Spondyloarthritis & psoriatic arthritis
Effect of apremilast on entheseal bone damage in psoriasis patients at risk of developing psoriatic arthritis - data from the prospective, interventional EPOS study
Authors' conclusion
In PsO patients at increased risk of PsA, no significant change in subclinical entheseal bone or inflammatory imaging was observed over 24 weeks of apremilast treatment, while skin disease activity and pain outcomes improved.
Study context
- Population
- Psoriasis (PsO) patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, arthralgia and subclinical inflammatory and/or structural bone changes on hand MRI and/or HR-pQCT; current or past psoriatic arthritis (PsA) or prior b/tsDMARD excluded9 women
- Participants
- 20 patients
- Outcome
- Change in structural entheseal lesions (SEL) (number, density and structure) at hand joints assessed by HR-pQCT
- Follow-up
- Week 24
Methodological detailsprospective
- Prospective
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Structural entheseal lesions (HR-pQCT) · 24 weeks
- No significant progression in structural entheseal lesions (SEL) number
- Entheseal cortical density and cortical thickness remained stable
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Secondary outcomes
Erosions (number and volume) · 24 weeks
- No progression in number and volume of erosions
Total PsAMRIS (inflammation) · 24 weeks
- Remained stable
PASI, baseline vs week 24 · 24 weeks
- PASI 10.9±6.7 vs. 5.2±6.6, p=0.013 (significant improvement)
Tender joint count, baseline vs week 24 · 24 weeks
- Tender joint count 3.2±3.4 vs. 0.8±1.8, p=0.006 (significant improvement)
Safety
- No new safety signals emerged
Original publication
Effect of apremilast on entheseal bone damage in psoriasis patients at risk of developing psoriatic arthritis - data from the prospective, interventional EPOS study. Arthritis Res Ther. Published 8 August 2026. doi:10.
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