Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and joint destruction. This disease is also known as arthritis psoriatica, arthropathic psoriasis, or psoriatic arthropathy. It's a condition that affects the skin, joints, nails, ligaments, and cartilage. Psoriatic arthropathy is not curable but can be managed with medication, physical therapy, and lifestyle changes. It usually develops in adults between 30-50 years old. However, psoriatic arthropathy can also start at any time in life. Arthropathic psoriasis is hereditary but isn't a fatal disease. Treatment includes medications, radiation, and surgery.
Psoriatic arthropathy is caused by the overproduction of white blood cells that attack joints and skin. The immune system attacks healthy tissue instead of harmful bacteria or viruses. The causes include genetics, infection with certain bacteria or viruses, autoimmune disorders like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, exposure to ultraviolet light from sunlight or artificial lights like tanning beds, and trauma to joints.
There are many symptoms of arthropathic psoriasis. The disease is chronic and can last for years or even decades. Among the major symptoms are joint inflammation, stiffness, swelling, pain, and psoriasis (a common skin condition characterized by red patches with silvery scales on the skin). It can also cause itchiness and pain in certain areas of the body.
The other symptoms include fatigue and weight loss. The affected joints may feel hot to the touch and turn reddish or swollen with a loss of joint movement. An x-ray of the joint may show an enlarged joint space and some pitting on the edges of the joint. Re-occurrence may happen in the same joint or an adjacent one, most likely in joints with skin lesions of psoriasis.
Arthropathic psoriasis can be treated with medication and lifestyle changes to help manage the symptoms. These medications control inflammation and pain. However, they have many side effects that can make it difficult to manage the disease in the long run. When these treatments are not enough, doctors might prescribe other medications to help reduce the symptoms. The treatment depends on the severity and how it affects your quality of life. If you're experiencing severe pain or have trouble moving around or doing activities that you enjoy, talk to your doctor about what treatments are best for you.
The risk factors for psoriatic arthropathy include hereditary psoriasis, having a family member with psoriasis, exposure to certain chemicals such as nickel sulfate, phenol red dye, formaldehyde, or coal tar, having a prior history of psoriasis or other autoimmune diseases, smoking tobacco products, and living in an area where there is high humidity year-round.