Psoriatic arthritis: recent advances in pathogenesis and treatment

Psoriatic arthritis has been recognized as a distinct form of inflammatory arthritis on the basis of clinical and epidemiologic studies. Although the pathogenesis of psoriatic arthritis remains unclear, the role of genetic, immunologic, and environmental factors has been studied. Although there is evidence to support the contribution of these factors in psoriatic arthritis, none is conclusive. Some of the therapeutic modalities used in psoriatic arthritis are based on pathogenetic factors. Thus, anti-inflammatory medications form the mainstay of therapy. Disease-modifying drugs have been used, with the most recent approach being dietary modification in response to identifying arachidonic acid metabolites as possible contributors to the disease process.