Podcast: Inflammation Amplified: Understanding the PsA—Obesity Connection

In this episode of RhAPPcast, the official podcast of rheumatology advanced practice providers, we explore the complex and often underrecognized relationship between psoriatic arthritis and obesity. Host Amanda Mixon, PA-C, President of RhAPP, is joined by distinguished RhAPP faculty member and rheumatology nurse practitioner Iris Zink for an in-depth, real-world discussion on how obesity functions as an inflammatory driver in psoriatic arthritis and influences disease severity, treatment response, and long-term outcomes.

The conversation examines the immunologic mechanisms linking adiposity to chronic inflammation, including the role of cytokines such as TNF and IL-17, and how obesity amplifies disease across key domains like peripheral arthritis, enthesitis, dactylitis, skin disease, and axial involvement. Drawing from both current evidence and decades of clinical experience, the speakers discuss why weight assessment should be considered an essential component of psoriatic arthritis evaluation and how to approach this topic in a patient-centered, non-stigmatizing way.

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