Psoriatic arthropathy

This code represents a chronic inflammatory arthritis associated with psoriasis, characterized by joint pain, swelling, and stiffness, often accompanied by psoriatic skin lesions and nail changes. It is a seronegative spondyloarthropathy that can affect peripheral joints, the spine, and entheses.

Apply this code for patients diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, regardless of the severity or specific joint involvement. Documentation should clearly indicate a diagnosis of psoriatic arthropathy, often supported by a history of psoriasis and characteristic joint symptoms.

• Do not confuse with other forms of inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, which has distinct diagnostic criteria.
• Code any associated psoriasis of the skin or nails separately using the appropriate 696.1x codes.
• Ensure documentation specifies the type of psoriatic arthropathy if known (e.g., oligoarticular, polyarticular, spondylitis, arthritis mutilans) for potential future, more specific coding.