Psoriatic Arthritis and Morbidity

People across the globe are affected by joint pain.  Arthritis is not an uncommon illness, but it is one that causes discomfort in many people.  What is less common is the disease called psoriatic arthritis.

  A combination of arthritis and the skin condition psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis causes joint pain and nail deterioration and nail loss.  It’s important for a patient to understand psoriatic arthritis and morbidity levels of the illness.

If the term “psoriatic arthritis and morbidity” seems a bit overwhelming, let me break it down for you.  Morbidity is a medical reference to the seriousness of a disease.  When we talk about “psoriatic arthritis and morbidity”, we’re referring to the different levels of the disease and how serious it is.

Psoriatic arthritis and morbidity is seen in five different types.  The first is the most common type, called symmetric.  It affects about half of the patients that suffer from psoriatic arthritis.  Affecting both sides of the body, it is similar to rheumatoid arthritis.  About half of the cases of this type are very serious.  It’s similar to another type called spondylitis which is characterized by stiff spine or neck and problems in the hands and feet.

Psoriatic arthritis and morbidity, on the other hand, is much less severe.  Asymmetric psoriatic arthritis affects about 35% of patients.  The symptoms are usually very mild, involving fewer than three joints. 

Distal interphalangeal predominant psoriatic arthritis is only found in about one out of every twenty patient.  This usually is characterized by nail changes as well as inflammation and stiffness. 

The last type of psoriatic arthritis and morbidity is the most serious.  Arthritis Mutilans also affects about one in every twenty patients, but this is a severe and destructive type that is often devastating.  It worsens over time and causes detrimental joint damage. 

If you suffer from psoriatic arthritis and want to find out more about both psoriatic arthritis and morbidity, ask your doctor if he can recommend literature on the subject.  If not, the internet is full of valuable information on the subject.