Peer Reviewed
Rheumatology clinic

Psoriatic arthritis: a clinical diagnosis

Marie Feletar, Peter T Nash
Abstract
There have been some great advances in the identification and understanding of the pathogenesis of psoriatic arthritis, and new biological therapies have improved the options for patients with this potentially disabling condition.
Key Points

    Psoriasis is a common skin condition afflicting approximately 2 to 3% of the world’s population. Between 10 and 30% of patients with psoriasis suffer from the associated inflammatory arthritis.

    Typically, five types of arthritis are associated with psoriasis. In most patients, rash usually precedes arthritis by 8 to 10 years, but in 15% rash and arthritis start concurrently and in another 10% seronegative arthritis develops first with rash following sometime later, making diagnosis difficult.

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