Psoriatic arthritis is the second most common cause of joint inflammation. It involves the skin and joints, but may also affect fingers and toes, eyes and the spine. The effect on the [...] No related posts.]]> A recent review of treatments for Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) found that the benefit of different therapies depended how widespread the disease was.

Psoriatic arthritis is the second most common cause of joint inflammation. It involves the skin and joints, but may also affect fingers and toes, eyes and the spine. The effect on the skin is seen as red, scaly patches on the skin. Erosion of the joints may occur within the first two years in nearly 50% of PsA patients. Furthermore, an erosion rate of 11% per year has been reported.

The researchers found that mild anti-inflammatories were only helpful if the disease was mild or localized. In cases were the joint involvement is more wide spread the more beneficial therapy is with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), such as methotrexate.

Further, in cases of extra-articular or spinal disease in which DMARDs have not shown significant benefit, biologic therapy (anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor or TNF) may be more effective.

This study suggests that optimal therapy with a combination of biologics and DMARDs may produce remission rates of up to 60%.

Findings of the review were published in the June 1st issue of Current Opinion in Rheumatology.

Originally posted 2010-06-05 19:46:03. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Dr. Ian N. Bruce, of the University of Manchester, UK, and his team investigated 98 patients with psoriasis who had developed inflammatory arthritis. These were compared to 163 psoriasis patients [...] No related posts.]]> Researchers have determined that a number of environmental factors, including trauma, are related to the onset of psoriatic arthritis in patients who have psoriasis.

Dr. Ian N. Bruce, of the University of Manchester, UK, and his team investigated 98 patients with psoriasis who had developed inflammatory arthritis. These were compared to 163 psoriasis patients that did not have arthritis. The participants were asked to complete a survey to assess the impacts of potential factors associated with the development of arthritis.

Among the factors that had a positive correlation to development of psoriatic arthritis were rubella vaccination (4.6 percent for psoriatic arthritis patients vs 0.7 percent for controls), trauma which required medical care (14.9 percent vs 7.9 percent), and recurring oral ulcers (25.3 percent vs 8.9 percent).

In addition, it was more likely that psoriatic arthritis patients had moved than were controls (30.3 percent vs. 18.2 percent, respectively). Psoriatic arthritis patients were also more likely to have had a broken bone that required admission to a hospital (50 percent versus 9 percent).

“Psoriatic arthritis can be considered as a ‘disease within a disease’,” Dr. Bruce’s team stated. Psoriatic arthritis is “inflammatory arthritis on a background of pre-existing or future development of psoriasis.”

“Usually arthritis post-dates, often by several years, the onset of psoriasis,” they noted. So for patients with psoriasis, it is would be helpful to know what factors increase their risk of developing this condition.

The team’s findings were published in the May issue of Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

Originally posted 2008-05-19 21:50:19. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Pharmaceutical company PharmaGenoma, through its subsidiary PsoriasisDx, has developed a genetic test to assist [...] No related posts.]]> Psoriatic arthritis is a joint disease developed by and estimated 20 to 40 percent of psoriasis patients. Detecting the disease in the early stages can provide an opportunity to administer treatments that can lessen the damage to the joints.

Pharmaceutical company PharmaGenoma, through its subsidiary PsoriasisDx, has developed a genetic test to assist doctors in identifying patients that are at risk for psoriatic arthritis before they show any symptoms. The company says that this is the first genetic test of its kind.

According to University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Psoriasis expert Dr. John Koo,

“Until now, doctors have screened patients after the onset of the inflammatory arthritis. FDA approved medications for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis are most effective at controlling inflammation and arresting joint destruction, but are ineffective at reversing joint damage.”

The PsoriasisDX Genetic Test, which costs $399, uses a cheek swab to obtain the necessary genetic material. The sample is then sent for analysis to the PsoriasisDX laboratory which uses genetic sequencing to detect an immune response gene variant called MICA-A9. This gene variant is present in nearly 60 percent of psoriatic arthritis patients.

The relationship between MICA-A9 and psoriatic arthritis has been replicated by four peer-reviewed and published studies which involved over 900 patients from several ethnic populations.

If the PsoriasisDX Genetic Test shows positive results for the MICA-A9 variant, it means the patient has about a 60 percent chance of developing psoriatic arthritis. Alternatively, testing negative for MICA-A9 indicates that the patient has a 70 percent chance of not developing psoriatic arthritis.

It is hoped that testing for MICA-A9 will result in early detection of an increased risk of psoriatic arthritis and ensure that those patients who require intervention will receive them before inflammatory arthritis begins.

Originally posted 2009-12-21 07:00:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes redness, itching, scaling and inflammation of the skin and inflammation of the joints, a condition known as psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis affects up to 15% of people with psoriasis. Psoriasis is not contagious [...] No related posts.]]> Monday was global Psoriasis Awareness Day which lead me to research for today’s post.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes redness, itching, scaling and inflammation of the skin and inflammation of the joints, a condition known as psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis affects up to 15% of people with psoriasis. Psoriasis is not contagious but it is a chronic condition which can appear as localized red, scaly patches or can cover the entire body.

Recent studies have shown that smoking increases the risk of psoriasis. In a report published in the American Journal of Medicine, one such study reflected the experience of 78,500 nurses from 15 states that participated in the Nurses Health Study II. This group provided baseline health information in 1989 and updates for the next 14 years. During that time the researchers documented 887 cases of psoriasis.

In order to measure the lifetime smoking exposure the researchers assigned a “pack-year” value to their analysis. A pack-year is calculated as the number of packs smoked per day times the number of years the person has been a smoker. Researchers discovered that, when compared to those who have never smoked, current smokers have a 78% higher risk of psoriasis and for former smokers the risk is 37% higher. They also found that the more a person smoked, the risk was even higher.

Specifically, they found that the risk for those with 1-10 pack-years was 20% higher, 11-20 pack-years was 60% higher and was more than double for those with 21 or more pack-years.

They also found that the risk of psoriasis due to exposure to second hand smoke during pregnancy or childhood was also higher by nearly to 20%.

Cigarettes are known to contain over 4000 chemicals, of which 51 have been determined to be carcinogenic. They scientists believe that these toxins affect the part of the immune system that is associated with psoriasis.

There was also some good news. The risk to former smokers decreases to nearly that of non-smokers 20 years after quitting.

So if you are a smoker you can reduce your risk of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, as well as a host of other diseases, substantially by quitting.

Originally posted 2007-10-31 12:39:50. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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