Background Available psoriasis surveys offer valuable information about psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), but are limited by methodology or enrollment requirements. Objective To further the ...understanding of the unmet needs of psoriasis and PsA patients. Methods This was a large, multinational, population-based survey of psoriasis and/or PsA patients in North America and Europe. Patients were selected by list-assisted random digit dialing and did not have to currently be under the care of a health care provider, a patient organization member, or receiving treatment; 139,948 households were screened and 3426 patients completed the survey. Results The prevalence of psoriasis/PsA ranged from 1.4% to 3.3%; 79% had psoriasis alone and 21% had PsA. When rating disease severity at its worst, 27% (psoriasis) and 53% (PsA ± psoriasis) of patients rated it as severe. Psoriasis patients indicated that their most bothersome signs or symptoms were itching (43%), scales (23%), and flaking (20%). Of psoriasis patients, 45% had not seen a physician in a year; >80% of psoriasis patients with ≥4 palms body surface area and 59% of PsA patients were receiving no treatment or topical treatment only. Of patients who had received oral or biologic therapy, 57% and 45%, respectively, discontinued therapy, most often for safety/tolerability reasons and a lack/loss of efficacy. Limitations The survey lacked a control group, did not account for ethnic and health care system differences across countries, and was limited by factors associated with any patient survey, including accurate recall and interpretation of questions. Conclusions Several identified unmet needs warrant additional attention and action, including improved severity assessment, PsA screening, patient awareness, and treatment options.
Genetics of Psoriasis Mahil, Satveer K., MA, MRCP; Capon, Francesca, PhD; Barker, Jonathan N., MD, FRCP, FRCPath
Dermatologic clinics,
2015, January 2015, 2015-Jan, 2015-01-00, 20150101, Volume:
33, Issue:
1
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Psoriasis is a common and debilitating immune-mediated skin disease with a complex genetic basis. Genetic studies have provided critical insights into the pathogenesis of disease. This article ...focuses on the results of genetic association studies, which provide evidence that psoriasis susceptibility genes are involved in innate and adaptive immunity and skin barrier functions. The potential for disease stratification and the development of more effective treatments with fewer side effects using genetic data are highlighted.
