title: Psoriatic arthritis prevalence in the clinical practice of dermatologists in North-West Tuscany centers of excellence: a screening experience.
abstract: Psoriasis arthritis will develop during cutaneous psoriasis in a significant percentage. The aim of this study was to improve assistance to patients and to provide the most individualized care possible.
  
  
  
  Patients: all consecutive subjects with psoriasis accessing the outpatients facilities of five dermatologic centers of excellence in the Tuscany region of Italy between December 2014 and February 2015. All subjects were screened for the presence of a previous diagnosis of arthritis and symptoms affecting the articular system, using some questions chosen and shared by dermatologists in charge of the centers.
  
  
  
  In the chosen three months period, 134 patients affected with psoriasis had been observed, 32 (24%) of which answered "yes" to the question "Have you ever been diagnosed with arthritis?". There have been differences in the characteristics of patients in the two groups, with and without arthritis. In particular, in the arthritis patients a statistically significant higher mean age, more ungueal psoriasis, less body surface cutaneous psoriasis extension, and a statistically significant higher percentage of patients treated with biological drugs (57% vs. 24.5%) have been observed.
  
  
  
  The results were consistent with the scientific literature in the field. The experience seems to confirm the opportunity of screening programs on arthropathy in cutaneous psoriasis patients. About a quarter of psoriasis patients had relevant arthropathic features, and more than half of these required challenging therapies like biologics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dini
authors.affiliation: Unit of Dermatology, Hospital of Lucca, Lucca, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martini
authors.affiliation: Hospital of Massa, Massa Carrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bellini
authors.affiliation: Unit of Dermatology, Az USL 6, Livorno, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bagnoni
authors.affiliation: Hospital of Versilia, Viareggio, Lucca, Italy.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marsili
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy - ugo.lancia@uniroma2.it.
authors.forename: Ugo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lancia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D003880:Dermatology / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057285:Precision Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy