Clinical and Biomedical Research (Dec 2021)
Ambulatório conjunto de Dermatologia e Reumatologia para tratamento de psoríase e artrite psoriásica: experiência de um hospital terciário no sul do Brasil
Abstract
Introduction: several guidelines emphasize the advantages of multidisciplinary management of patients with psoriasis (PSO) or psoriatic arthritis (PSA). Early diagnosis of PSA relates to better outcomes in 5 years. However, early diagnosis of PSA remains a challenge. Methods: retrospective cohort of patients with previous or suspect diagnosis of PSO and/or PSA who were cared for in the combined dermatology and rheumatology clinic from January 2013 to January 2017. Results: among the 55 patients previously diagnosed with PSO, 30.9% (n=17) were diagnosed with PSA. Changes in medical therapy were made for 58.5% (n = 48) of patients, mainly due to poor cutaneous or articular disease control. Imunobiologicals were the most commonly initiated class of medicine, corresponding to 35.4% (n = 17) of changes in medical therapy. Methotrexate was the second most initiated medicine (18.7%; n = 9), or with changes in its dosage or route of administration (20.8%; n = 10), totaling 39.5% (n = 19) of changes in medical therapy. There was an increase in the proportions of patients undergoing systemic therapies (79.2%; n = 65). Conclusions: this study reenforces the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in the early diagnosis of PSA and demonstrates that a combined approach between dermatology and rheumatology is feasible in Brazil, with similar outcomes to those reported in international literature.