Psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis is a type of inflammatory arthritis that affects around 20% of people suffering from the chronic skin condition Psoriasis. It occurs more commonly in patients with tissue type HLA-B27. Treatment of psoriatic arthritis is similar to that of Rheumatoid arthritis. More than 80% of patients with psoriatic arthritis will have psoriatic nail lesions characterised by pitting of the nails. Psoriatic arthritis is said to be a sero-negative spondyloarthropathy.

Related Topics:
Psoriasis - Tissue type HLA-B27 - Rheumatoid arthritis - Arthritis

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Psoriatic arthritis can develop at any age, however on average it tends to appear about 10 years after the first signs of psoriasis. For the majority of people this is between the ages of 30 and 50, but it can also affect children. Men and women are equally affected by this condition. In about one in seven cases the arthritis symptoms may occur before any skin involvement.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As well as causing joint inflammation, psoriatic arthritis can cause Tendonitis and a sausage-like swelling of the digits known as dactilytis.

Related Topics:
Tendonitis - Dactilytis

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~