Tests imaging-guided treatment planning for psoriatic arthritis
Tests whether ultrasound and MRI scans guide treatment in adults with psoriatic arthritis.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Imaging Treat-to-target Strategy vs Conventional Treat-to-target Strategy in Psoriatic Arthritis
Key facts
- Where
- Ålesund, Bergen, Drammen, Førde, Haugesund, Kristiansand, Lillehammer, Mo i Rana, Oslo, Sandvika, Tromsø, and Trondheim, NorwaySee the 12 sites
AI summary: who the study is looking for
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.
The trial is looking for adults with newly diagnosed psoriatic arthritis who need disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and have not had them before.
- Age
- Over 18 years
- Sex
- All sexes can join.
- Disease stage
- Psoriatic arthritis meeting the CASPAR criteria, with a clinical diagnosis. Arthritis must not have been verified more than 1 year before joining.
- Earlier treatment
- Cannot have had DMARD treatment for psoriatic arthritis before. No systemic glucocorticoids in the last 3 months and no local glucocorticoid injections in the last 4 weeks. People with mainly spine or tendon-attachment disease must have tried at least 2 NSAIDs for at least 4 weeks in total.
Main reasons for not taking part
- Major other illnesses, such as cancer, severe diabetes, severe infection or severe heart or lung disease
- Active or latent tuberculosis, unless adequately treated
- Abnormal kidney or liver function, or active or recent hepatitis
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding or inadequate birth control
- Contraindication to MRI, or fibromyalgia or widespread-pain syndrome
Read by machine on 12 November 2026.
Where in Norway
- Department of Rheumatology, Helse Møre og Romsdal HFÅlesund, NorwayContact: Maud-Kristine Aga Ljoså, MDTaking people
- Department of Rheumatology, Haukeland University Hospital, Helse Bergen HFBergen, NorwayContact: Bjørg-Tilde Fevang, MD PhDTaking people
- Department of Rheumatology, Drammen Hospital, Vestre Viken HFDrammen, NorwayContact: Ada S. Wierød, MDTaking people
- Helse FørdeFørde, NorwayContact: Anja Myhre Hjelle, MD, PhDTaking people
- Haugesunds Sanitetsforening RevmatismesykehusHaugesund, NorwayContact: Mathias M Braaten, MDTaking people
- Sørlandet SykehusKristiansand, NorwayContact: Jintana B Andersen, MD PhDTaking people
- Revmatismesykehuset ASLillehammer, NorwayContact: Yi Hu, MD, PhDTaking people
- Helgelandssykehuset Mo i RanaMo i Rana, NorwayContact: Inger M Hansen, MDTaking people
- Department of Rheumatology, Diakonhjemmet HospitalOslo, NorwayContact: Even Lillejordet, MDTaking people
- Martina Hansens Hospital ASSandvika, NorwayContact: Annicken Slagsvold, MDTaking people
- University Hospital of Northern NorwayTromsø, NorwayContact: Gunnstein Bakland, MD, PhDTaking people
- Department of Rheumatology, St Olavs Hospital HFTrondheim, NorwayContact: Agnete Malm Gulati, MD, PhDTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorTrial details
- Who runs it
- Diakonhjemmet Hospital
- Trial code
- NCT05291819
- Record updated
- 4 October 2024
- Original description
The main objective is to assess if a treat-to-target strategy implementing structured imaging assessments leads to better patient outcome in terms of sustained remission compared to a conventional treat-to-target strategy in psoriatic arthritis.Read full original descriptionShow less
A NORwegian Randomized Strategy Trial in PsoRiatic Arthritis: ImagiNg Treat-to-target vs Conventional Treat-to-target
The main objective is to assess if a treat-to-target strategy implementing structured imaging assessments leads to better patient outcome in terms of sustained remission compared to a conventional treat-to-target strategy in psoriatic arthritis.
Main inclusion criteria are: >18 years of age, Clinical diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis (PsA), Fulfillment of ClASsification of Psoriatic Arthritis (CASPAR) criteria, Indication for treatment with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs according to treating physician
Primary endpoint: Sustained remission, defined as Very Low Disease Activity (VLDA) at 16, 20 and 24 months
Secondary endpoints: Individual and composite disease activity measures and remission criteria, inflammation assessed by ultrasound, health related quality of life and adverse events.
Study design: A two-arm, parallel-group, single-blind, treatment strategy study where patients are randomized 1:1 to a conventional treat-to-target follow-up strategy with structured clinical assessment of disease activity or an imaging informed treat-to-target follow-up strategy with both structured clinical assessment of disease activity and structured imaging assessment of disease activity. Duration of follow-up is 24 months.
All patients are treated according to an algorithm based on current European recommendations. The conventional treatment target, applicable to both arms and the sole target in the conventional arm, is all of: Disease Activity index in Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) remission (≤3), Enthesitis ≤1, Psoriasis Body Surface Area ≤3%
Intervention: A treat-to-target treatment strategy incorporating information from ultrasound assessment of joints, tendons and entheses (at every visit), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of spine and sacroiliac (SI)-joints at baseline and 1 year, in addition to clinical information. Specifically, this means that these additional measures will be added to conventional treat to target:
* If evidence of enthesitis or axial inflammation on imaging the patient will progress directly to biological disease modifying antirheumatic drug in the treatment algorithm * If evidence of ongoing inflammation (power Doppler>0) on ultrasound assessment of joints, tendons or enthesis, the patient will be classified as not having reached their treatment target
Inclusion: Adult (>18 years of age); Clinical diagnosis of PsA; Indication for treatment with DMARDs according to treating physician (including having attempted ≥2 non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for a minimum of 4 weeks in total in predominantly axial and/or entheseal disease); Fulfillment of CASPAR criteria for PsA.
Exclusion: Verified arthritis >1 year prior to inclusion; Previous DMARD treatment for PsA; Major co-morbidities, including but not limited to relevant malignancies, severe diabetes mellitus, severe infections, uncontrolled hypertension, severe cardiovascular disease (NYHA class III or IV) and/or severe respiratory diseases and cirrhosis; Indications of active or latent tuberculosis (TB) as assessed by chest radiograph and TB interferon gamma release assay (IGRA). Patients with documented adequately treated latent TB can be included; Any other medical condition that according to the treated physician and/or local guidelines makes adherence to treatment protocol impossible; Severe psychiatric or mental disorders, alcohol abuse or other substance abuse, language barriers or other factors which makes adherence to the study protocol impossible; Established or suspected widespread-pain syndrome/fibromyalgia; Abnormal renal function, defined as serum creatinine >142 µmol/L in female and >168 µmol/L in male, or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <40 mL/min/1.73 m2; Abnormal liver function (defined as Aspartate Transaminase (AST) and/or Alanine Transaminase (ALT) >1.5 x upper normal limit), active or recent hepatitis; Systemic glucocorticoid use within the last 3 months; Local glucocorticoid injections within the last 4 weeks; Significant anemia, leukopenia and/or thrombocytopenia; Inadequate birth control, pregnancy, and/or breastfeeding (current at screening or planned within the duration of the study); Contraindications to magnetic resonance imaging.