Arthritis diagnosis, treatment, and disease characteristics are different in children and adults. Affects about 200,000 Americans. Psoriatic Arthritis Bone and other joint tissues become inflamed, and, like rheumatoid arthritis, it can affect the whole body. Affects about 5 percent of people with psoriasis, a chronic skin disease. Likely to affect fingers or spine.
Symptoms are mild in most people but can be quite severe.
Affects about 160,000 Americans. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Involves skin, joints, muscles, and sometimes internal organs. Symptoms usually appear in women of childbearing age but can occur in anyone at any age. Also called lupus or SLE, it can be mild or life threatening. Affects at least 131,000 Americans, nine to ten times as many women as men.