Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWho Collects the Data?What the Data MeansFrequently Asked QuestionsNext in Psoriatic Arthritis GuideWhat Is Psoriatic Arthritis?

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Who Collects the Data?

What the Data Means

Frequently Asked Questions

Next in Psoriatic Arthritis Guide

The symptoms of psoriatic arthritis include joint pain, feelings of stiffness and redness, swelling, and heat in the tissues around the joints. In most cases, the skin symptoms of psoriasis occur before the joint symptoms of psoriatic arthritis.

There is no cure for psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, but the conditions can be managed.

Psoriasis is believed to affect 2% to 3% of the global population—about 125 million people. In the United States, more than eight million people have psoriasis.

About 30% of people who have psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis, and roughly 2.4 million people in the United States have psoriatic arthritis.It’s estimated that around 15% of people with psoriasis may have undiagnosed psoriatic arthritis.

Learn more about the data relating to psoriatic arthritis, where it comes from, and what it means.

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Closeup of a White person’s hands with spots of psoriasis; they are squeezing a tube of white cream onto their finger

An Overview of Psoriatic Disease

TheNational Psoriasis Foundationcollects and shares data on the prevalence of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The data comes from studies published in journals likeJAMA Dermatology,Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, andJournal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology.

The researchers found that the prevalence of psoriasis among these adults was 3%. The prevalence was similar between men and women. The highest prevalence of psoriasis was among White people; the lowest prevalence was among Black people. The most recent prevalence figures for psoriasis were not notably different from the prevalence recorded in 2003.

When Does Psoriatic Arthritis Develop?Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis can appear at any age. Psoriasis often has two stages where onset is most common. The first is between the ages of 20 and 30, and the second is between the ages of 50 and 60.Psoriatic arthritis most commonly develops between the ages of 30 and 50.

When Does Psoriatic Arthritis Develop?

Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis can appear at any age. Psoriasis often has two stages where onset is most common. The first is between the ages of 20 and 30, and the second is between the ages of 50 and 60.Psoriatic arthritis most commonly develops between the ages of 30 and 50.

Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis can appear at any age. Psoriasis often has two stages where onset is most common. The first is between the ages of 20 and 30, and the second is between the ages of 50 and 60.

Psoriatic arthritis most commonly develops between the ages of 30 and 50.

Symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis

Roughly 30% of people who have psoriasis also have psoriatic arthritis—that’s roughly 37.5 million people around the world and approximately 2.4 million people in the United States.

Studies suggest that one in three people with psoriasis have a relative who also had psoriasis. If one parent has psoriasis, their child has a 10% chance of also having psoriasis. If both parents have psoriasis, their child has a 50% chance of having psoriasis.

The Genetics of Psoriatic Arthritis and Psoriasis

Almost 60% of people with psoriasis say that the disease causes them major problems in their daily life. Nearly 40% of people with psoriatic arthritis report feeling the same way about the effects of the condition on their lives.

Research has shown that people with psoriasis are at greater risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, metabolic syndrome, depression, and stroke.Metabolic syndromeis a grouping of disorders that includehypertension (high blood pressure), high blood sugar,dyslipidemia(abnormal levels of cholesterol and fat in the blood), and excess abdominal fat.

Statistics suggest that psoriasis is less common in Black people than in White people. Specifically, the prevalence of psoriasis is 3.6% in White people and 1.5% in Black people.However, researchers think that psoriasis is likely under-diagnosed in non-White patients because the clinical presentation of the condition is different in these racial/ethnic groups than it is in White people.

Statistics suggest that psoriasis is less common in Black people than in White people. Specifically, the prevalence of psoriasis is 3.6% in White people and 1.5% in Black people.

However, researchers think that psoriasis is likely under-diagnosed in non-White patients because the clinical presentation of the condition is different in these racial/ethnic groups than it is in White people.

A Word From Verywell

Roughly eight million people in the United Statehave psoriasis, and around 2.4 million of them also have psoriatic arthritis. However, it is believed that more than 15% of people with psoriasis have undiagnosed psoriatic arthritis.

Many people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis say that the condition causes them problems in their day-to-day lives. If you have psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis, know that even though the conditions are chronic and incurable, there are ways that you can manage them.

If you have psoriasis and think that you might also have psoriatic arthritis, talk to your doctor about your symptoms.

What percentage of the population has psoriatic arthritis?

Globally, 2% to 3% of the population has psoriasis—around 125 million people worldwide. About 30% of people who have psoriasis also have psoriatic arthritis (about 37.5 million around the world).

In the United States, more than eight million people have psoriasis, and roughly 2.4 million of those people have psoriatic arthritis.

However, it’s believed that many people with psoriasis have undiagnosed psoriatic arthritis. In the United States, it is estimated that more than 15% of people with psoriasis may have psoriatic arthritis but have notbeen diagnosed.

That means that there could be up to 1.2 million more people in the United States with psoriatic arthritis than current data indicates, bringing the total closer to 3.6 million people.

What Is Symmetric Psoriatic Arthritis?

What is the life expectancy of someone with psoriatic arthritis?

Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic condition, and there is no cure. While psoriatic arthritis does not specifically lower a person’s life expectancy, some studies have suggested that people with psoriatic arthritis may have a shorter life expectancy than people in the general population because they are at an increased risk of other conditions that do affect life expectancy.These other conditions include diabetes, high blood pressure,lung problems, depression, and heart disease.

