A global online survey was conducted by The Harris Poll in adult patients with PsA and physicians managing patients with PsA in eight countries. Participating physicians were either rheumatologists or dermatologists seeing ≥ 10 and ≥ 5 patients with PsA per month, respectively. Patient and physician groups were unmatched. Patient-physician communication was assessed with 35-60 questions regarding discussion topics during consultations, levels of satisfaction with communication, and specific communication issues.

RESULTS

A total of 1286 patients with PsA (983 and 303 whose primary treating physician was a rheumatologist or dermatologist, respectively) and 1553 physicians (795 rheumatologists and 758 dermatologists) completed the survey. Regardless of whether they were primarily treated by a rheumatologist or dermatologist, most patients reported a social (84% and 81%, respectively) or work (81% and 80%, respectively) impact of PsA, and a major/moderate negative impact on their physical activity levels (79% and 74%, respectively) or emotional/mental wellbeing (69% and 68%, respectively). Physician responses were generally consistent with this; however, physicians often appeared to under-recognize the extent to which PsA affects patients. Most (≥ 85%) patients and physicians were very/somewhat satisfied with their patient-physician communication, and most (≥ 86%) patients were comfortable raising their concerns/fears with their physician. However, > 40% of patients were identified as being at risk of suboptimal communication. These patients were significantly less likely to report their PsA symptoms even when asked, were less comfortable discussing the impacts of PsA with their physician, and were more likely to experience major/moderate impacts of PsA on their health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

CONCLUSIONS

Physicians often underestimate the impacts of PsA, compared with patients, and some patients may be at risk of suboptimal communication with their attending physician, which may worsen the HRQoL impacts of PsA. These findings highlight a need for ways to improve communication between patients with PsA and their healthcare providers.

Assessing and promoting partnership between patients and health-care professionals: Co-construction of the CADICEE tool for patients and their relatives

CONTEXT

Partnership between patients and health-care professionals (HCPs) is a concept that needs a valid, practical measure to facilitate its use by patients and HCPs.

OBJECTIVE

To co-construct a tool for measuring the degree of partnership between patients and HCPs.

DESIGN

The CADICEE tool was developed in four steps: (1) generate key dimensions of patient partnership in clinical care; (2) co-construct the tool; (3) assess face and content validity from patients' and HCPs' viewpoints; and (4) assess the usability of the tool and explore its measurement performance.

RESULTS

The CADICEE tool comprises 24 items under 7 dimensions: 1) relationship of Confidence or trust between the patient and the HCPs; 2) patient Autonomy; 3) patient participation in Decisions related to care; 4) shared Information on patient health status or care; 5) patient personal Context; 6) Empathy; and 7) recognition of Expertise. Assessment of the tool's usability and measurement performance showed, in a convenience sample of 246 patients and relatives, high face validity, acceptability and relevance for both patients and HCPs, as well as good construct validity.

CONCLUSIONS

The CADICEE tool is developed in co-construction with patients to evaluate the degree of partnership in care desired by patients in their relationship with HCPs. The tool can be used in various clinical contexts and in different health-care settings.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Patients were involved in determining the importance of constructing this questionnaire. They co-constructed it, pre-tested it and were part of the entire questionnaire development process. Three patients participated in the writing of the article.

Evaluation of treatment satisfaction misalignment between Japanese psoriasis patients and their physicians - Japanese psoriasis patients and their physicians do not share the same treatment satisfaction levels

OBJECTIVES

High treatment satisfaction in both patients and physicians is an important factor in improving quality of life in psoriasis patients. This study aimed to evaluate treatment satisfaction alignment between psoriasis patients and physicians and to identify factors associated with satisfaction misalignment, especially "physician-predominant" misalignment.

METHODS

This is a nationwide multicenter cross-sectional study. Subjects were paired moderate to severe psoriasis outpatients and their physicians. Treatment satisfaction was evaluated on a scale from 0 to 10. Subjects were defined as "misaligned" when the difference in treatment satisfaction was over ±1 between the patient-physician pair.

RESULTS

A total of 425 pairs were collected from 54 facilities in Japan. The mean patient age and disease duration were 56.5 years and 18.7 years, respectively. The mean physician age was 50.6 years and 69.6% of physicians specialized in psoriasis. Treatment satisfaction misalignment was found in 49.9% of the patient-physician pairs. Among misaligned pairs, 43.6% were "physician-predominant" pairs. In the multivariate logistic regression analyses, "treatment is effective" was the most important reason for treatment satisfaction (odds ratio [OR]: 35.5; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.43, 231.78). Symptoms in the genital area (OR: 10.2; 95% CI: 2.55, 40.93) and lack of understanding of treatment options by patients (OR: 7.5; 95% CI: 2.19, 25.94) were key factors leading to "physician-predominant" status.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that genital psoriasis plays an important role in treatment satisfaction from the patient perspective, and illustrate the importance of communication between patients and physicians which potentially resolves these factors and improves misalignment.

