Abstract  Background: Psoriasis may be associated with Psoriatic arthritis in 6% to 42% of cases. Psoriatic arthritis can cause serious disability. No data about incidence of Psoriatic arthritis in patients of Psoriasis was available in Mauritius. Objective: To determine the prevalence of Psoriatic arthritis and its clinical types in Mauritian patients of psoriasis. Methodology: A cross-sectional study of consecutive 55 patients of Psoriasis was carried out by the case study method at a tertiary medical centre in Mauritius. The diagnostic criteria of Moll and Wright were used for the diagnosis and the classification of Psoriatic arthritis. The data collected was statistically analysed using SPSS16 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software. A p value of < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: Psoriatic arthritis was observed in 14 (25.4%) of patients of Psoriasis. Female to Male ratio was 5:2. Clinical types of Psoriatic arthritis observed were Polyarthritis in 5 (35 %), a Combination of Spondylitis and Symmetric polyarthritis in 3 (29%), Oligoarthritis in 3 (29%) and Classical Isolated Distal interphalangeal joint involvement in 1 (7%) patient. The Proximal interphalangeal joints of the fingers were involved in 10 (71%), followed by the knee joint in 7 (50%) and the ankle joint in 7 (50%) of patients. Conclusion: Psoriatic arthritis affected female more frequently than male and the Polyarthritis type of psoriatic arthritis was predominant. The proximal-inter-phalangeal joints were most frequently involved.

Key words: Psoriatic arthritis, polyarthritis, spondylitis, oligoarthritis.