The EPIPSOFIRE project: a preliminary report

Abstract

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a musculoskeletal condition complicating psoriasis that can lead to joint deformity and disability; however, psoriatic patients may suffer from other kind of arthropathies that could be confused with PsA by nonrheumatologists. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of PsA and to determine the prevalence of other musculoskeletal conditions in a cohort of psoriatic patients. In this cohort, musculoskeletal discomfort was frequently reported, while inflammatory disorders were detected in <4% of subjects. The cohort lacked subjects with very long-standing psoriasis duration (>20 years) or severe cutaneous disease. Because musculoskeletal discomfort symptoms affected about 62% of patients, other disorders, particularly morphologic conditions, need careful evaluation in psoriasis subjects.

Keywords: multidisciplinary approach to psoriasis care; musculoskeletal discomfort; psoriatic arthritis.