Dactylitis is uniform swelling of an entire finger or toe, giving it a 'sausage digit' appearance because tendons, joints and soft tissue are all inflamed at once. It's a classic sign of psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis and other spondyloarthritis, and less commonly appears in sarcoidosis and TB. Because dactylitis predicts more erosive disease, UK guidelines treat persistent cases actively, often with DMARDs or biologics.
What is dactylitis?
Dactylitis: Dactylitis is swelling of a whole digit ('sausage finger' or 'sausage toe') from combined joint and tendon inflammation. Highly characteristic of psoriatic and reactive arthritis. Requires rheumatology assessment.
Last updated 2026-07-04. This is general information, not a substitute for personalised medical advice.