Nearly 1 in 4 people with psoriasis may have undiagnosed psoriatic arthritis, according to a survey recently released by the National Psoriasis Foundation. The data also revealed that nearly half of patients with psoriatic arthritis had symptoms for a year or longer before receiving a diagnosis from a doctor. Based on these survey findings, the Psoriasis Foundation Medical Board created a set of recommendations for medical professionals who treat people with psoriasis in order to evaluate these patients for signs of psoriatic arthritis. Specifically, the medical board suggests that these healthcare providers ask the following questions at each examination:

* Do your joints hurt?

* Are your joints stiff or tender?

* Are your joints red or hot to the touch?

* Do your joints become swollen?

* Do your fingers and toes swell up, making them look like sausages?

* Have you noticed changes to your nails such as pitting and/or separation from the nail bed?

* Do you have pain in and around your feet and ankles or at your lower back, above the tailbone?

[black up pointing small triangle]Information: http://www.psoriasis.org/research/survey-panels/current-survey-panel