Joint Assessment Matters: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Benefits of Interdisciplinary Psoriasis Care – Research

Introduction:

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease often accompanied by musculoskeletal symptoms and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Early identification of PsA remains challenging, underscoring the need for interdisciplinary care between dermatology and rheumatology. To evaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic impact of an interdisciplinary dermatology-rheumatology board (IDRB) for patients with psoriasis, we initiated a non-randomized, prospective bicentric study.

Methods:

A total of 182 patients with psoriasis were enrolled at baseline (V0), of whom 111 completed the 12-month follow-up (V2). Forty-seven (25.8%) patients participated in the IDRB, and 135 (74.2%) patients received standard dermatological care. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-A/D), pain, systemic inflammation, psoriatic arthritis (PsA) diagnosis, and systemic therapy courses were analyzed. Group differences and changes over time were assessed using non-parametric and parametric tests, and predictors of therapy modification were explored using univariate logistic regression.

Results:

Over 12 months, patients in the IDRB group showed statistically significant improvements in PASI, DLQI, and HADS-A (all p ≤ 0.05). Among participants without PsA at baseline and with complete PsA documentation at follow-up, new PsA diagnoses occurred more often in the IDRB cohort (31%) than in standard care (9.8%) (Fisher’s exact p = 0.0295; χ² p = 0.0360; OR = 4.14). In univariate analyses, higher baseline PASI, DLQI, and HADS-A values were each associated with subsequent therapy modification. Within the IDRB group, biologic treatments shifted over time toward IL-17- and IL-23-targeted agents, indicating a move toward more streamlined and targeted systemic therapy patterns compared with standard care.

Conclusion:

An IDRB may contribute to more structured PsA assessment and to more informed therapeutic decisions in patients with psoriasis. Integrating objective clinical measures together with patient-reported burden appears crucial for guiding treatment modification and optimizing outcomes. Given the non-randomized, self-selected design, these findings should be interpreted as associations.

Trial registration:

DRKS-Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien listing: DRKS00037907.