The phase 3 DISCOVER-2 clinical trial published in the Rheumatology and Therapy journal revealed significant advancements in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The study evaluated the impact of guselkumab on work productivity and general health and showed encouraging outcomes over a span of two years.
Among the biologic-naïve patients with active PsA, this trial employed subcutaneous injections of guselkumab at different intervals along with a placebo group. The assessments were made using various metrics including the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire for PsA (WPAI-PsA) and the EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) Index and EQ-Visual Analog Scale (EQ-VAS) for general health status.
The results from the study involved a total of 739 participants and demonstrated remarkable improvements at the 24-week mark, with marked enhancements in work productivity and nonwork daily activity in the guselkumab-treated groups when compared to the placebo group. As the trial progressed to the 100-week mark, the patients receiving guselkumab maintained their gains by showing reduced work productivity impairment and nonwork daily activity impairment, along with significant enhancements in general health status.
The shifts in employment status observed among participants were of interest. A substantial percentage transitioned from unemployment to employment that underscored the profound impact of guselkumab on the ability of patients to engage in work activities. This study revealed potential cost savings associated with the improved work productivity that estimated to range from $16,529 to $19,409 annually per patient. This finding highlights the economic benefits of effective PsA treatment and also underlines the broader societal impact of addressing the burden of PsA on productivity.
Source:
Curtis, J. R., McInnes, I. B., Rahman, P., Gladman, D. D., Peterson, S., Yang, F., Adejoro, O., Kollmeier, A. P., Shiff, N. J., Han, C., Shawi, M., Tillett, W., & Mease, P. J. (2024). Work Productivity and General Health Through 2 Years of Guselkumab Treatment in a Phase 3 Randomized Trial of Patients With Active Psoriatic Arthritis. In Rheumatology and Therapy. Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40744-024-00642-9