Klin Farmakol Farm. 2026;40(1):61-66 | DOI: 10.36290/far.2025.067

Targeted treatment of psoriatic arthritis

Leona Procházková

Revmatologická ambulance, II. interní klinika LF MU a FN u sv. Anny, Brno

Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory disease from the group of spondyloarthritis. The disease is characterized by joint, enthesis, or axial skeleton involvement in patients with psoriasis. Joint manifestations usually occur after the development of skin psoriasis, although in a smaller subset of patients, this may be the reverse. The phenotype of psoriatic arthritis is highly variable, reflecting a combination of specific musculoskeletal manifestations and various forms and severity of skin psoriasis, as well as the presence of extra-articular manifestations of the disease. The different presentations of the disease, especially their combinations, and their development over time can make therapeutic decisions challenging. Treatment of the disease is complex, with the goal being remission or at least low disease activity. In recent years, the spectrum of treatment options has expanded significantly. Conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs), such as methotrexate, are used in the treatment of the disease. A major shift in therapy was brought by the introduction of targeted biological DMARDs (bDMARDs) and, more recently, targeted synthetic DMARDs (tsDMARDs). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can briefly alleviate disease symptoms, but they do not affect structural progression or skin manifestations, and their use should be limited to short-term use in patients with mild disease. Local glucocorticoid application can alleviate inflammation and pain, but systemic therapy is not recommended due to limited efficacy and safety risks. The therapy also includes non-pharmacological measures, as well as consideration of comorbidities such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, or depression, which are more common in psoriatic arthritis patients.

Keywords: psoriatic arthritis, spondyloarthritis, biologic therapy, targeted therapy, switch.

Received: September 22, 2025; Revised: November 18, 2025; Accepted: November 18, 2025; Published: April 20, 2026  Show citation