Psoriatic Arthritis Characteristics and Comorbidities in North Africa: Results of a Multicenter Retrospective Study

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) exhibits heterogeneity across different populations. Given the limited research on PsA in Africa, this study aims to characterize disease features and various cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVRFs) in a cohort of patients with PsA.

We enrolled 110 patients fulfilling the CASPAR criteria. PsA. PsA-related parameters and various CVRFs were recorded. Radiographs of hands and feet assessed peripheral joint damages.

The study population included 48 males and 62 females, with a mean age of 49.8 ± 12.5 years and a mean disease duration of 9 ± 7 years. The most common disease pattern was polyarthritis, followed by oligoarthritis, spondyloarthritis, and enthesitis. Dactylitis was reported in 33.9% of patients, while 7.6% carried the HLA-B27 gene. Psoriasis was observed in 74.5% of patients, with nail involvement in 30% of cases. Inflammatory bowel disease and uveitis were present in 4.5% and 1.8% of patients, respectively. 77% of patients had active disease. Radiographic joint damage was detected in 47.2% of patients and was significantly associated with disease duration, dactylitis, and biologic therapy use. In this cohort, 23.6% were obese, and 30% were smokers. Comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and gout were present in 22.7%, 19.1%, 29.1%, and 8.1%, respectively. Moreover, 57.3% of patients had two or more CVRFs and 9.1% had a cardiovascular disease.

This cohort suggested a female predominance, a lower prevalence of the HLA-B27 gene, a reduced frequency of extra-musculoskeletal manifestations, and a high prevalence of radiographic joint damage and CVRFs.