9 Psoriatic Arthritis Complications

How many people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis?

About one in three (30%) people with psoriasis will develop psoriatic arthritis. About 85% of people with psoriatic arthritis develop psoriasis first.

Typically, psoriatic arthritis occurs between the ages of 30 and 50, but it can occur at any time.

In many people, psoriatic arthritis develops about 10 years after the onset of psoriasis.

Is psoriatic arthritis a progressive disease?

Psoriatic arthritis can be an unpredictable condition, and the course that the disease takes can be different from one person to the next. In many people with psoriatic arthritis, the condition is progressive—which means that it gets worse over time.

If untreated, psoriatic arthritis can cause deformities and permanent damage to the joints.

Signs that psoriatic arthritis has progressed include:

Not everyone with psoriatic arthritis will experience disease progression. Medications can help reduce symptoms and active disease. Being in remission is when there are no signs of active disease present. For some people with psoriatic arthritis, remission is possible withproper treatment.

However, being in remission does not mean the disease will never return. It is possible that the symptoms will come back and the disease will progress.

What to Know About Psoriatic Arthritis and COVID-19

8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Psoriatic arthritis.National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriasis statistics.National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriatic arthritis: where we are and where we’re going.Armstrong AW, Mehta MD, Schupp CW, Gondo GC, Bell SJ, Griffiths CEM.Psoriasis prevalence in adults in the United States.JAMA Dermatol.157(8):940-946. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2021.2007National Psoriasis Foundation.About psoriatic arthritis.Edson-Heredia E, Zhu B, Guo J, Maeda-Chubachi T, Lebwohl M.Disease burden and quality of life in psoriasis patients with and without comorbid psoriatic arthritis: results from National Psoriasis Foundation panel surveys.Cutis.95(3):173-178.Ayan G, Sadic A, Kilic L, Kalyoncu U.Degenerative and inflammatory osteoproliferations in lumbar radiographs in psoriatic arthritis patients.J Clin Med. 2022;11(7):2009. doi:10.3390/jcm11072009Creaky Joints.The stages of psoriatic arthritis: signs of early to late disease progression.

8 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Psoriatic arthritis.National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriasis statistics.National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriatic arthritis: where we are and where we’re going.Armstrong AW, Mehta MD, Schupp CW, Gondo GC, Bell SJ, Griffiths CEM.Psoriasis prevalence in adults in the United States.JAMA Dermatol.157(8):940-946. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2021.2007National Psoriasis Foundation.About psoriatic arthritis.Edson-Heredia E, Zhu B, Guo J, Maeda-Chubachi T, Lebwohl M.Disease burden and quality of life in psoriasis patients with and without comorbid psoriatic arthritis: results from National Psoriasis Foundation panel surveys.Cutis.95(3):173-178.Ayan G, Sadic A, Kilic L, Kalyoncu U.Degenerative and inflammatory osteoproliferations in lumbar radiographs in psoriatic arthritis patients.J Clin Med. 2022;11(7):2009. doi:10.3390/jcm11072009Creaky Joints.The stages of psoriatic arthritis: signs of early to late disease progression.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

MedlinePlus.Psoriatic arthritis.National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriasis statistics.National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriatic arthritis: where we are and where we’re going.Armstrong AW, Mehta MD, Schupp CW, Gondo GC, Bell SJ, Griffiths CEM.Psoriasis prevalence in adults in the United States.JAMA Dermatol.157(8):940-946. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2021.2007National Psoriasis Foundation.About psoriatic arthritis.Edson-Heredia E, Zhu B, Guo J, Maeda-Chubachi T, Lebwohl M.Disease burden and quality of life in psoriasis patients with and without comorbid psoriatic arthritis: results from National Psoriasis Foundation panel surveys.Cutis.95(3):173-178.Ayan G, Sadic A, Kilic L, Kalyoncu U.Degenerative and inflammatory osteoproliferations in lumbar radiographs in psoriatic arthritis patients.J Clin Med. 2022;11(7):2009. doi:10.3390/jcm11072009Creaky Joints.The stages of psoriatic arthritis: signs of early to late disease progression.

MedlinePlus.Psoriatic arthritis.

National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriasis statistics.

National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriatic arthritis: where we are and where we’re going.

Armstrong AW, Mehta MD, Schupp CW, Gondo GC, Bell SJ, Griffiths CEM.Psoriasis prevalence in adults in the United States.JAMA Dermatol.157(8):940-946. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2021.2007

National Psoriasis Foundation.About psoriatic arthritis.

Edson-Heredia E, Zhu B, Guo J, Maeda-Chubachi T, Lebwohl M.Disease burden and quality of life in psoriasis patients with and without comorbid psoriatic arthritis: results from National Psoriasis Foundation panel surveys.Cutis.95(3):173-178.

Ayan G, Sadic A, Kilic L, Kalyoncu U.Degenerative and inflammatory osteoproliferations in lumbar radiographs in psoriatic arthritis patients.J Clin Med. 2022;11(7):2009. doi:10.3390/jcm11072009

Creaky Joints.The stages of psoriatic arthritis: signs of early to late disease progression.

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