An observational study in the Dutch GLAS cohort utilized a questionnaire with self-screening psoriasis questions and color pictures to assess psoriasis prevalence among patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Out of 448 respondents, 13% self-reported psoriasis symptoms, with 48% of these cases verified by medical records, resulting in a 6.3% prevalence rate. Patients with self-reported symptoms often experienced milder psoriasis and lesions were less frequently found on the torso, intergluteal cleft, and legs compared to those with confirmed diagnoses. Among patients with axSpA reporting active psoriasis, 74% had mild symptoms, suggesting potential underdiagnosis of mild psoriasis in this population.

The study underscores the importance of identifying undiagnosed psoriasis in axSpA patients, particularly mild cases, using self-screening questionnaires with picture references. Such tools could aid in clinical practice by facilitating the detection of psoriasis among axSpA patients who may not exhibit severe symptoms.

Reference: Rondags A, van Marle L, Horváth B, Wink FR, Arends S, Spoorenberg A. Psoriasis seems often underdiagnosed in patient with axial spondyloarthritis. Arthritis Res Ther. 2023 Aug 9;25(1):145. doi: 10.1186/s13075-023-03119-2. PMID: 37559146; PMCID: PMC10410990.