10/29/2026
Psoriasis follow-ups: how are the joints?
A nearly clear skin exam doesn’t tell you everything about psoriatic disease.
At PEARLS 2026, Stefan C. Weiss, MD, FAAD shared a teaching case with limited skin involvement but dactylitis and Achilles enthesitis. The takeaway for derm PAs and NPs: skin severity alone doesn’t capture the full disease burden.
For World Psoriasis Day, a reminder to ask beyond the plaques:
• Any joint pain or swelling?
• Stiffness in the morning or after sitting?
• Swelling of an entire finger or toe?
• Heel pain?
These symptoms warrant further assessment for psoriatic arthritis, even when the skin looks well controlled. A validated screening tool such as PEST can support screening, with rheumatology evaluation when PsA is suspected.
Save these prompts for your next psoriasis follow-up.