Psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis is a synovitis which occurs:

• in individuals with psoriasis but without serum rheumatoid factor (it is an inflammatory seronegative spondyloarthropathy) (1)
  
  
• in a person without psoriasis but with joint changes resembling those seen in rheumatoid arthritis the relationship between the skin and joint manifestations is unclear
  
  
• the symptoms occur simultaneously in around 15% of people with the disease
  
  
• in 60% of people the psoriasis precedes the arthritis
  
  
• in 25%, the arthritis appears first
  
  
• people with severe arthritis can have little or no skin disease, and vice versa
  • flare-ups of symptoms do not necessarily coincide (2)

Psoriatic arthritis may mimic rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis.

Click here for images of psoriatic arthritis

Reference:

• 1. American Academy of Dermatology 2008. Guidelines of care for the management of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis - Section Psoriatic arthritis: Overview and guidelines of care for treatment with an emphasis on the biologic
• 2. NICE (July 2006). Etanercept and infliximab for the treatment of adults with psoriatic arthritis
• 3. Arthritis Reasearch Campaign (2009). Hands On - Psoriatic arthritis: its presentation and management in primary care.