Learn About Psoriatic Arthritis – Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis & Treatments

What are the risk factors for PsA? 

Although no one knows what causes PsA, heredity plays a significant impact. If someone in your family has psoriasis or PsA, you are more likely to develop it.

Consider the following scenario: you are outside and want to light a campfire. You begin by gathering and arranging sufficient wood and paper for the fire.

The fire will most likely light if you collect a large amount of dry wood and newspaper. If you gather very damp wood, you will most likely be unable to build a fire.

People who develop PsA have genes that “predispose” them to the disease. They have the dry wood and paper needed to light the “fire” of PsA. The fire of PsA will not be lighted if they have genes like wet wood.

How common is PsA? 

PsA affects or may affect approximately 0.25% of Canadians, but specific figures are unknown. Doctors know that PsA is diagnosed in approximately 30% of psoriasis clinic patients.

PsA is also found in roughly 15% of persons with psoriasis who visit their family doctor. However, just because you have the genes predisposing you to PsA does not guarantee you will acquire the disease.

Something is always required to set things off (a match, in our campfire example). Numerous causes could initiate PsA. It could be a viral infection, an injury, or something else in the environment, and more than one trigger could be active at the exact moment.

We do not yet know what causes PsA or how to cure it.