THE way patients and clinicians prioritize different aspects of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) has been revealed in a new study that shed light on important disparities that could impact care quality and outcomes. This study, conducted in three U.S. rheumatology practices, highlights the need for enhanced patient-clinician communication and a more patient-centered approach to PsA management.
In this mixed-methods study, four PsA patient focus groups were conducted to identify what matters most to patients. Researchers combined these insights with expert-identified PsA attributes to create a comprehensive list of 51 items describing the disease. Both patients and clinicians participated in Delphi exercises to assign importance scores to each attribute, distributing 100 points across the list.
The results showed notable differences in how patients and clinicians prioritize PsA dimensions. Patients tended to spread their points across a wider range of issues, emphasizing concerns such as access to care, daily activities, future health uncertainty, stiffness, and sleep quality. By contrast, clinicians focused on specific disease manifestations, comorbidities, structural damage, and management goals.
Despite these differences, areas of alignment were found in key domains, including arthritis, disease activity, pain, fatigue, physical function, and spine symptoms. However, the discordance highlights gaps in care delivery. For example, patients underscored the impact of PsA on their overall quality of life and mental health—issues often overlooked in clinical discussions.
The study concludes that while there is some concordance between patient and clinician priorities, significant gaps remain. Patients expressed a need for better communication about non-physical dimensions of their condition, such as emotional well-being and future health concerns. These findings suggest opportunities to improve PsA care by fostering more open dialogue and conducting research that prioritizes patient-defined outcomes.
Reference: Mease PJ et al. What Matters in Psoriatic Arthritis: A Comparison of Patient and Clinician Perspectives. ACR Open Rheumatol. 2025;7(1):e11781.
Anaya Malik | AMJ
