Validation of the Psoriatic Arthritis Impact of Disease (PsAID) Questionnaire and its potential as a single-item outcome measure in clinical practice.

Objectives: The Psoriatic Arthritis Impact of Disease (PsAID) Questionnaire is a recently developed patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) of disease impact in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). We set out to assess the validity in an independent cohort of patients, estimate the minimally important difference for improvement and explore the potential of individual components of the PsAID in clinical practice.

Methods: Data were collected prospectively for a single-centre cohort of patients with PsA.

Psoriatic Arthritis Mutilans: Characteristics and Natural Radiographic History.

Objective: (1) To compare clinical characteristics of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) with PsA mutilans (PAM) and without PAM, and (2) to determine the rate of PAM radiographic progression.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of all patients with PsA attending a teaching hospital. The most recent hand and feet radiographs were screened for PAM.

Exploring ankylosing spondylitis-associated ERAP1, IL23R and IL12B gene polymorphisms in subphenotypes of psoriatic arthritis.

Objective: To ascertain whether AS-associated polymorphisms of ERAP1, IL23R and IL12B genes associate with subphenotypes of PsA, particularly axial radiographic disease once stratified by HLA-B27 and HLA-Cw*0602 status.

Methods: rs30187 (ERAP1 gene), rs6887695 (IL12B gene), rs11209026 and rs7530511 (IL23R gene) single nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped in 263 PsA cases from a prospective cohort and compared with data from healthy controls (n = 3266-5422). ERAP1 results were stratified according to HLA-B27 and HLA-Cw*0602 status.

Care and support of patients with psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the joints associated with progressive joint destruction and loss of function. The additional challenge of managing psoriasis can mean patients' needs differ from those associated with other inflammatory joint conditions. This article discusses the goals of drug treatment and physical therapies in terms of minimising symptoms of the disease.

'To suddenly have a name for this thing… was wonderful': the patient's experience of receiving a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the patient's perception of receiving a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) and reports on their experience of the period between onset of symptoms and receiving a definitive diagnosis.

Methods: Focus groups were conducted in seven rheumatology centres. Forty-three participants were purposively selected and data were subjected to thematic deductive analysis.

'It's more scary not to know': a qualitative study exploring the information needs of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus at the time of diagnosis.

Objectives: To identify the information needs of patients newly diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus), to inform the design of a future education package.

Methods: Focus groups were conducted in seven rheumatology centres in the UK with 43 purposively selected participants. Data were subjected to thematic inductive analysis.

Mortality in psoriatic arthritis - a single-center study from the UK.

Objective: To determine whether the mortality in a cohort of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) from a single center in the UK is significantly different from the general UK population.

Methods: Patients who were entered onto the PsA database at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Bath, between 1985 and 2007 were included in this study. Information on patient deaths was collected retrospectively.

Funding decisions in chronically sick individuals.

This article examines current research, literature and government policy that influences how health funding is allocated for treatment and care of the chronically sick. Chronic disease represents a huge burden of ill health in the UK and a substantial cost to the NHS. With both an increase in the ageing population and advancing technological developments giving doctors the theoretical ability to sustain the most fragile life, the issue of providing unlimited access of care to the chronically sick within financial limitations is clearly untenable.