Psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory arthritis that appears in up to 3 in 10 people with psoriasis. It can affect the joints of the hands and feet, the spine, the tendons and the nails. Sometimes the arthritis appears before the skin lesions.
Common symptoms
- Swollen, painful joints
- A whole finger or toe swollen like a sausage
- Pain in the heel or the sole of the foot
- Nails with pitting, thickening or lifting
- Inflammatory low back pain
How it is diagnosed
Diagnosis is clinical and supported by imaging. Blood tests help to rule out other diseases; rheumatoid factor is usually negative.
Treatment
Skin and joints are treated together. Anti-inflammatory drugs, methotrexate, biologic therapies (anti-TNF, anti-IL-17 or anti-IL-23), JAK inhibitors or apremilast are used, depending on the areas affected.
What you can do
- Keep a healthy weight: excess weight reduces the response to treatment
- Do not smoke and limit alcohol
- Moisturise and care for your skin
- Check your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol: cardiovascular risk is higher
Seek care immediately if you have
- A red, painful eye with blurred vision
- Fever or infection while on biologic therapy
- Rapid and extensive worsening of psoriasis
Frequently asked questions
What is psoriatic arthritis?
Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory arthritis that appears in up to 3 in 10 people with psoriasis. It can affect the joints of the hands and feet, the spine, the tendons and the nails. Sometimes the arthritis appears before the skin lesions.
How is psoriatic arthritis diagnosed?
Diagnosis is clinical and supported by imaging. Blood tests help to rule out other diseases; rheumatoid factor is usually negative.
How is psoriatic arthritis treated?
Skin and joints are treated together. Anti-inflammatory drugs, methotrexate, biologic therapies (anti-TNF, anti-IL-17 or anti-IL-23), JAK inhibitors or apremilast are used, depending on the areas affected.
General information reviewed by Dr. Paul Alejandro Méndez Patarroyo, internist and rheumatologist, Colombian Medical Licence 79554568. It does not replace a medical consultation.