Psoriatic Arthritis – Severity at its peak

Severe PsA Condition

Psoriatic arthritis is a form of arthritis that occurs up to 40% patients with psoriasis. In 80% of psoriasis patients arthritis develop in cases where the disease is chronic and the severity of psoriasis on skin is more. That is why it is commonly called Psoritic Arthritis – psoriasis severity at its peak.

Psoriatic arthritis is a less common form of arthritis.  It affects both men and women in equal numbers, and usually between the ages of 20 and 50.Up to 30% of people with psoriasis will also get psoriatic arthritis.  Although psoriasis may start at any age (commonly in the late teens), the arthritis component usually makes its appearance later - in the 20s, 30s and 40s. Commonly, psoriasis shows first, but in a small percentage of people (approximately 15%), arthritis may show first.

Diagnosis has to be made between rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and psoriasis arthritis as all these conditions give same clinical presentations.

PsA is differentiated with presence of skin lesions , deformation of nails is present, negative rheumatoid factor, raised ESR,and X ray changes  (Joint space narrowing ,joint erosion, and new bone formation around the bone )and iritis confirm the diagnosis of PsA.

 SEVERITY  RATIO

It has been reported in various researches that

• 17% of PsA have estimated 5 deformed joints.
• 25%to 40% have spinal involvement.
• 40% to 57% have deforming arthritis.
• 11% to 19% are disabled