Psoriatic arthritis: an update.

Abstract

Psoriatic arthritis is a debilitating condition, which affects approximately one-quarter of psoriasis patients. Recent findings have furthered our understanding of the complex pathophysiology of PsA. There have been major advances in the identification of genes associated with joint involvement but not with cutaneous disease alone. The elucidation of key immunologic pathways has allowed the development of novel targeted therapies that are in the research pipeline. Currently, good screening tests and biomarkers to diagnose early PsA and to guide therapy are limited. In this paper, we present recent findings with regard to the immunopathogenesis and genetics of PsA, biomarkers, and screening tools and review the targeted therapies currently in clinical trials.