Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect the joints, skin, nails and other parts of the body, often having a substantial impact on daily activities and quality of life. Many people with PsA are treated with biologic medicines called tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (anti-TNF drugs). Although these treatments can be very effective, some patients eventually need to stop or change them because they no longer control symptoms adequately or because of side effects.
In this study, we analysed data from 72 people with PsA receiving anti-TNF treatment in routine clinical practice. We compared patients receiving anti-TNF treatment alone with those receiving anti-TNF drug together with methotrexate, a commonly used medication for PsA and other inflammatory joint diseases. The two groups had similar characteristics at the start of treatment, allowing a fair comparison between treatments.
Patients receiving methotrexate alongside anti-TNF treatment were more likely to remain on treatment after three years than those receiving anti-TNF alone. Overall, patients taking methotrexate were about 60% less likely to stop their anti-TNF treatment during follow-up. Most changes occurred because the medication was no longer adequately controlling joint or skin symptoms.
Methotrexate provided similar benefits whether taken as tablets or by injection, offering flexibility for patients and healthcare professionals when choosing the most suitable treatment approach.
These findings suggest that combining methotrexate with anti-TNF treatment may help some patients stay on effective therapy for longer, maintain symptom control and avoid treatment changes. Larger studies are needed to confirm these results.