Central sensitization (CS), a condition where the body responds excessively to pain stimuli, is commonly experienced by patients with rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). A cross-sectional study was performed at a dermatology outpatient clinic of the University Hospital of Verona, Italy, including 194 patients ≥18 years of age who had a diagnosis of moderate-to-severe psoriasis who had not received topical or systemic medical treatment for psoriasis 3 months prior. The primary outcome was the comparison of the proportion of CS (ie, Central Sensitization [CSI] Inventory score ≥ 40) in those who had just psoriasis compared with those with psoriasis and PsA.
On average, patients had a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index of 12.7±6.7 and a Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis of 14.4±3.8. A total of 134 patients (79%) had only psoriasis, and 60 (31%) patients had psoriasis and PsA. A total of 19 patients (10%) had a CSI score of ≥40. The proportion of patients with CS ≥40 was greater in those with PsA than in those with only psoriasis (17% vs 7%, p=0.031). The mean CSI score was higher in patients with PsA than in those with only psoriasis (27.5±13.5 vs 20.7±13.7, p=0.002). The investigators also found that severity of CS is linked with poor quality of life, disease severity, and higher levels of symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Reference: Bellinato F, Gisondi P, Fassio A, Girolomoni G. Central Pain Sensitization in Patients with Chronic Plaque Psoriasis [published online ahead of print, 2023 Mar 29]. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2023;10.1007/s13555-023-00917-z. doi:10.1007/s13555-023-00917-z
Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13555-023-00917-z
