Polypharmacy in Psoriatic Arthritis Linked With Poorer Quality of Life

Predictive factors for major polypharmacy in patients with psoriatic arthritis were being 60 years of age or older and having multiple comorbidities, according to study results published in the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology.

Researchers defined major polypharmacy as taking 5 or more medications.

The cross-sectional study included 100 patients with psoriatic arthritis, 70 of whom were female. The average age was 48.43 ± 12.94 years.

Overall, 19% of patients had major polypharmacy, according to the study. Odds ratios for major polypharmacy were 4.864 with age 60 or older and 3.151 with number of comorbid diseases, multivariable models showed.

Sex, body mass index, disease duration, disease activity, psoriasis severity, dactylitis, enthesitis, psoriatic arthritis subtypes, smoking, and Health Assessment Questionnaire scores were not associated with major polypharmacy on univariable analysis.

Patients with major polypharmacy tended to score lower on the physical function subscale of 36-Item Short Form Health Survey.

“Although physical function was not associated with polypharmacy, patients with major polypharmacy had poorer quality of life,” wrote researchers.

Reference:
Erdem Gürsoy D, Gezer HH, Acer Kasman S, Duruöz MT. Associations of polypharmacy with clinical parameters, function, and health-related quality of life in psoriatic arthritis. J Clin Rheumatol. Published online August 18, 2022. doi:10.1097/RHU.0000000000001889