ObjectivePsoriatic arthritis (PsA) has a genetic background. Approximately 40% of patients with psoriasis or PsA have a family history of psoriasis or PsA, which may affect disease features. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of family history of psoriasis and PsA on disease phenotypes.MethodsData from 1,393 patients recruited in the longitudinal, multicenter Psoriatic Arthritis International Database were analyzed. The effects of family history of psoriasis and/or PsA on characteristics of psoriasis and PsA were investigated using logistic regression.ResultsA total of 444 patients (31.9%) had a family history of psoriasis and/or PsA. These patients were more frequently women, had earlier onset of psoriasis, more frequent nail disease, enthesitis, and deformities, and less frequently achieved minimal disease activity. Among 444 patients, 335 only had psoriasis in their family, 74 had PsA, and 35 patients were not certain about having PsA and psoriasis in their family, so they were excluded from further analysis. In the multivariate analysis, family history of psoriasis was associated with younger age at onset of psoriasis (odds ratio [OR] 0.976) and presence of enthesitis (OR 1.931), whereas family history of PsA was associated with lower risk of plaque psoriasis (OR 0.417) and higher risk of deformities (OR 2.557). Family history of PsA versus psoriasis showed increased risk of deformities (OR 2.143) and lower risk of plaque psoriasis (OR 0.324).ConclusionFamily history of psoriasis and PsA impacts skin phenotypes, musculoskeletal features, and disease severity. The link between family history of psoriasis/PsA and pustular/plaque phenotypes may point to a different genetic background and pathogenic mechanisms in these subsets.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune connective tissue disease with multisystem involvement. An increased incidence of cancer in SSc patients compared with the general population has been reported in several reports. Our aims in this study were to determine the most common malignancies and to investigate the possible risk factors for the development of malignancy in patients with SSc. Three hundred forty SSc patients from 13 centers were included to the study. Data of the patients were obtained by evaluating their medical records retrospectively. A total of 340 patients with SSc were evaluated. Twenty-five of the patients had 19 different types of malignancy. Bladder cancer was the most common type of cancer with four patients and was followed by breast cancer with three patients, and cervix cancer and ovarian cancer with two patients each. Other types of cancers such as squamous cell skin cancer, adenocancer with an unknown origin, multiple myeloma, chronic myeloid leukemia, papillary thyroid cancer, larynx cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, follicular type non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), endometrium cancer, colon cancer, uterus cancer, neuroendocrine tumor, glioblastoma multiforme, and soft tissue sarcoma were diagnosed in one patient each. The only cancer type that showed an association with cyclophosphamide dose was bladder carcinoma. Other malignancies did not show a correlation with age, sex, smoking, type and duration of the disease, autoantibodies, organ involvement, and dose and duration of cyclophosphamide therapy. Cancer may develop in any organ in patients with SSc. Continuous screening of the patients during a follow-up period is necessary for the early detection of the tumor development.

The PsA registry of Turkey had similarities with previously published registries, supporting its external validity. The finding that women had more fatigue and worse functioning as well as the high percentage of active disease state highlight the unmet need in treatment of PsA.

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) may affect different joints, including the spine. The prevalence of spinal involvement is variable depending on the definition and a subset of patients have been identified in cohorts that do not have clinical features of axial disease and yet have imaging findings. Still, there is not a consensus on how and when to screen axial disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate factors associated with being underdiagnosed for axial psoriatic arthritis (axPsA) and its impacts on outcomes. Disease features and outcomes of axPsA according to the physician (n = 415) were compared with patients with imaging findings only (sacroiliitis fulfilling the modified New York criteria, n = 112), using data from a real-life PsA registry. Patients with imaging findings only were more frequently women (83/220 (37.7%) vs 29/122 (23.8%); p = 0.008). This group also had higher peripheral disease activity (imaging only vs clinical AxPsA: mean (SD) tender joint count 5.3 (6.1) vs 3.3 (4.7), swollen joint count 1.9 (2.9) vs 1.2 (2.4); p < 0.001 for both comparisons) and was less often treated using TNF inhibitors (16.1 vs 38.2%; p < 0.001) than patients who were classified as axPsA. Patient-reported outcomes were similar in both groups. PsA patients, especially women with more severe peripheral disease, have a higher risk of being underdiagnosed for axPsA. The severity of peripheral symptoms may be a risk factor to mask the spinal features of PsA.

Acromegaly is a chronic endocrinopathy characterized by the hypersecretion of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1. Musculoskeletal pain is a frequent problem encountered in acromegaly and is associated with a reduction in the quality of life. In this study, the presence of inflammatory and degenerative rheumatologic diseases in acromegaly has been retrospectively evaluated. Forty patients with acromegaly who were in remission according to laboratory findings, but still having joint and back pain problems, were referred to rheumatology outpatient clinic and all the patients were examined by clinical, radiological, and laboratory data. Mean age was 47.1 years (22-75). When the radiological data were evaluated, erosions of the left sacroiliac joint were found by means of magnetic resonance imaging in 1 patient and degenerative joint changes were observed in 24 patients by X-ray imaging. However, there was no pathology in the radiological data of 15 patients. Laboratory data revealed antinuclear antibody positivity (3 nucleolar and 1 homogeneous) in 4 patients, rheumatoid factor positivity in 4, and cyclic citrullinated peptide positivity only in 1 patient. The diagnosis of an inflammatory rheumatologic disease, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, or undifferentiated connective tissue disease was made in 3 patients. Besides, the diagnosis of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis was also established in 6 patients. While degenerative joint diseases were frequently observed in our group similar to the literature, inflammatory rheumatologic diseases were also found in three patients. Distinguishing these two diseases is important because response to medical treatment is dramatically better in inflammatory diseases than in degenerative pathologies. A multidisciplinary approach is imperative for appropriate management of these patients.