The global prevalence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is estimated to be 112 per 100,000 adults, according to a meta-analysis of clinical research papers.

Importantly, the meta-analysis, published in Rheumatology, took into account for the first time methodological differences between the studies included in the analysis.

The review included research that varied on how PsA was classified, as well as on study design.

Despite these differences, results were similarly between population-based [113 per 100,000] studies and those using health administrative data [109 per 100,000], “so we considered it appropriate to combine a single global PsA prevalence estimate,” the authors noted.

Evidence also revealed a higher prevalence of PsA in Europe and North America versus Asia/South America, although the authors emphasised that data was sparse in many areas, particularly outside of Europe.

Using populations-based studies for continent-specific PsA prevalence gave estimates of 207 per 100,000 for Europe, 64 for North America, and 37 in Asia, while corresponding figures from health administrative studies were 175, 147, 78 and 17.

The research team also highlighted an increase in PsA prevalence over the last decades.

For example, “Eder et al (2018) showed a doubling of PsA prevalence cases from 0.071% in 2006 to 0.153% in 2015 in Israel, [and] Scott et al. (2022) reported from 2004 to 2020 a similar increase in the PsA prevalence in England”, according to the paper.

However, the authors also suggest other factors that might have placed a role in this increase.

“Rather than a true increase in PsA prevalence per se, it is possible that increased awareness and knowledge among healthcare professionals may lead to a higher proportion of actual PsA cases being diagnosed.

“Additionally, more accurate coding practices could be one reason for the observed increase in prevalence [as well as] increased interest in screening psoriasis patients for PsA in dermatology clinics to detect them early enough and to prevent worse long-term outcomes,” they noted.

Understanding the true burden of PsA will aid in planning and securing resources for treatment and management of the disease, the authors stressed.