18th January 2024

Psoriatic arthritis 

Psoriatic arthritis can be still more difficult to distinguish from RA because asymmetric polyarthritis is seen. Therefore, this diagnosis is generally made in patients who also have psoriasis and are seronegative for RF and anti-CCP. The diagnosis is made more challenging by the fact that the joint symptoms of psoriatic arthritis may precede the onset of skin disease by many years. Indeed, in some patients with a symmetric inflammatory polyarthritis, the only clue to the diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis may be a family history of psoriasis.

Although there is a clear diagnostic challenge here, the initial management of both disorders is very similar, so treatment can be initiated before necessarily distinguishing between Psoriatic arthritis and RA.