Nearly 1 in 4 people with psoriasis may have undiagnosed psoriatic arthritis
If you have psoriasis or a family history of psoriasis and you are experiencing joint pain and swelling, you could have psoriatic arthritis, a serious disease that may lead to joint destruction and disability.
New research from the National Psoriasis Foundation reveals that nearly one in four people with psoriasis—the most common autoimmune disease in the country, affecting as many as 7.5 million Americans—may have undiagnosed psoriatic arthritis, a type of inflammatory arthritis that affects the joints and tendons. This is in addition to the up to 2 million people already diagnosed with the disease.
The Psoriasis Foundation study found that 22 percent of psoriasis-only participants had significant symptoms of psoriatic arthritis, such as joint pain, pain that moved from one joint to the other; joints that were hot to the touch; and swollen, sausagelike fingers and toes. For the full data snapshot, visit www. psoriasis.org/survey.
Other key findings revealed that people with psoriatic arthritis are not being diagnosed in a timely manner. Forty-four percent of these respondents said they experienced symptoms for a year or longer before being diagnosed. Nearly one in three reported a delay of two years or longer to receive diagnosis.
“It’s vital to diagnose and treat psoriatic arthritis early in order to prevent or slow joint damage. Yet, nearly 30 percent of psoriatic arthritis patients said it took more than two years for a diagnosis,” said Dr. Mark Lebwohl, chair of the National Psoriasis Foundation Medical Board.
In response to these findings, the Psoriasis Foundation Medical Board issued a set of recommendations for both people with psoriasis and medical professionals who treat them to evaluate for symptoms of psoriatic arthritis.
What is psoriatic arthritis?
Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic disease characterized by a form of inflammation of the skin (psoriasis) and joints (arthritis). Psoriasis is a common skin condition affecting 2% of the Caucasian population in the United States. It features patchy, raised, red areas of skin inflammation with scaling. Psoriasis often affects the tips of the elbows and knees, the scalp and ears, the navel, and around the genital areas or anus. Approximately 10% of patients who have psoriasis also develop an associated inflammation of their joints. Patients who have inflammatory arthritis and psoriasis are diagnosed as having psoriatic arthritis.
For people with psoriasis and/or a family history of the disease, the medical board recommends watching for the following symptoms, and if they experience one or more, to call their physician:
* Pain, swelling or stiffness in one or more joints;
* Joints that are red or warm to the touch;
* Frequent joint tenderness or stiffness;
* Sausagelike swelling in one or more of the fingers or toes;
* Pain in and around the feet and ankles;
* Changes to the nails, such as pitting or separation from the nail bed;
* Pain in the lower back, above the tailbone.
“Up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis,” said Dr. Elaine Husni, a rheumatologist and psoriatic arthritis expert with the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. “These guidelines could help millions of Americans with psoriasis recognize the signs of psoriatic arthritis early, so they can seek medical attention for a diagnosis and begin treatment. If untreated, the joint damage can be disabling.”
* About one in 10 people with psoriasis also develop inflammation of joints (psoriatic arthritis).
* The first appearance of the skin disease (psoriasis) can be separated from the onset of joint disease (arthritis) by years.
* Psoriatic arthritis belongs to a group of arthritis conditions that cause inflammation of the spine (spondyloarthropathies).
* Patients with psoriatic arthritis can develop inflammation of tendons, cartilage, eyes, lung lining, and, rarely, the aorta.
* The arthritis of psoriatic arthritis is treated independently of the psoriasis, with exercise, ice applications, medications, and surgery.
Additionally, the findings show that psoriatic arthritis significantly impacts quality of life: 63 percent say they are unable to be as active as they once were, nearly half (47 percent) say the disease impacts their ability to work, 34 percent report difficulty getting in and out of a car and 34 percent have stiffness for more than two hours after waking.
###
Learn more about the research results at http://www.psoriasis.org/survey.
About the study
The National Psoriasis Foundation conducted interviews with 477 people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis by phone (202) and online (275) from April 13 to May 4, 2011. Sixty-two percent of the respondents had moderate to severe psoriasis.
Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis can include:
* pain and stiffness in and around your joints
* welling of your fingers or toes (dactylitis), caused by inflammation occurring simultaneously in joints and tendons
* buttock pain, a stiff back or a stiff neck, which is caused by inflammation in your spine (spondylitis)
* pain and swelling in your heels, caused by inflammation where your Achilles tendon attaches to the bone
* pain in other areas where tendons attach to bone (enthesitis), such as your knee, hip bones and chest
* pitting, discoloration and thickening of your nails.
For more information about the survey, contact Bruce Bebo, director of research, at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 800.723.9166, ext. 404.
About psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis, a type of inflammatory arthritis that affects the joints and tendons, occurs in up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis—the most common autoimmune disease in the country, affecting as many as 7.5 million Americans. People with mild psoriasis are just as likely to develop psoriatic arthritis as those with moderate to severe forms of the disease. Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis include generalized fatigue; tenderness, pain and swelling of the tendons; swollen fingers and toes; joints that are hot to the touch; and reduced range of motion.
About the National Psoriasis Foundation
The National Psoriasis Foundation is the world’s largest nonprofit organization serving people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Our mission is to find a cure for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and to eliminate their devastating effects through research, advocacy and education.
###
Catie Coman
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
National Psoriasis Foundation