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The following is a summary of “Clinical and ultrasound features of a cohort of psoriasis patients without musculoskeletal symptoms: a prospective and multicenter study,” published in the June 2025 issue of Rheumatology by Azuaga et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to evaluate clinical, and ultrasound (US) features linked to psoriatic arthritis (PsA) development in psoriasis (PsO), patients without musculoskeletal (MSK) symptoms or systemic treatment.  

They enrolled patients with PsO monitored by dermatologists and collected clinical and US data at baseline and during follow-up by rheumatologists.  

The results showed that 78 patients with PsO were included, with a mean disease duration of 15.1 years (SD ± 13.4); 82% had mild PsO, 39.7% had onychopathy, and 48.7% were overweight or obese. The US evaluation revealed Power Doppler grade 1 in joints at 11.5%, calcifications at 56.4%, and bursitis at the enthesis at 30.4%. Of the 60 patients who completed the study, after a median follow-up of 76.60 months (IQR 39.34-85.25), 56.6% developed MSK symptoms associated with higher BMI (P= 0.013), abdominal circumference (P= 0.022), and increased pain (P= 0.047) and fatigue scores (P= 0.011). The baseline US total scores were also higher (P= 0.037), 5 patients (8.3%) developed inflammatory MSK symptoms, and 4 (5.5%) met CASPAR criteria. The mean time for PsA diagnosis was 20.20 months (SD ± 12.02). The US bursitis was present in 80% of patients with inflammatory symptoms (P= 0.049).  

Investigators concluded that in systemic therapy-naïve patients with mild PsO, US -detected bursitis and higher baseline BMI, fatigue, and pain scores were associated with an increased risk of developing PsA. 

Source: academic.oup.com/rheumatology/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/rheumatology/keaf307/8156778