Look Beyond My Skin: Your Psoriasis Could Help Us Understand Who Develops Psoriatic Arthritis

Adults with psoriasis across Europe are invited to take part in an online study aiming to identify who is at risk of developing psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriasis may be most visible on the skin, but its impact can go much further. Up to one in three people with psoriasis may develop psoriatic arthritis (PsA), an inflammatory disease affecting the joints and tendons. Yet it is still difficult to predict who will develop PsA – and who will not.

The HIPPOCRATES Prospective Observational Study (HPOS) is working to change that by following people with psoriasis over several years and looking for early signs linked to the development of PsA. Conducted entirely online, with no hospital visits required, the study enables people in participating countries across Europe to contribute their experiences from home to help researchers better understand who may be at risk.

Looking beyond the skin

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This World Psoriasis Day focuses on young people living with psoriasis under the campaign slogan ‘Look Beyond My Skin’. By investigating what happens before PsA develops, HPOS aims to improve our understanding of the disease and, ultimately, the outlook for future generations.

For Patient Research Partner Wendy Wagenaar, who developed PsA at a young age, that possibility is especially meaningful:

“Living with psoriatic arthritis at a young age has made me passionate about research that could lead to earlier identification and better outcomes. Taking part in HPOS allows people with psoriasis to contribute directly to research into who develops psoriatic arthritis and how it might be recognised earlier. If you have psoriasis and are eligible to take part, I encourage you to join HPOS and help us build that knowledge together.”

- Wendy Wagenaar, Patient Research Partner, HIPPOCRATES

Taking part in HPOS is designed to be straightforward and flexible. Participants complete online questionnaires every six months about their psoriasis, health, lifestyle and any changes in their symptoms. They also receive feedback based on their questionnaires, helping them track changes in their health and symptoms over time. Some participants may also be invited to provide a finger-prick blood sample from home to support the search for biological markers linked to PsA risk – -this additional part of the study is optional.

Building a clearer picture of PsA risk

So far, 9,906 people with psoriasis have joined HPOS across Europe.

By bringing together information from a large and diverse group of participants, researchers hope to identify factors linked to a higher risk of developing PsA. These findings could ultimately support earlier identification and future approaches to delay or potentially prevent PsA.

“Every person who joins HPOS adds valuable information to the study. Our aim is to recruit up to 25,000 people with psoriasis across Europe. The more experiences we can bring together, the better we can understand what happens before psoriatic arthritis develops and identify patterns that may help us recognise people at risk earlier.” Professor Laura Coates, University of Oxford

Join HPOS and help shape what comes next

HPOS is open to adults living in participating European countries who have psoriasis and have not been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. Taking part is flexible and designed to fit around participants’ everyday lives.

Your experience could help researchers look beyond the skin and better understand what comes next. Find out if you are eligible and register at: https://hpos.study/.