Psoriatic Arthritis

Excerpt

Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory arthritis associated with psoriasis found in about 20% of patients with psoriatic arthritis. This condition shares many clinical features with other spondyloarthropathies and rheumatoid arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis is usually seronegative, but some patients may be positive for rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies. Clinical manifestations of psoriatic arthritis are varied and can change over time, evolving from one particular pattern to another. There is a considerable financial and psychological burden associated with this disease. However, significant progress has recently been made to help better understand the disease pathogenesis, which has translated into new therapies.