Key clinical point: Presence of dactylitis independently confirmed more severe disease burden with higher swollen joint counts (SJC), C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, ultrasound-detected synovitis, and bone erosion in disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD)-naive patients with early psoriatic arthritis (PsA).
Major finding: Dactylitic vs. nondactylitic PsA was associated with a higher SJC ( P < .001) and CRP level ( P = .006) and a higher prevalence of ultrasound synovitis ( P < .001) and bone erosions ( P < .001). After excluding dactylitic digits, SJC was greater ( P = .002) and ultrasound-detected synovitis ( P < .001) and erosions ( P = .008) were more prevalent in dactylitic vs. nondactylitic PsA.
Study details: This study included 177 DMARD-naive patients with early PsA who were stratified by the presence or absence of dactylitis at baseline.
Disclosures: This study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Leeds Biomedical Research Centre. The authors declared no conflict of interests.
Source: Dubash S et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2021 (Dec 10). Doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-220964.