Patients with moderate to severe psoriatic arthritis who take guselkumab may experience lower rates of adverse events regardless of whether they have previously undergone treatment with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibition, according to a report on recent research from Rheumatology Advisor. In a pooled analysis of four phase II/III trials—published by Rahman et al in The Journal of Rheumatology—patients were randomly assigned to receive 100 mg of guselkumab either every 4 weeks or every 8 weeks, or placebo. After 2 years of follow-up, the researchers noted that the rates of adverse events for patients who were TNF inhibitor–naive were 220.8 per 100 patient-years for those taking guselkumab and 196.1 per 100 patient-years for those taking placebo; rates for patients who were TNF inhibitor–experienced were 251.6 per 100 patient-years for those receiving guselkumab and 303 for those taking placebo. Additionally, side effects such as hepatic transaminase and decreased neutrophil levels were present in both patient groups. “Together with the robust efficacy data, results further support the long-term use of guselkumab as an initial biologic therapy or in those who have failed or were intolerant to TNF [inhibitors],” concluded the study authors.
May 25, 2023