These two conditions share many symptoms, includingjoint painand skin symptoms.
But they also have many differences and ways to tell them apart.
In PsA, the arthritis is erosive, leading to loss of bone and cartilage.
Verywell / Michela Buttignol
In lupus, the arthritis is not erosive.
In PsA, inflammatory processes are overactive.
It is considered immune-mediated.
Autoantibodies are present, but they aren’t tested clinically.
It is common in people with theinflammatory skin diseasepsoriasis.
Much like PsA, lupus is an inflammatory condition that causesinflammationand pain throughout your body.
People with lupus experience joint pain, skin sensitivities, rashes, and problems with their internal organs.
Both PsA and lupus are autoimmune diseases, conditions in which the immune system malfunctions and attacks healthy tissues.
Psoriatic arthritis can develop slowly and cause mild symptoms, or it can develop quickly and aggressively.
PsA is known for causing many problems in the body.
Most people with the condition will have multiple symptoms that range from mild to severe.
The most common symptom of PsA is joint pain, swelling, and stiffness.
There are different types of lupus, the most common of which is SLE.
Other types of lupus are:
The symptoms of lupus usually come and go.
The condition flares up (symptoms worsen) and sometimes goes into remission (periods when it improves).
With autoimmune diseases like PsA and lupus, the immune system malfunctions and attacks its own healthy tissues.
Treatment focuses on calming inflammatory and autoimmune processes.
Of course, not everyone with PsA will have psoriasis first and some people with PsA never get psoriasis.
High levels of TNF can overwhelm the immune system and inhibit its ability to control inflammation.
Your risk for PsA is high if the PsA or psoriasis runs in your family.
Over 40% of people with PsA have a family member with PsA or psoriasis.
Psoriatic arthritis isdiagnosed more often in White peoplethan in people who are Black,Latinx,or South Asian.
However, genes alone are not enough to cause the condition.
Researchers have not yet identified specific triggers, but they have some theories.
Each condition has diagnostic criteria that are used in classification.
Diagnosing PsA can be complex.
Your doctor will look for and ask you about these specific symptoms if they suspect PsA.
Your healthcare professional will also request arheumatoid factor(RF) test.
Another blood test used to rule out RA is ananti-cyclic citrullinated peptide(anti-CCP) antibody test.
People can have lupus for many years before they are diagnosed.
If you start to experience symptoms of lupus, your doctor needs to know right away.
They will use many different testing methods to determine the source of your symptoms.
Treatment
Both PsA and lupus are lifelong conditions that require long-term care.
Doctors can recommend the best treatments for each condition.
Sometimes, these treatments overlap.
Many treatment options are effective for treating symptoms of PsA.
Your doctor will prescribe medications based on disease and symptom severity.
Additional interventions for treating and managing PsA are:
There are several types of medicines used to treat lupus.
Your healthcare provider will determine what drugs might best help based on your symptom and disease severity.
However, there is no treatment or tool to prevent someone from getting PsA.
And there is no way to predict who may go on to develop the condition.
Some triggers and risk factors for PsA can be preventedthings like smoking, diet, and chronic stress.
But even with managing these types of triggers, a person can still end up with PsA.
Much like PsA, lupus is not preventable.
This includes things like not smoking, getting adequate sleep, eating healthily, and maintaining a healthy weight.
Summary
Psoriatic arthritis and lupus are both autoimmune conditions that affect the skin and joints.
While they share some similar symptoms, they are separate conditions.
It is possible to have both conditions because their disease processes are similar.
Once a diagnosis can be confirmed, both PsA and lupus can be treated and managed effectively.
They are both lifelong conditions, and neither can be cured.
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