Does weather matter? Exploring associations between season and meteorological factors and psoriatic arthritis disease activity
10 affiliations
- 1Department of Rheumatology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- 2Department of Rheumatology, Frisius Medical Center, Leewarden, The Netherlands
- 3Department of Rheumatology, Franciscus Gasthuis and Vlietland, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- 4Department of Rheumatology, Amphia Hospital, Breda, The Netherlands
- 5Department of Rheumatology, Reumazorg Zuid West Nederland, Goes, The Netherlands
- 6Department of Rheumatology, Admiraal De Ruyter Hospital, Goes, The Netherlands
- 7Department of Rheumatology, Reinier de Graaf Hospital, Delft, The Netherlands
- 8Department of Rheumatology, Haga Hospital, The Hague, The Netherlands
- 9Department of Rheumatology, Maasstad Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- 10Department of Rheumatology, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Dordrecht, The Netherlands
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the associations between season and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) disease activity, and whether certain meteorological factors are associated with these seasonal differences. Secondary objectives include assessing associations between season and mood.
Methods: A retrospective longitudinal study was conducted including 935 patients with PsA from the Dutch South West Psoriatic Arthritis cohort from 2013 to 2023. Disease activity was assessed using Psoriatic Arthritis Disease Activity Score (PASDAS) and Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) at diagnosis (baseline) and over 3 years of follow-up. Season was assessed during the month of each visit, and meteorological factors (temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, atmospheric pressure, sunshine duration) were assessed during the day of and week and month before the visit, using data from the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute. Mood was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.
Results: At diagnosis, there was no significant difference in PsA incidence and disease activity (PASDAS and DAPSA) between seasons. During follow-up, the multivariable analyses showed higher DAPSA in winter (β 2.59; 95% CI 0.74 to 4.43), spring (β 1.95; 95% CI 0.001 to 3.90) and autumn (β 1.93; 95% CI 0.17 to 3.69) compared with summer. Analyses of DAPSA subcomponents showed significantly higher Visual Analog Scale (VAS) patient pain and global assessment in autumn and higher swollen joint count 66 and C-reactive protein in winter compared with summer. Season was not significantly associated with PASDAS, nor with mood. Meteorological factors were not significantly associated with PASDAS and DAPSA.
Conclusion: Season was associated with PsA disease activity, being lower in summer. Meteorological factors were not associated with PsA disease activity in our study sample.
Related
- Associations of Lifestyle‐Related Factors and Psoriatic Arthritis Disease Activity: The Dutch South West Psoriatic Arthritis Study
- Sex of the Treating Rheumatologist and Disease Activity Outcomes in Psoriatic Arthritis
- Beyond disease activity: patient-reported impact of disease states in psoriatic arthritis using PsAID-12 time-independent clustering.
- Resolution of Nail Abnormalities in Psoriatic Arthritis
- Cutaneous Deterioration Following Glucocorticoid Discontinuation in Psoriatic Arthritis: A Real-World Cohort Study
BibTeX
@article{hojeij2026does,
title = {{Does weather matter? Exploring associations between season and meteorological factors and psoriatic arthritis disease activity}},
author = {Batoul Hojeij and Jolanda J Luime and Reinhard Bos and Lindy-Anne Korswagen and Marijn Vis and Jessica Bijsterbosch and Paul Baudoin and Jos H Van Der Kaap and Petra Kok and Yvonne Goekoop-Ruiterman and Marc R Kok and Ilja Tchetverikov},
journal = {RMD Open},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1136/rmdopen-2026-006967},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1136/rmdopen-2026-006967},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Does weather matter? Exploring associations between season and meteorological factors and psoriatic arthritis disease activity
AU - Batoul Hojeij
AU - Jolanda J Luime
AU - Reinhard Bos
AU - Lindy-Anne Korswagen
AU - Marijn Vis
AU - Jessica Bijsterbosch
AU - Paul Baudoin
AU - Jos H Van Der Kaap
AU - Petra Kok
AU - Yvonne Goekoop-Ruiterman
AU - Marc R Kok
AU - Ilja Tchetverikov
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/23
JO - RMD Open
DO - 10.1136/rmdopen-2026-006967
UR - https://doi.org/10.1136/rmdopen-2026-006967
AB - Objective: To investigate the associations between season and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) disease activity, and whether certain meteorological factors are associated with these seasonal differences. Secondary objectives include assessing associations between season and mood. Methods: A retrospective longitudinal study was conducted including 935 patients with PsA from the Dutch South West Psoriatic Arthritis cohort from 2013 to 2023. Disease activity was assessed using Psoriatic Arthritis Disease Activity Score (PASDAS) and Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) at diagnosis (baseline) and over 3 years of follow-up. Season was assessed during the month of each visit, and meteorological factors (temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, atmospheric pressure, sunshine duration) were assessed during the day of and week and month before the visit, using data from the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute. Mood was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Results: At diagnosis, there was no significant difference in PsA incidence and disease activity (PASDAS and DAPSA) between seasons. During follow-up, the multivariable analyses showed higher DAPSA in winter (β 2.59; 95% CI 0.74 to 4.43), spring (β 1.95; 95% CI 0.001 to 3.90) and autumn (β 1.93; 95% CI 0.17 to 3.69) compared with summer. Analyses of DAPSA subcomponents showed significantly higher Visual Analog Scale (VAS) patient pain and global assessment in autumn and higher swollen joint count 66 and C-reactive protein in winter compared with summer. Season was not significantly associated with PASDAS, nor with mood. Meteorological factors were not significantly associated with PASDAS and DAPSA. Conclusion: Season was associated with PsA disease activity, being lower in summer. Meteorological factors were not associated with PsA disease activity in our study sample.
SN - 2056-5933
ER -