High level of arthritis in psoriasis patients

[Fred]

Early results from an ongoing study have found there is a high level of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) amongst patients with psoriasis.

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Early results of an international study examining the risk of arthritis for people with psoriasis have shown a high burden of joint symptoms in 712 patients – 25% of the total studied so far.

The study led by researchers at the Universities of Oxford, University College Dublin and supported by The University of Manchester has recruited almost 3,000 patients so far.

The 25% figure results confirms existing knowledge that up to a third will go on to develop psoriatic arthritis (PsA), which causes joints and tendons to become inflamed and painful.

At the moment there is no way to predict which patients with psoriasis are likely to go on to develop joint problems but this research will help us to design ways to prevent people with psoriasis developing arthritis, by offering potential drug treatments or lifestyle interventions such as exercise or stress management.

We know that some patients with psoriasis will go on to develop psoriatic arthritis. If we could identify which patients are at higher risk for arthritis development, it could mean that in the future, those people could receive preventative treatment.

To date, we have baseline data on a total of 2,841 patients, of which 1761 are from Ireland and 1067 are from the UK.

GPs are not always skilled enough to spot the symptoms and they may manifest themselves in a myriad of different ways. Receiving a diagnosis is in many ways a relief, patients can then plan for the future knowing that they do indeed have an ongoing condition.

Source: manchester.ac.uk

*Funding: Unknown

[Caroline]

Already known to us. But a very sensible stated result of the research.