Background: In patients (pts) with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), fatigue is a major driver of perceived impact of disease and has been identified as an important domain to be assessed in clinical trials. ^1,2 The association between fatigue and other PsA domains (eg, physical function) or clinical response is not well understood.

Objectives: Fatigue was measured with the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT)-Fatigue questionnaire in the pivotal DISCOVER-1 and DISCOVER-2 Phase 3 studies of guselkumab (GUS) vs placebo (PBO). This post hoc analysis explores the correlation between FACIT-Fatigue and physical function and clinical response in the DISCOVER program.

Methods: This analysis used pooled data from pts (N=1120) treated with GUS or PBO. In DISCOVER-1 and DISCOVER-2, 381 pts with active PsA (swollen joint count [SJC] ≥3, tender joint count [TJC] ≥3, C-reactive protein [CRP] ≥0.3 mg/dL) and 739 pts with active PsA (SJC ≥5, TJC ≥5, CRP ≥0.6 mg/dL) and inadequate response to standard therapies, respectively, were randomized 1:1:1 to GUS 100 mg Q4W; GUS 100 mg at W0, W4, then Q8W; or PBO. PBO pts switched to GUS 100 mg Q4W at W24. The FACIT-Fatigue questionnaire has 13 items that assess self-reported fatigue/tiredness over the last 7 days. Items are scored from 0 (very much fatigued) to 4 (not at all fatigued). FACIT-Fatigue response was defined as an increase of ≥4 points from baseline. Physical function was evaluated with the Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI). HAQ-DI response was defined as a decrease of ≥0.35 points from baseline. Clinical response was defined as achievement of ≥20% improvement in the American College of Rheumatology (ACR 20) criteria. Relationships between FACIT-Fatigue and HAQ-DI at W8/16/24 were assessed by Pearson correlation coefficients. Mean changes in HAQ-DI scores at W8/16/24 were summarized in FACIT-Fatigue responders and nonresponders. A logistic regression model was applied to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for achievement of HAQ-DI and ACR 20 response by FACIT-Fatigue response status at each visit. A multiple linear regression model was used to evaluate the association between FACIT-Fatigue and HAQ-DI at W24 after adjusting for SJC, TJC, CRP, and pt assessment of pain.

Results: FACIT-Fatigue and HAQ-DI scores and changes from baseline were negatively correlated at W8, W16, and W24 ( Table 1 ). Mean changes in HAQ-DI were −0.31, −0.43, and −0.48 at W8, W16, and W24, respectively, in FACIT-Fatigue responders and −0.06, −0.07, and −0.09, respectively, in FACIT-Fatigue nonresponders. FACIT-Fatigue responders were significantly more likely than nonresponders to achieve HAQ-DI and ACR 20 response (OR [95% CI] at W8, 2.8 [2.2-3.7] and 2.4 [1.9-3.1]; at W16, 3.6 [2.8-4.7] and 2.9 [2.3-3.7]; and at W24, 4.4 [3.4-5.7] and 3.2 [2.5-4.2], respectively; Figure 1 ). Correlations between FACIT-Fatigue and HAQ-DI remained significant after adjusting for SJC, TJC, CRP, and pt assessment of pain.

Conclusion: In pts with PsA, fatigue response is a clinically meaningful predictor of improvements in physical function and achievement of ACR 20 response, reinforcing the importance of assessing fatigue in PsA disease management.

REFERENCES:

[1]Leung YY et al. J Rheumatol. 2020;96:46-9.

[2]Gudu T et al. Joint Bone Spine. 2016;83:439-43.

Figure 1

Disclosure of Interests: Arthur Kavanaugh Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Genentech, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer and UCB, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Genentech, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer and UCB, Yan Liu Shareholder of: Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Atul Deodhar Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, GSK, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Eli Lilly, GSK, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB, Philip J Mease Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, SUN, and UCB; and personal fees from Boehringer Ingelheim and GlaxoSmithKline, Philip Helliwell Consultant of: Galapagos, Janssen, Novartis, Grant/research support from: Abbvie, Janssen, Pfizer, Laure Gossec Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Biogen, Celgene, Gilead, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Samsung Bioepis, Sanofi-Aventis, UCB, Grant/research support from: Amgen, Galapagos, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Sandoz, Sanofi, Alexa Kollmeier Shareholder of: Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Elizabeth C Hsia Shareholder of: Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Research & Development, LLC, May Shawi Shareholder of: Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Global Services, LLC, Chenglong Han Shareholder of: Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Proton Rahman Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, and UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, and UCB, Grant/research support from: Janssen and Novartis.