Insights into PsA: Detailing the 5 Varieties of Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) is a condition related to psoriasis that causes joint pain, and while both conditions aren't the same, it's possible for individuals to have one without the other. Understanding the five types of PsA, their symptoms, and the available treatments can help manage the condition effectively.
Psoriatic arthritis affects about 20 to 30 percent of individuals diagnosed with psoriasis. The condition takes on five main forms, each with distinct characteristics:
- Asymmetric Psoriatic Arthritis: This is the most common form, accounting for at least 60 percent of cases. It affects individual joints rather than pairs and is more common in men. Symptoms include fatigue, blurred vision, swollen fingers or toes, pitting or cracking nails, swollen, tender, stiff, or painful joints, swollen or painful ligaments or tendons, andauses digit. Potential treatments may include physical therapy, occupational therapy, oral corticosteroids, biologic drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and intra-articular joint injections.
- Symmetric Psoriatic Arthritis: This type exhibits symmetrical symptoms on both sides of the body, representing 15 to 61 percent of cases and is more common in women. It affects smaller joints like those in the feet or hands. Treatment plans depend on the individual's condition, and possibly involve medication such as NSAIDs, physical therapy, occupational therapy, immunosuppressants, or biologic medications.
- Distal Interphalangeal Dominant Psoriatic Arthritis: This form targets the Distal Interphalangeal joints located near the tips of toes and fingers. It affects about 10 percent of people with PsA. Symptoms include swollen fingers or toes, ligament or tendon pain, reduced range of motion, joint stiffness, pitting, crumbling, white spots, discoloration, nail cracking, detachment, and inflammation. Potential treatments may include NSAIDs, corticosteroid injections, or TNF inhibitors to reduce inflammation and manage discomfort.
- Spondylitis Psoriatic Arthritis: This type typically targets the joints between spinal vertebrae, appearing in 7 to 32 percent of cases. It can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling in the neck, back, feet, hips, arms, legs, and hands. Treatments can include NSAIDs, physical therapy, immunosuppressants, sulfasalazine, biologic medications, and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.
- Psoriatic Arthritis Mutilans: A rare but severe form that affects about 5 percent of people with PsA. It results in severe pain, often in the hands, feet, or wrists, leading to joint deformities, bone loss, loss of movement or reduced range of motion, and pain that radiates to other areas of the body. Treatments may include anti-TNF inhibitors, DMARDs, or biologic medications.
Medication and lifestyle changes are integral to managing PsA. Treatment often includes a combination of conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs), biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs), Janus Kinase Inhibitors (JAK inhibitors), PDE4 inhibitors, and physical therapy to reduce inflammation, slow disease progression, and maintain joint mobility and function.
- Psoriatic arthritis, a condition related to psoriasis that affects about 20 to 30 percent of individuals diagnosed with psoriasis, can be managed effectively with understanding of its five main forms and available treatments.
- Each form of PsA, like the asymmetric variant, which affects individual joints rather than pairs, has distinct characteristics and may require different treatment methods such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, or oral corticosteroids.
- Chronic diseases such as neurological disorders or other skin conditions may co-exist with psoriatic arthritis, making health-and-wellness management crucial for overall well-being.
- Science and medical advancements continue to provide various treatment options for psoriatic arthritis, including biologic drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or even TNF inhibitors for some forms of the condition.
- Managing chronic diseases like psoriatic arthritis may require lifestyle changes and long-term skin-care routines to alleviate symptoms, maintain joint mobility, and improve quality of life.
