What is Psoriatic Arthritis?
Psoriatic arthritis is a form of inflammatory arthritis that affects some people with psoriasis, a disease that causes silver scaly patches of dry skin on the body. Psoriatic arthritis involves joint pain, stiffness, and/or swelling that can begin before, after, or at the same time as psoriatic skin patches appear.
How is Psoriatic Arthritis Diagnosed and Treated?
Your healthcare provider will examine joints for signs of swelling or tenderness, check around the feet for tender spots, and examine fingernails/skin for pitting, flaking, and other abnormalities. Imaging tests such as X-rays and MRIs can also be used to check for joint, tendon, or ligament issues.
Psoriatic arthritis is one of the many types of inflammatory arthritis, so healthcare providers may use one or both of the following tests to rule out other types of inflammatory arthritis:
- Rheumatoid factor: Blood samples will be taken to test for an antibody present in people with rheumatoid arthritis but not psoriatic arthritis. This test can be used to rule out rheumatoid arthritis.
- Joint fluid test: Doctors will use a needle to remove a small fluid sample from an affect joint (typically the knee) and test for the presence of uric acid crystals. This test can be used to rule out gout.
There is no cure for psoriatic arthritis. Treatments are used to control symptoms and prevent joint damage. Common treatment options are the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, oral medications, physical therapy, steroid injections, surgery, and infusion therapies.
How Does IV Infusion Therapy for Psoriatic Arthritis Work?
IV infusion for psoriatic arthritis involves administering medication through an infusion pump that drips the medication into a catheter to a syringe and through a hollow needle into the patient’s bloodstream.
Some therapies are administered via injection instead of infusion. This involves injecting patients with the biologic therapy in a particular site on the body, depending on the therapy.
Many psoriatic arthritis patients choose to get their IV infusion or injection treatment through a freestanding treatment center, such as IVX Health. Psoriatic arthritis patients often choose IVX Health as their preferred site of care because of its unique, patient-centered amenities, including private suites, its industry-leading 1:3 nurse-to-patient ratio, flexible appointment scheduling, and lower cost when compared to the hospital.
Psoriatic Arthritis Therapies Administered at IVX Health
Psoriatic Arthritis Management at IVX Health
Each IVX Health patient receives excellent care from Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (ARNPs) and Registered Nurses (RNs).
The benefits of receiving infusion or injection treatments for Psoriatic Arthritis at IVX Health include:
- Private suites
- Comfortable, leather recliners
- Enough room and plenty of seating for guests
- A friendly clinical staff
- Personalized service
- High-speed internet
- Complimentary beverages and snacks
- Flat-screen television sets provide a way for patients to stream their favorite movies and watch the shows they love
- Flexible scheduling options (including evening and weekend appointments)
What to Expect During IV Infusion Treatment for Psoriatic Arthritis
Step One
Using a thin, very small catheter, one of IVX Health’s nurses creates the patient an intravenous line (aka IV line) into the patient’s arm vein.
*For Cimzia, a subcutaneous injection, one of IVX Health’s nurses will inject the patient with the treatment typically in the front of the thighs or the abdomen. No IV line will be used.
Step Two
After placing the IV line, the nurse connects it to tubing that leads up to the medication. The medication is then dispersed into the patient’s bloodstream over a specified period of time.
During treatment, patients are continuously monitored by one of IVX’s nurses. If a patient requires assistance, he or she just needs to press the call button.
There are times when a patient experiences a reaction to the medication he or she is receiving; therefore, patients need to recognize the symptoms associated with an allergic reaction.
Signs of a potential allergic reaction include developing a headache, feeling nauseous, difficulty breathing and developing a rash. Patients experiencing these symptoms need to contact their nurse right away.
How to Get a Referral for Psoriatic Arthritis Infusion or Injection Treatment
Every referral must be accompanied by an order for treatment.
Patient information should include:
- Name
- Current address
- Home and mobile phone number
- Insurance information
Information the physician must include on the patient’s order for IV infusion or injection therapy to treat psoriatic arthritis include:
- Patient’s name and DOB
- Order date
- Diagnosis
- Physician’s name and NPI#
- Office address, phone, and fax numbers
- Provider’s signature
Supporting clinical documentation from the physician will vary depending on the therapy used:
Remicade, Inflectra, Renflexis, Avsola
- Result of Tuberculosis (TB) skin/ lab testing
- Hepatitis B status & date
- Patients current weight and height
- Clinicals to support one or more of the following:
- Patient has Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
- Patient has Psoriatic Arthritis
- Patient has Ankylosing Spondylitis
Orencia
- Patient’s current weight and height
- Clinicals to support patient has psoriatic arthritis
Cimzia, Simponi Aria, Stelara IV, Stelara SQ
- Results of a recent tuberculosis (TB) skin/lab testing
- Patient’s current weight and height
- Clinicals to support patient has psoriatic arthritis
Due to the complexity of treatment, prior authorization is often required. Prior authorization is the process of getting approval for treatment from the patient’s healthcare provider before beginning treatment. It’s important to check in with your healthcare provider to see if a prior authorization will be needed for your infusion or injection treatment at IVX Health.
If you have inflammatory arthritis, and you would like to learn more about the IV infusion or injection therapy for inflammatory arthritis available at IVX Health centers, contact us today.
