Work Productivity Among Patients With PsA Treated With DMARDS

A study published in Arthritis Research & Therapy, aimed to describe changes in work productivity and leisure activity in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) treated with biologic (b) and targeted synthetic (ts) disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

A systematic literature review was conducted, covering studies published between January 1, 2010, and October 22, 2021, that used the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI) to assess outcomes in patients with PsA treated with b/tsDMARDs. Data on WPAI domains—absenteeism, presenteeism, total work productivity, and activity impairment—were collected from baseline to around 24 weeks of treatment. A random effects meta-analysis of single means was performed to determine the overall mean changes.

The review included 12 studies, 10 randomized controlled trials, and 2 observational studies, examining treatments such as adalimumab, bimekizumab, guselkumab, ixekizumab, risankizumab, secukinumab, and upadacitinib. Among 3741 employed patients, baseline WPAI scores averaged 11.4% for absenteeism, 38.7% for presenteeism, 42.7% for total work productivity impairment, and 48.9% for activity impairment. At 24 weeks, significant mean improvements were observed: 2.4 percentage points (%p) in absenteeism, 17.8%p in presenteeism, 17.6%p in total work productivity, and 19.3%p in activity impairment. This corresponds to a mean relative improvement of 41% in total work productivity. The improvements in work outcomes were consistent across different b/tsDMARD treatments.

The systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrate that PsA substantially reduces work capacity and leisure activity participation. However, significant improvements are achieved after 24 weeks of b/tsDMARD treatment, particularly in presenteeism, total work productivity, and activity impairment. These findings are valuable for reimbursement considerations and shared decision-making in clinical practice.

Reference
Gossec L, Humphries B, Rutherford M, Taieb V, Willems D, Tillett W. Improvement in work productivity among psoriatic arthritis patients treated with biologic or targeted synthetic drugs: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Arthritis Res Ther. Published online February 15, 2024. doi:10.1186/s13075-024-03282-0