Understanding PsA-Associated Mortality

Mortality risk among patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in Sweden was about 10% higher than in the general population, driven by excess comorbidity and with increased risks mainly in women and patients with longer disease duration, a recent population-based cohort study published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases revealed.

To compare all-cause mortality and causes of death between patients with PsA and the general population in Sweden, the researchers divided the participants into healthy control groups and patients with at least 1 PsA diagnosis. They assessed overall mortality stratified by sex, age, and duration since diagnosis.

The investigators included patients from the Swedish national registry data between 2001 and 2017. Median follow-up was 9 years, mean age at diagnosis was 52, and 45% of the participants were men.

Patients with PsA faced a 10% mortality rate after 9.3 years, compared to 10.5 years for controls. Women with PsA were more at risk of mortality compared to men with PsA (27% vs 9%, P<0.05) Compared to healthy controls, patients with PsA in the 40-49 age range faced the greatest increase in mortality risk.

Furthermore, comorbidities such as chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, pulmonary disease, cancer, and anxiety/depression were associated with increased mortality relative to healthy controls.

Causes of death were similar between patients with PsA and healthy controls.

Based on the insights of the study, clinicians could potentially guide future research and provide a foundation for improved patient management strategies, the authors noted.

Reference:
Exarchou S, Di Giuseppe D, Klingberg E, et al. Mortality in patients with psoriatic arthritis in Sweden: A nationwide, population-based cohort study. Annals of the Rheum Dis. Published Online: December 01, 2023. DOI: 10.1136/ard-2023-224965