Arthritis Mutilans in a Patient with Psoriasis

Psoriatic arthritis is a seronegative spondyloarthropathy occurring in 7 -10 % of patients with psoriasis. Arthritis mutilans is a rare and severe form occurring in 3 to 5 % of psoriatic arthritis. It is an aggressive, progressive and destructive form of arthritis involving small joints of hand and foot, ending in severe joint deformity thereby causing disability. Here we report a case of 72 year male patient with psoriatic skin lesions of 10 years duration not on treatment, now presented with classical opera glass hands (3) - telescoping finger deformity, the hall mark of arthritis mutilans. Patient also has systemic hypertension.