Assessment of discordance of treatment satisfaction between patients with rheumatoid arthritis in low disease activity or in remission and their treating physicians: A cross-sectional survey

OBJECTIVES

To assess discordance in overall treatment satisfaction between patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and their physicians.

METHODS

This was a multicenter, cross-sectional, observational study of patients with RA (in low disease activity or remission) and their board-certified treating physicians in Japan; 202 patient-physician pairs were analyzed. Treatment satisfaction and perceptions were assessed using a structured questionnaire.

RESULTS

Using a two-level ('satisfied' or 'unsatisfied') assessment of satisfaction, 195 patients (96.5%) and 190 physicians (94.1%) answered 'satisfied' with a high level of concordance (184 pairs, 91.1%). Using a four-level assessment, the ratio of 'satisfied' to 'somewhat satisfied' was higher in patients (66.3%/30.2%) than physicians (43.6%/50.5%). Satisfaction with treatment outcomes (e.g. joint conditions, subjective symptoms) was generally high in patients and physicians; relatively less satisfaction was reported for medication cost, especially among patients. Shared treatment decision-making was reported in ≥96% of patient-physician pairs. The most common 'most important' treatment target differed between patients ('Have a social life without worrying about RA') and physicians ('Prevent joint damage, deformity, and joint swelling').

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment satisfaction and concordance were high between patients in low activity/remission and physicians. Some differences between patients and physicians were reported in satisfaction for specific treatment outcomes and important treatment targets.

Patient-physician discrepancy in the perception of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases: rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis. A qualitative systematic review of the literature

Introduction

Recommendations on chronic diseases management emphasise the need to consider patient perspectives and shared decision-making. Discrepancies between patients and physicians’ perspectives on treatment objectives, disease activity, preferences and treatment have been described for immune-mediate inflammatory diseases. These differences could result on patient dissatisfaction and negatively affect outcomes.

Objective

To describe the degree of patient-physician discrepancy in three chronic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (rheumatoid arthritis [RA], psoriatic arthritis [PsA] and psoriasis [Ps]), identifying the main areas of discrepancy and possible predictor factors.

Methods

Qualitative systematic review of the available literature on patient and physician discrepancies in the management of RA, PsA and Ps. The search was performed in international (Medline/PubMed, Cochrane Library, ISI-WOK) and Spanish electronic databases (MEDES, IBECS), including papers published from April 1, 2008 to April 1, 2018, in English or Spanish, and conducted in European or North American populations. Study quality was assessed by the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine criteria.

Results

A total of 21 studies were included (13 RA; 3 PsA; 4 Ps; 1 RA, Ps, and Axial Spondyloarthritis). A significant and heterogeneous degree of discrepancy between patients and physicians was found, regarding disease activity, treatment, clinical expectations, remission concept, and patient-physician relationship. In RA and PsA, studies were mainly focused on the evaluation of disease activity, which is perceived as higher from the patient’s than the physician’s perspective, with the discrepancy determined by factors such as patient’s perception of pain and fatigue. In Ps, studies were focused on treatment satisfaction and patient-physician relationship, showing a lower degree of discrepancy in the satisfaction regarding these aspects.

Conclusions

There is a significant degree of patient-physician discrepancy regarding the management of RA, PA, and Ps, what can have a major impact on shared decision-making. Future research may help to show whether interventions considering discrepancy improve shared decision-making.

Evaluation of the Feasibility of a Web-Based Survey to Assess Patient-Reported Symptom Improvement and Treatment Satisfaction Among Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis Receiving Secukinumab

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Patient perspectives regarding treatment experience and satisfaction may be useful for clinicians when making treatment strategies. This US-based study assessed the feasibility of evaluating real-world, patient-reported narratives regarding symptom improvement and treatment satisfaction among patients with psoriatic arthritis treated with secukinumab.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, web-based survey collected data on demographics, disease characteristics, symptoms before and after secukinumab use, and treatment satisfaction with secukinumab.

RESULTS

Of 2755 patients screened, 200 patients with psoriatic arthritis were eligible and included in the analysis. Their mean age was 36.0 (standard deviation, 10.0) years; 55.5% were male and 75.0% were white. Most (87.5%) were biologic experienced; the primary reason for discontinuation of their previous treatment was lack of effectiveness (28.6%). Most patients (79.9%) reported overall psoriatic arthritis symptom improvement after secukinumab initiation compared with before secukinumab initiation; a similar trend was observed for all individual symptoms evaluated. Approximately half of patients reported improvement within 4 weeks after starting secukinumab treatment, and > 90% reported improvement within 6 months. Most patients (≥ 96%) expressed overall satisfaction with secukinumab regarding symptom improvement, speed of symptom improvement, frequency of administration, method of administration, ease of use, patient support services, and side effects, if any.

CONCLUSIONS

Patient-reported perspectives may be feasibly collected to provide insights into treatment experience and satisfaction of secukinumab. Most patients with psoriatic arthritis in our real-world study experienced symptom improvement after initiating secukinumab; > 50% of patients reported symptom improvement within 4 weeks. Additionally, almost all patients reported satisfaction with secukinumab treatment.

