NEW YORK – A research consortium in psoriatic arthritis has been recently organized by a group of researchers at academic centers hoping to accelerate data collection by pooling resources.
Formed about 1 year ago, the research group, called PPACMAN (Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Clinics Multicenter Advancement Network) is currently open to those centers in which dermatologists and rheumatologists are already collaborating in the management of psoriatic arthritis (PsA).
Dr. Jose U. Scher
"One of the advantages of this group is that we hope to pursue research goals with minimal costs and need for funding," explained Dr. Jose U. Scher, director of the arthritis clinic and codirector of the psoriatic arthritis center at NYU Langone Medical Center, New York. In addition to NYU, the collaborating centers include the Cleveland Clinic; the National Institutes of Health; the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; the University of Utah, Salt Lake City; the University of Toronto, Harvard University’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston; North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Manhasset, N.Y.; Oregon Health & Science University, Portland; the University of Rochester, N.Y.; and the National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland.
In outlining progress so far at the joint meetings of the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis and the Spondyloarthritis Research & Treatment Network, Dr. Scher reported on three initiatives underway.
Of these, the most ambitious may be a multicenter longitudinal cohort being created by collating electronic medical records of PsA patients from the participating centers. As it grows over time, this database has the potential to serve as a rich resource of information on PsA characteristics, treatment approaches, and outcomes.
"This is an example of how we can leverage data in PsA through collaboration with resources already devoted to clinical care," Dr. Scher reported. By collating the data from electronic medical records in compatible formats, the cohort data to some degree will collect themselves.
In addition, PPACMAN centers are participating in an effort to evaluate tools used by dermatologists to screen for PsA. According to Dr. Scher, this initiative is the first step in an effort to work toward identifying the screening approaches that are most effective.
"It is still unclear which tools are being used and their relative value for early detection of PsA in a practical sense," said Dr. Scher, referring to such screening instruments as the Psoriasis Arthritis Screening Evaluation. The goal is to document how instruments are being used currently and then to define strategies that best accelerate the time to diagnosis.
A third project being developed by the PPACMAN collaborative group involves the study of biomarkers. Biomarkers have enormous potential for predicting the course of PsA and guiding therapy, but the complex interaction of genetic, environmental, and immunologic factors complicates the effort to isolate their independent predictive value. In attempting to control for variables, studies conducted with a relatively large number of patients have a practical advantage.
"The principle of PPACMAN, integrated by highly driven and talented researchers, is that we can achieve more by working together," Dr. Scher explained. Indeed, he said that other centers with an interest in PsA are welcome to join as long as they have a program in which dermatologists and rheumatologists collaborate.
"This is a relatively new initiative, but we are excited about its potential," Dr. Scher said.
Dr. Scher reported no relevant financial relationships.