Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) is a disorder of the immune system that affects the skin and joints, causing joint pain, stiffness, swelling and deformity. It typically appears in people who have psoriasis, a chronic disorder characterised by scaly, reddish skin rash that usually appears on the elbows, shins and scalp. The nails may appear thickened, rugged and cloudy.
It is important to make the diagnosis of Psoriatic Arthritis early and give patients the appropriate treatment. Untreated arthritis will lead to deformities of joints and consequently disability. Psoriatic Arthritis is a systemic condition that inflame the blood vessels. If untreated, in addition to disability, patients may have early atherosclerosis (hardening of blood vessels), heart attacks and strokes.
Find out more on the condition here >
The SGH Psoriatic Arthritis programme specialises in the evaluation and care of patients with Psoriatic Arthritis and related conditions. Our goals are to provide excellent and holistic clinical care, and to advance understanding on the cause of disease and best treatment strategies for Psoriatic Arthritis .
Due to the complexity of Psoriatic Arthritis , patients are seen at subspecialty clinics where more time can be dedicated to patients who will benefit from expert care to achieve better outcomes. The Psoriatic Arthritis clinics are helmed by Rheumatologists who are actively involved in clinical and or translational research. Psoriatic Arthritis clinic focus on the evaluation and early diagnosis of Psoriatic Arthritis, continued care and treatment of Psoriatic Arthritis . Patients are seen by the Rheumatologist and supported by the Rheumatology nurse.
Other members of the Psoriatic Arthritis programme include the Rheumatology nurses, Rheumatology pharmacists, and research coordinators who assist in the care of our patients.
Although there is currently no cure for Psoriatic Arthritis, it is a treatable disease. This has relied on advances in research that has made a difference to the lives of patients with Psoriatic Arthritis. However, we still have a long way to go in understanding the disease.
We need to identify the cause and triggers of Psoriatic Arthritis, how to detect Psoriatic Arthritis in its early stages and consequently how the disease behaves (e.g. some patients have a very mild and stable spectrum, others have more severe and rapidly worsening spectrum), and how we can better target treatment to bring precision medicine to patients. This means optimising the benefits of treatment whilst minimising the side-effects of medication for the individual person. Research is therefore necessary to continue to discover new treatments and improve the care of patients with Psoriatic Arthritis.
We hope to make a difference in the lives of patients through research. The clinician researchers and scientists at SGH lead a nation-wide Psoriatic Arthritis research network and have built a database to allow analysis of clinical data, as well as blood and other tissue samples from patients who have chosen to participate. The team lead and collaborate with renowned local and international academic institutions, and industry to accelerate discoveries and uncover new cures for Psoriatic Arthritis.
Find out more on our research in Psoriatic Arthritis here >
