Managing Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Patients With Psoriasis: Who Should Be in the Driver's Seat?

The Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) 2024 annual meeting included a lively debate regarding the optimal management of musculoskeletal (MSK) symptoms in patients with psoriasis (PsO) at risk of or with early psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Drs. Fabian Proft and Laura Savage presented comprehensive, evidence-based retrospective arguments from the perspectives of rheumatology and dermatology. Proft advocated for rheumatologists to lead PsA management by highlighting the specialized training that allows rheumatologists to identify inflammatory diseases and use advanced imaging techniques to differentiate PsA from mechanical MSK conditions. In contrast, Savage emphasized the pivotal role of dermatologists, who often serve as the first healthcare providers (HCPs) to encounter emergent PsA in their patients with PsO. Dermatologists are increasingly aware of the importance of early detection and timely intervention, as well as of the new data that support the concept of "treating to intercept" in patients at risk of transition from PsO to PsA. Both experts highlighted systemic barriers hindering collaborative care and underscored the necessity of patient-centered approaches that effectively address skin and joint manifestations. This article summarizes the insightful debate, reinforcing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to optimize patient outcomes with PsA.