International audienceThe objectives of this study were to assess the costs of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in Hungary and to identify key cost drivers among demographic and clinical variables and to compare cost-of-illness of PsA and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Cross-sectional retrospective survey of 183 consecutive patients from eight rheumatology centres was conducted. Mean direct medical, direct non medical, indirect and total costs were 1,876, 794, 2,904 and 5,574 euros/patient/year, respectively. Total costs were in significant linear relationship with health assessment questionnaire score and psoriatic area severity index. Costs of RA were higher in all domains than of PsA. Our study was the first from the Eastern European region that provides cost-of-illness data on PsA. Our study revealed that functional status and severity of skin symptoms were the key cost drivers. The costs of PsA in Hungary were lower than in the high-income European countries

These results indicate a significantly higher immunity to small proteoglycans in RA and seronegative spondylarthropathies than in OA suggesting a possible involvement in the pathogenesis of inflammatory rheumatic diseases.

The PsAQoL, the HAQ, and the EQ-5D are able to distinguish well across levels of PsA severity.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of soluble adhesion molecules in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with demyelinating syndrome. Methods: Paired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples were analysed by an ELISA method to determine the concentrations of sVCAM-1, sICAM-1 and sL-selectin. Intrathecal syntheses of the adhesion molecules were calculated. Results: Elevated serum and CSF concentrations of sVCAM-1 were present in all patient groups. Intrathecal synthesis of sVCAM-1 was present in the relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive forms of MS. Intrathecal synthesis of sICAM-1 was observed in all clinical forms of MS. MS patients with progressive forms of the disease and SLE patients were characterised by intrathecal synthesis of sL-selectin. Conclusions: The data presented suggest that (1) blood-brain barrier damage can be assumed both in systemic disease and organ-specific disease (sVCAM-1), (2) clinical forms of MS differ from each other in respect to concentrations of adhesion molecules and (3) similar immunological events in the central nervous system of SLE patients with demyelinating syndrome and progressive forms of MS can be assumed (sL-selectin).

102 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 104 psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients' records were analysed according to a standardised protocol. Using Cox regression, life-table analysis and log rank test, the effectiveness and toxicity of, and duration of disease modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) treatment were compared in RA and PsA. RA patients were treated with gold sodium thiomalate (GST), methotrexate (MTX) and sulphasalazine (SSZ) for a median duration of 35, 72 and 12 months respectively, whereas PsA patients were treated for 12, 12 and 17 months. The differences for GST and MTX were statistically significant (p=0.0043 and 0.0447). Drug toxicity was more frequently seen among patients with PsA (p=0.0023). No difference in efficacy could be proved. Results suggest that there is a significant difference between RA and PsA patients in terms of toxicity of these agents. Therefore, separate treatment strategies are needed, and earlier results with RA may not be directly applicable to PsA.