Serum, Cellular and Imaging Markers of Arthritis in Psoriasis Patients

Other illness

• All Subjects
  • Unable to donate blood because of poor venous access or intolerance of phlebotomy.
  • Chronic pain syndrome, autoimmune or active inflammatory conditions other than the conditions being studied. (i.e., chronic infection with hepatitis B or hepatitis C, inflammatory arthritis, etc) which in the investigator's opinion may confound the study results.
• Healthy subjects:
  • Musculoskeletal conditions such as joint pains or swelling, fracture, tendonitis or trauma in the past 3 months, gout, or any arthritis which in the investigator's opinion may confound the study results.
  • Illness in the last month which in the investigator's opinion may confound the study results.
  • Taking systemic steroids or immunosuppressants

Lab values

• Bone Marrow Aspiration:
  • Side effect to local anesthetics such as lidocaine or novocain.
  • Bleeding disorders or conditions requiring treatment with, NSAID, aspirin, anti-coagulants or anti-platelet agent, unless a physician investigator determines it to be safe to hold these agents for 2 weeks.
  • Known thrombocytopenia (\< 100,000) or clinically significant PT or PTT outside the normal range.
  • Pregnant women should not participate; Pregnancy tests will not be performed.

Other

• Psoriasis Subjects:
  • Evidence of inflammatory arthritis.
  • Psoriatic Arthritis Screening and Evaluation (PASE) questionnaire score greater than or equal to 47.
  • Meet CASPAR criteria for PsA.

• All Subjects
  • Ability to provide written informed consent
  • Subjects must be 18 years old or older
• Psoriasis Subjects
  • Patients with self-diagnosed Psoriasis. These subjects may present with thick, scaly, silvery and/or red skin, without ever having been diagnosed by a dermatologist:
  • Starting either a DMARD or biologic standard of care for their psoriasis OR
  • Currently started taking a DMARD within the last two weeks of study visit procedures OR
  • Currently not using a DMARD or biologic treatment, subjects may be using topical creams or UV therapy
  • Willing to be studied longitudinally with a 4 month follow-up blood draw and PDUS if initial PDUS demonstrates positive findings.
• Bone Marrow Aspiration:
  • Willing to undergo procedure.
  • Psoriasis: positive findings on Power Doppler Ultra Sound (PDUS+) such as joint erosion, effusion, synovitis or increased vascularity, otherwise known as a signal.