Recent news about the MHA Program
Psoriatic arthritis and the role of family
August 14, 2008 – The relationship between the skin disease psoriasis and the chronic inflammatory joint disease psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a complicated one. Studies into PsA and uncomplicated psoriasis are providing key information about the role heredity may play in this type of arthritis, which causes inflammation and pain in the joints, as well as a scaly rash on the skin.
Toronto Western Research Institute study lead Dr. Dafna Gladman and colleagues from the Psoriatic Arthritis Program recruited 100 PsA patients and all available close relatives to test for the presence of PsA, using a screening questionnaire, clinical examination and laboratory tests. The group found a strong family risk for PsA.
Says Dr. Gladman, “Because we’ve used family members, we can’t discount how environment affects disease development. Future studies will need to take a hard look at this as well.”
