Psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with psoriasis that can affect peripheral joints, tendon and ligament attachment sites, and the spine.

Synovitis: Inflammation of the synovial membrane lining a joint. Synovitis drives swelling and pain in many affected peripheral joints.
CASPAR criteria: Classification criteria for psoriatic arthritis that combine inflammatory musculoskeletal disease with points for characteristic features. They formalize how psoriasis-related features support classification of the arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis: A chronic autoimmune disease that primarily causes inflammatory polyarthritis and can damage joints. Its typically symmetric small-joint pattern contrasts with the varied patterns of psoriatic arthritis.
Joint erosion: Loss of bone at the margin of a joint, often resulting from chronic inflammatory disease. Uncontrolled inflammation can progressively damage joints and impair movement.
W. S. C. Copeman: A British physician and rheumatologist who studied arthritis and helped advance rheumatology. His clinical work contributed to recognition of arthritis associated with psoriasis.
Enthesitis: Inflammation at an enthesis, where a tendon, ligament, or capsule attaches to bone. Enthesitis is a characteristic source of pain beyond the joint itself.
Disease-modifying antirheumatic drug: A medication that suppresses inflammatory disease activity and can limit long-term damage. These drugs form a broad treatment class used to control persistent joint inflammation.
Osteoarthritis: A joint disease involving cartilage loss and changes in underlying bone and surrounding tissues. It is usually a degenerative process rather than systemic inflammatory arthritis.
Ankylosis: Abnormal stiffness or fusion of a joint that restricts movement. Chronic disease can cause structural changes that limit joint mobility.
John Moll: A British rheumatologist known for research on psoriatic arthritis. His work with Verna Wright helped define clinical patterns of the disease.

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