Bone anabolic changes progress in psoriatic arthritis patients despite treatment with methotrexate or tumour necrosis factor inhibitors

Objectives To investigate whether methotrexate or tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) affect osteophyte formation in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Methods 41 patients with PsA were examined for the presence of osteophytes and erosions at the metacarpophalangeal joints by high-resolution micro-CT imaging. The size of each individual lesion was quantified at baseline and 1-year follow-up in PsA patients treated with TNFi (N=28) or methotrexate (N=13). Groups were comparable for age, sex, disease duration and activity and baseline burden of osteophytes. Results In total, 415 osteophytes (TNFi N=284, methotrexate N=131) were detected. Osteophyte size increased significantly from baseline to follow-up in the TNFi group (mean±SEM change +0.23±0.02 mm; p