Treatment Patterns and Outcomes of Acthar Gel in Ankylosing Spondylitis and Psoriatic Arthritis: A Physician-Reported Chart Review.

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the characteristics of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA) treated with Acthar Gel, medication utilization, and physicians' assessments of the effects of Acthar Gel on patients' health status.

Patients and methods: A prospectively designed, cross-sectional, medical chart review study with a predefined protocol and analysis plan was conducted in November 2024, with data abstracted from patient records between April 2022 and November 2024. Eligible patients were aged ≥18 years, had AS or PsA, and had received Acthar Gel within ≤24 months.

Results: On average, patients with AS were 44 years, and those with PsA were 51 years; patients were primarily Caucasian/non-Hispanic. Most patients with AS were male (67%, 42/63), whereas PsA had a similar gender distribution (49% [38/77] each). Common comorbidities included arthritis/osteoarthritis, chronic joint disease, and hypertension. Before receiving Acthar Gel, physicians reported 41% (26/63) of patients with AS and 44% (34/77) with PsA had fair-to-poor health status. Frequent symptoms in AS were back pain, lower back/hip stiffness, and fatigue, and in PsA were joint swelling and pain, reduced range of motion, and fatigue. Based on physician assessment, 95% (60/63) with AS and 88% (68/77) with PsA had improved health after Acthar Gel treatment. Improvements included reduction in overall symptoms (AS: 70% [42/60]; PsA: 63% [43/68]), decreased pain (AS: 68% [41/60]; PsA: 62% [42/68]), improved physical function (AS: 53% [32/60]; PsA: 54% [37/68], improved fatigue (AS: 35% [21/60]; PsA: 32% [22/68]), and reduced corticosteroid use (AS: 30% [18/60]; PsA: 31% [21/68]).

Conclusion: Based on chart review, Acthar Gel may represent a potential treatment option for appropriate patients with AS or PsA. In this study, among patients with AS or PsA treated with Acthar Gel, physicians documented a reduction in overall symptoms, decreased pain, improved physical function, reduced corticosteroid use, improved strength, and improved fatigue using prespecified assessments.