The following is a summary of “Central Sensitization in Psoriatic Arthritis: Relationship With Composite Measures of Disease Activity, Functional Disability, and Health-Related Quality of Life,” published in the November 2023 issue of Rheumatology by Salaffi et al.
Researchers started a retrospective study to explore the prevalence of central sensitization (CS) in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and its bond with disease activity and patient-reported outcomes.
They conducted a cross-sectional study involving adults with PsA, excluding coexisting fibromyalgia (FM). Patients underwent clinimetric assessment for disease activity, quality of life (QOL), functional ability, the impact of disease, and CS. Spearman ρ examined the relationship between CS Inventory (CSI) scores and other variables. A multivariate analysis determined the independent contribution of each variable to the 12-item Psoriatic Arthritis Impact of Disease (PsAID-12) score.
The results showed 157 patients, with 45.2% scoring a CSI ≥ 40, signifying a high likelihood of CS. Correlations emerged between CSI and disease activity, assessed by Disease Activity in PsA score and PsA Disease Activity Score (ρ 0.587 and ρ 0.573, respectively), CSI and Health Assessment Questionnaire (ρ 0.607), and CSI and 36-item Short Form Health Survey physical component summary and mental component summary scores (ρ –0.405 and ρ –0.483, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, the CSI score emerged as the principal independent variable (P<0.001), contributing to the Psoriatic Arthritis Impact of Disease (PsAID-12) score.
Investigators concluded that among patients with PsA, the presence of central sensitization significantly worsened disease activity, functional ability, and quality of life.
Source: jrheum.org/content/early/2023/11/24/jrheum.2023-0177