Clinical characteristics of psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis in dermatologists' offices

Abstract

Assessment for joint disease in psoriasis patients being treated at dermatology clinics may facilitate earlier psoriatic arthritis diagnosis and treatment initiation, which may prevent disability and other negative impacts.

Association between Skin and Joint Involvement in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis Treated with Adalimumab: Analysis of Data from a German Non-Interventional Study

“…However, these observations do not necessarily imply that severe skin disease is associated with more extensive joint involvement. Studies that have attempted to address this issue have been limited by small patient cohorts [8,9,10] or by pre-specified study entry criteria [1]. In particular, the phase IV open-label trial of etanercept reported by Gottlieb et al [1] excluded patients whose psoriasis involved <10% of the BSA, an important component of the PsA population.…”

“…For most patients with PsA, psoriatic symptoms precede joint involvement [1]. Accordingly, dermatologists have a key role to play in the early recognition of PsA.…”

“…Some studies have also suggested that extensive or severe psoriasis is associated with PsA [7], including a recent German epidemiologic study in which psoriasis patients with PsA were found to have more severe skin symptoms than patients with psoriasis alone, suggesting that these two disease manifestations may be linked [3]. Other studies examining the clinical characteristics of patients with PsA have not found consistent correlations between baseline skin and joint disease measures [1,8,9], except in the subpopulation of patients who had onset of skin and joint disease in the same year [10]. More recently, Wittkowski et al [11] evaluated correlations between PsA and psoriasis assessments and found that skin severity did not correlate well with joint involvement, but that there was some evidence of a qualitative association between skin involvement and the existence of joint or nail involvement.…”

“…Skin symptoms precede joint symptoms in approximately 80% of patients [1]. However, initial presentations vary widely, often leading to diagnostic confusion.…”

The Role of Immune Response and the Impact of Biological Drugs in Psoriasis Patients

“…B. Gottlieb et al, 2006), and in general, the prevalence of arthritis in psoriasis patients is estimated to be approximately 30% (Gisondi et al, 2005;Zachariae et al, 2002).…”