Effectiveness and Safety of Upadacitinib in Treating Oligoarticular and Polyarticular Psoriatic Arthritis: Primary Analysis from the UPJOINT-Study
- Open Access
- 05.11.2025
- Original Research
Abstract
Why carry out this study? |
In 2021, upadacitinib, a Janus kinase inhibitor, received approval for treating patients with psoriatic arthritis who have responded inadequately to or who are intolerant to one or more disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. |
To date, little is known about the efficacy of Janus kinase inhibitors concerning their effectiveness in treating oligo- and polyarticular psoriatic arthritis (oPsA, pPsA) as common phenotypes of psoriatic arthritis. |
Particularly in oPsA, data on the effectiveness of Janus kinase inhibitors are lacking given the restrictions in clinical trials selection criteria frequently focusing on pPsA. |
Here we report the final results of the UPJOINT study which aimed to investigate the achievement of minimal disease activity (MDA) and very low disease activity (VLDA) in patients with pPsA and oPsA treated with upadacitinib and followed up for 48 weeks. |
What was learned from the study? |
Our results highlight the effectiveness of upadacitinib in both disease phenotypes investigated in this study. By week 12 post-treatment initiation, 51.6% of the patients with oPsA and 33.7% of the patients with pPsA achieved MDA. These outcomes remained stable, with similar proportions sustained through the end of the observational period at week 48. |
Regarding the evaluation of MDA/VLDA components, it was found that predominantly patient-reported components hindered patients from achieving MDA/VLDA. |
Introduction
Methods
Patients and Study Organization
Study-Related Procedures
Dataset and Statistical Analysis Procedures
Total sample (N = 364) | oPsA (N = 141) | pPsA (N = 223) | |
|---|---|---|---|
Age | 53.9 (11.8) | 52.3 (12.0) | 54.9 (11.6) |
Disease duration (years) | 8.2 (8.5) | 350 | 7.0 (7.0) | 137 | 9.1 (9.3) | 213 |
Gender (female) | 241 (66.2%) | 92 (65.2%) | 149 (66.8%) |
MDA | 13 (3.6%) | 361 | 10 (7.1%) | 139 | 3 (1.3%) | 222 |
VLDA | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) |
DAPSA | 29.7 (15.9) | 354 | 19.1 (6.4) |138 | 36.4 (16.5) | 216 |
ESR (mm/1st hour) | 18.3 (17.5) | 256 | 18.3 (16.0) | 101 | 18.4 (18.4) | 155 |
CRP (mg/dl) | 1.1 (2.6) |361 | 0.8 (1.3) | 1.4 (3.1) | 220 |
SJC66 | 6.3 (5.4) | 2.1 (1.1) | 8.9 (5.4) |
TJC68 | 10.1 (9.9) | 4.7 (4.8) | 13.5 (10.7) |
BSA % | 2.9 (5.8) | 3.0 (6.5) | 2.9 (5.4) |
LEI | 1.1 (1.7) | 0.8 (1.4) | 1.3 (1.8) |
Presence of enthesitis | 141 (38.7%) | 46 (32.6%) | 95 (42.6%) |
Presence of dactylitis | 59 (16.2%) | 17 (12.1%) | 42 (18.8%) |
Presence of nail psoriasis | 109 (29.9%) | 37 (26.2%) | 72 (32.3%) |
Nail psoriasis affecting ≥ 3 digits | 64 (17.6%) | 23 (16.3%) | 41 (18.4%) |
NRS PtGA (0–10) | 5.9 (2.6) | 358 | 5.5 (2.5) | 139 | 6.2 (2.6) | 219 |
HAQ-DI | 1.2 (0.7) | 357 | 1.0 (0.7) | 138 | 1.3 (0.7) | 219 |
DLQI | 7.0 (7.0) | 321 | 7.3 (7.0) | 126 | 6.8 (7.0) | 195 |
Previous csDMARDs/GC (pre-therapy) | 319 (87.6%) | 120 (85.1%) | 199 (89.2%) |
Previous csDMARDs/GC (until baseline) | 240 (65.9%) | 86 (61.0%) | 154 (69.1%) |
Previous bDMARDs/tsDMARDs (pre-therapy) | 259 (71.2%) | 100 (70.9%) | 159 (71.3%) |
Previous bDMARDs/tsDMARDs (until baseline) | 200 (54.9%) | 76 (53.9%) | 124 (55.6%) |
Previous MTX (pre-therapy) | 272 (74.7%) | 109 (77.3%) | 163 (73.1%) |
Previous MTX (until baseline) | 165 (45.3%) | 57 (40.4%) | 108 (48.4%) |
Results
Baseline Patients’ Characteristics
Proportion of Patients Achieving MDA/VLDA
Evaluation of MDA/VLDA Single Components
Achievement of DAPSA Remission and Low Disease Activity (DAPSA LDA)
Improvement of Dactylitis, Enthesitis, Nail Psoriasis, and Quality of Life
Safety
Total sample | Total sample (N = 381) | oPsA | oPsA (N = 149) | pPsA | pPsA (N = 232) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ne | NP (%) | Ne | NP (%) | Ne | NP (%) | |
AE (any) | 483 | 211 (55.4%) | 229 | 91 (61.1%) | 254 | 120 (51.7%) |
SAE (any) | 41 | 26 (6.8%) | 20 | 10 (6.7%) | 21 | 16 (6.9%) |
AEs leading to discontinuation of the study drug | 143 | 95 (24.9%) | 68 | 36 (24.2%) | 75 | 59 (25.4%) |
AEs possibly related to study drug intake | 213 | 127 (33.3%) | 101 | 56 (37.6%) | 112 | 71 (30.6%) |
Infections and infestations | 125 | 94 (24.7%) | 51 | 38 (25.5%) | 74 | 56 (24.1%) |
COVID-19 | 36 | 35 (9.2%) | 16 | 15 (10.1%) | 20 | 20 (8.6%) |
Herpes zoster | 1 | 1 (0.3%) | 0 | 0 (0%) | 1 | 1 (0.4%) |
Opportunistic and serious infections | 86 | 63 (16.5%) | 29 | 20 (13.4%) | 57 | 43 (18.5%) |
Gastrointestinal disorders | 53 | 37 (9.7%) | 34 | 21 (14.1%) | 19 | 16 (6.9%) |
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders | 31 | 28 (7.4%) | 15 | 14 (9.4%) | 16 | 14 (6.0%) |
Acne | 5 | 4 (1.1%) | 1 | 1 (0.7%) | 4 | 3 (1.3%) |
Weight increase | 8 | 7 (1.8%) | 6 | 5 (3.4%) | 2 | 2 (0.9%) |
Abnormal liver function | 1 | 1 (0.3%) | 1 | 1 (0.7%) | 0 | 0 (0%) |
VTEs | 0 | 0 (0%) | 0 | 0 (0%) | 0 | 0 (0%) |
MACE | 0 | 0 (0%) | 0 | 0 (0%) | 0 | 0 (0%) |
Malignancies | 4 | 4 (1.1%) | 1 | 1 (0.7%) | 3 | 3 (1.3%) |