[Clinical and laboratory features of psoriatic arthritis which antedates psoriasis].

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the clinical and laboratory features of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) which antedates psoriasis.

METHODS

The clinical and laboratory data including erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), immunoglobulins, antibodies of 113 patients with PsA were analyzed retrospectively and compared by order of the occurrence of arthritis.

RESULTS

The occurrence of psoriatic arthritis which antedates psoriasis was 22.1% in the study. The onset of arthritis was 2 months to 25 years earlier than psoriasis. Arthritis of distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints was frequently involved in this group and arthritis of hip joints was rare. Positive HLA-B27 and higher level of platelet (PLT), ESR, CRP, and IgA were common in patients with psoriatic arthritis which antedates psoriasis.

CONCLUSION

Arthritis of DIP joints and elevated inflammatory markers are frequently involved in patients with psoriatic arthritis which antedates psoriasis, and somewhat they are associated with disease activity.