[Medical Q&A] How to prevent psoriatic arthritis?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Ji Chao, Chief Physician, First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University

For psoriatic arthritis, early detection and diagnosis should be achieved.

(1) Early detection: The PEST questionnaire can be used to self-test the risk of joint disease to help patients determine whether they are at risk of arthritis.

PEST Questionnaire

●Have you ever felt any swelling or pain in any joints of your body?

●Did any of your doctors tell you that you had arthritis?

●Do you have dents or holes in your fingernails or toenails?

●Have you ever experienced heel pain?

●Have you ever experienced unexplained swelling and pain in any of your finger or toe joints?

For the above questions, if there are more than 3 "yes" answers, it means that there may be a risk of psoriatic arthritis. It is recommended to see a doctor for diagnosis as soon as possible.

(2) Early diagnosis: Find the right department. Dermatology is the first department to discover psoriatic arthritis; joint treatment by dermatology and rheumatology, one to address skin symptoms and the other to address joint symptoms, can provide patients with a more reasonable treatment plan.