Gender does not make a difference in "composite psoriatic disease activity index (CPDAI)" in patients with psoriatic arthritis

The aim of the studywasto investigate the relationship of CPDAI with other follow-up parameters and to evaluate gender differences in measures in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients. This cross-sectional study included patients with PsA followed up at a rheumatology outpatient clinic. Disease activity was assessed using CPDAI, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS(global)) and Disease Activity Score (DAS28). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured. The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) was used to measure of severity of psoriasis. Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional (BASFI) and Metrology Indexes (BASMI), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), AS Quality of Life (ASQoL) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) were evaluated. There were 117 patients with PsA (78 female) who fulfilled the Classification Criteria for Psoriatic Arthritis. Their mean CPDAI score was 3.67 (+/- 2.46). The CPDAI was positively correlated with tender/swollen joint counts, dactylitis and enthesitis. There was strong positive correlation between CPDAI and BASDAI, DAS28 and VAS(global), but no correlation found between the CPDAI and ESR, CRP and BASMI. Mean CPDAI scores were similar in females and males. Female patients were found to have worse subjective scores including BASDAI, VAS(global), BASFI, HAQ and ASQoL than males (p<0.05). However, objective disease parameters such as ESR, CRP, tender/swollen joint counts, DAS28 and BASMI were similar in both gender groups. This study confirmed that CPDAI, a compound scale to assess disease activity in PsA, was well correlated with other disease activity measurements. Although subjective disease scores were higher in female patients, CPDAI was not affected by gender.