Medical Bulletin 14/August/2023

Here are the top medical news for the day: 

Novel tool predicts patient’s risk of developing psoriatic arthritis

In research published in Arthritis & Rheumatology, investigators developed and validated a tool called PRESTO that identifies patients with psoriasis who face an elevated risk for developing psoriatic arthritis and may therefore benefit from preventive therapies.

Among 635 patients with psoriasis followed in the University of Toronto psoriasis cohort, 51 and 71 developed psoriatic arthritis during 1-year and 5-year follow-up periods, respectively. The risk of developing psoriatic arthritis within 1 year was higher in patients of younger age; male sex; family history of psoriasis; back stiffness; nail pitting (dents, ridges, and holes in the nails); joint stiffness; use of biological medications; poor health; and pain severity. The risk of developing psoriatic arthritis within 5 years was higher in patients with morning stiffness, psoriatic nail lesion, psoriasis severity, fatigue, pain, and use of systemic non-biologic medication or phototherapy.

Reference: Derivation of a multivariable psoriatic arthritis risk estimation tool (PRESTO): a step towards prevention prediction of psoriatic arthritis tool, Arthritis & Rheumatology; DOI 10.1002/art.42661 

Protein that may help protect against osteoporosis identified

New research published in The FASEB Journal indicates that increasing the expression of a particular gene may help to prevent bone loss associated with postmenopausal osteoporosis. Postmenopausal osteoporosis is a medical condition characterized by a decrease in bone density and strength that occurs after menopause.