Psoriatic arthritis history and symptoms

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Chandrakala Yannam, MD [2]

Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory arthritis which is progressive. Patients with psoriatic arthritis usually have a positive history of joint pain and stiffness involving both peripheral and axial joints. Common symptoms include joint pain, swelling, morning stiffness, decreased range of motion, fatigue, dactylitis due to inflammation and swelling of the entire digit, enthesopathy, skin lesions, and dystrophic nails.  

Patients with psoriatic arthritis may have a positive history of:^[1][2]

• Pain and stiffness of involved joints
  • Peripheral arthritis
  • Axial arthritis including spondylitis and sacroiliitis
• Morning stiffness lasting more than 30 mins may be found in some patients with psoriatic arthritis.
• Enthesitis (eg, heel pain)
• Dactylitis: Sausage shaped digits
• Psoriatic skin lesions
• Deformed nails

• Common symptom may be associated with psoriatic arthritis include:^[3][4][5][6]
  • Joint pain and swelling
  • Joint stiffness
  • Morning stiffness: May lasts more than 30 mins. It is aggravated by prolonged rest and relieved by physical activity.
  • Decreased range of motion and quality of life depending on the severity of the disease.
  • Enthesitis: Pain can be felt in areas where tendons, ligaments, and synovium attach to bones.
    • Common locations include:
      • Achilles tendinitis: Pain at the heel, tibial tuberosity and other tendon insertion.
      • Plantar fasciitis
  • Dactylitis: Sausage-like swelling of the entire finger or toe.
  • Skin lesions: Scaly, erythematous papules and plaques
  • Dystrophic nails
  • Ocular symptoms include redness and tearing due to conjunctivitis, blepharitis, and uveitis.
  • Fatigue

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