Clinical pharmacist screening for psoriatic arthritis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Can screening undertaken by practice-based clinical pharmacists help identify patients who have psoriatic arthritis?
IRAS ID
240957
Contact name
Rod Tucker
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 0 days
Research summary
Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) is a chronic, degenerate inflammatory disease thought to affect up to 30% of those with psoriasis. The condition has several different clinical patterns and patients can present with a mixture of subtypes though typically, patients have rheumatic symptoms such as joint stiffness, pain/swelling and tenderness of ligaments and tendons and inflammatory back pain in those with spinal disease involvement. The likely presence of PsA can be easily screened for using various validated tools.
Two such tools are the psoriasis epidemiological screening tool (PEST) and the inflammatory back pain (IBP). The latter tool is required since PEST doesn't identify those with spinal PsA.
However, though recommended by NICE, few GPs use such screening tools.
In the present study, we will make use of clinical pharmacists working in GP practices to identify patients with psoriasis who have not been assessed for joint pains. Where the screening tool indicates the possibility of PsA, patients will be referred to a rheumatologist (as per the guidance from NICE) for further assessment and confirmation of the diagnosis.
This study therefore has the potential to address an unmet need in patients with psoriasis and ensure that such patients receive appropriate therapy for their PsA to improve disease outcomes.REC name
London - Fulham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/0916
Date of REC Opinion
22 May 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion