The diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is largely based on the presentation of the disease in a patient. There are 5 different presentations of PsA, each with its own unique characteristics, although there is considerable overlap1. These different PsA types can present on their own or in combination in a specific patient. Recognizing the pattern is an important step to early diagnosis and targeted treatment. For this reason, patients with psoriasis are often questioned by their health care provider about any joint pain, the joints involved, morning stiffness, or “sausage” digits.
References
1Ritchlin CT, Colbert RA, Gladman DD. Psoriatic Arthritis. N Engl J Med. 2017 Mar 9;376(10):957-970. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1505557. Erratum in: N Engl J Med. 2017 May 25;376(21):2097. PMID: 28273019.