Physician’s Global Assessment in Psoriatic Arthritis: A Multicenter GRAPPA Study

Objective.

Physician’s global assessment (PGA) of disease activity is a major determinant of therapeutic decision making. This study assesses the reliability of the PGA, measured by means of 0–100 mm visual analog scale (VAS), and the additional use of separate VAS scales for musculoskeletal (PhysMSK) and dermatologic (PhysSk) manifestations in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Methods.

Sixteen centers from 8 countries enrolled 319 consecutive patients with PsA. PGA, PhysMSK, and PhysSk evaluation forms were administered at enrollment (W0) and after 1 week (W1). Detailed clinical data regarding musculoskeletal (MSK) manifestations, as well as dermatological assessment, were recorded.

Results.

Comparison of W0 and W1 scores showed no significant variation (intraclass correlation coefficients were PGA 0.87, PhysMSK 0.86, PhysSk 0.78), demonstrating the reliability of the instrument. PGA scores were dependent on PhysMSK and PhysSk (p < 0.0001) with a major effect of the MSK component (B = 0.69) compared to skin (B = 0.32). PhysMSK was correlated with the number of swollen joints, tender joints, and presence of dactylitis (p < 0.0001). PhysSk scores were correlated with the extent of skin psoriasis and by face, buttocks or intergluteal, and feet involvement (p < 0.0001). Finally, physician and patient assessments were compared showing frequent mismatch and a scattered dot plot: PGA versus patient’s global assessment (r = 0.36), PhysMSK versus patient MSK (r = 0.39), and PhysSk versus patient skin (r = 0.49).

Conclusion.

PGA assessed by means of VAS is a reliable tool to assess MSK and dermatological disease activity. PGA may diverge from patient self-evaluation. Because MSK and skin/nail disease activity may diverge, it is suggested that both PhysMSK and PhysSk are assessed.

Analysis of treatment goal alignment between Japanese psoriasis patients and their paired treating physicians

Background

Appropriate goal‐oriented treatment strategies are important for optimal treatment outcomes and may prevent under‐treatment. As treatment goals vary by patient, a study to examine treatment goals is more meaningful when patients and their physicians are paired. There has not been any study that examines alignment between paired psoriasis patients and physicians in real‐world clinical practice using skin clearance as a treatment goal indicator.

Objectives

To evaluate treatment goal alignment between psoriasis patients and their paired physicians, and to quantitatively identify factors associated with goal misalignment.

Methods

The study was a nationwide multicenter cross‐sectional observational study. Subjects were physician‐reported moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis patients with a history of systemic treatments, directly paired with their treating physicians. Subjects completed surveys independently. Treatment goals included seven categories, and patient–physician pairs were grouped as ‘aligned’ or ‘misaligned’ when the answers were the same or different, respectively.

Results

A total of 425 pairs (mean response rate, 94.7%) of responses were collected from 54 sites (64.8% general practitioners or clinics; 35.2% university or large hospitals). Treatment goal misalignment was found in 67.9% of the patient–physician pairs. The misalignment was mainly ‘patient predominant’ (60.9%) indicating that patients had higher goals (‘complete clearance’) than physicians. In the multivariate logistic regression analyses, patients’ treatment expectation for ‘complete clearance’ [odds ratio (OR): 1.927; 95% confidential interval (CI): 1.232–3.016] and physician rating of ‘level of understanding on treatment options’ being low (OR: 1.552, 95% CI; 1.082–2.227) were significant factors for treatment goal misalignment.

Conclusions

The majority of treatment goal misalignment was found between paired psoriasis patients and their treating physicians in Japan. The most important contributing factors to misalignment were patients’ treatment expectation for ‘complete clearance’ and physicians’ rating of their patients’ ‘level of understanding on treatment options’ being low.

Improving the Management of Psoriatic Arthritis and Axial Spondyloarthritis: Roundtable Discussions with Healthcare Professionals and Patients

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (AxSpA) are both chronic, inflammatory conditions that result in a substantial burden of disease and reduced quality of life for patients. Patient involvement in developing optimal disease management strategies, including defining appropriate goals, therapies, and treatment options, as well as in setting policy priorities and agendas, is key. A working group of patient organization representatives and rheumatologists explored what patients consider to be unmet needs, important treatment gaps, and future priorities in PsA and AxSpA management. Reducing pain and fatigue, and improving physical and social functioning and work productivity were identified as important treatment goals for patients. Although the major treatment target for both PsA and AxSpA is remission, with low/minimal disease activity an alternative target for patients with established or long-standing disease, the meaning of remission from the patient’s perspective needs to be explored further as it may differ considerably from the physician’s perspective. Key recommendations from the working group to tackle unmet needs included reducing time to diagnosis, increasing patient and physician disease awareness, focusing on patients’ priorities for treatment goals, and improving patient–physician communication. By addressing these key action points moving forward, the hope is that outcomes will continue to improve for patients with PsA and AxSpA.