Clinical characteristics and comorbidities of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in Hong Kong

Abstract

Abstract Aim The primary objective of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The secondary objective was to evaluate the prevalence of various PsA comorbidities and their associated factors, with particular emphasis on metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods Consecutive patients fulfilling the Classification Criteria for Psoriatic Arthritis (CASPAR) from two local hospitals were recruited between June 2016 and January 2018. Demographic data and related clinical parameters were collected and analyzed. MetS was defined by the International Diabetes Federation criteria for Asians. Results For the study, 201 eligible PsA patients were recruited: 124 were men and 77 were women. The mean age of onset of PsO and PsA was 36.6 ± 14.2 and 44.5 ± 12.6 respectively. Of the patients, 64.2% had central obesity, 18.4% had diabetes, 32.8% had hypertension and 35.8% had MetS. Univariate analysis showed that the (1) age onset of PsA, (2) PsA duration, (3) PsO duration, and (4) tender joint-count were the potential associative factors of MetS. Subsequent regression model identified that both age onset and disease duration of PsA were significantly associated with MetS, with p-values of 0.02 and 0.018, respectively. Older age of onset (46.5 ± 12.2 vs 43.4 ± 12.7 years) or longer disease duration (9.8 ± 8.4 vs 7.0 ± 6.7 years) of PsA increased the likelihood of developing MetS. No association of MetS was found with ESR or CRP levels, PASI, dactylitis count, enthesitis index, tender and swollen joint count, age onset of PsO and severe skin status. Conclusion PsA is a heterogeneous disease with an extremely diverse range of clinical features. It is also notably associated with other comorbidities, especially metabolic syndrome, in which it is closely related to arthritis onset and duration. In view of their common prevalence, regular screening of these PsA-related comorbidities is highly recommended.