Psoriatic Arthritis Central

• Psoriatic arthritis, which is a chronic disease involving joint inflammation, is accompanied by the skin disease psoriasis in most people.
• Onset of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) typically occurs between 30 and 50 years of age after psoriasis development but can appear in children and before or without psoriasis.
• PsA is estimated to affect 24 people in every 10,000.
• The 5 types of PsA are distal interphalangeal predominant, asymmetric oligoarticular, symmetric polyarthritis, arthritis mutilans and psoriatic spondylitis.
• Causes of PsA are uncertain, but genetics, immunity and environmental factors are suspected to play a part in its development.
• Risk factors of the disease include obesity, severe psoriasis, stress, infection and joint or bone injuries.
• Johns Hopkins estimates 15 to 30% of psoriasis patients develop PsA.
• The most common symptoms of PsA are fatigue, stiffness, reduced range of motion, swelling and pain in the joints and tendons and eye pain and redness related to uveitis.
• The risk for the autoimmune form of arthritis is similar in men and women and highest among white people.
• While no cure for PsA exists, it may be treated with medications such as NSAIDs and corticosteroids, exercise, occupational or physical therapy, ultraviolet light treatment, splints or surgery in severe cases.
• PsA that is untreated may cause bone and cartilage damage, uveitis, pink eye, osteoporosis and lung, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular problems.
• The condition is diagnosed primarily by doctor observation and elimination of similar diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout and reactive arthritis. Blood tests and imaging may be ordered to help with diagnosis.

References:

National Psoriasis Foundation. About Psoriatic Arthritis. Available at https://www.psoriasis.org/about-psoriatic-arthritis/. Accessed August 9, 2021.

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Psoriatic Arthritis. Available at https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/psoriatic-arthritis#tab-overview. Accessed August 9, 2021.

Johns Hopkins Medicine. Psoriatic Arthritis. Available at https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/arthritis/psoriatic-arthritis. Accessed August 9, 2021.

Arthritis Foundation. Psoriatic Arthritis. Available at https://www.arthritis.org/diseases/psoriatic-arthritis. Accessed August 9, 2021.

MedlinePlus. Psoriatic arthritis. Available at https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/psoriatic-arthritis/#frequency. Accessed August 9, 2021.