Familial occurrence of psoriatic arthritis

Abstract

The following conclusions were reached: The clustering of psoriatic arthritis in families of patients with psoriatic arthritis, but not in families of patients with psoriasis and other arthritis, supports the concept that psoriatic arthritis is a disease sui generis. The high frequency of sacroiliitis in psoriatic arthritis families is consistent with previously reported linkages between psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Genetic factors are involved in the etiology of psoriatic arthritis. Inheritance is probably multifactorial. Environmental factors, particularly trauma, could be important in precipitating arthritis in genetically predisposed subjects.