Photo Credit: Kudryavtsev Pavel
At the 2024 Winter Clinical Dermatology Conference, Mark Lebwohl, MD, presented the session “Late Breakers in Psoriasis.”
At the 2024 Winter Clinical Dermatology Conference, held January 12-17, 2024 in Honolulu, Mark Lebwohl, MD, presented the session “Late Breakers in Psoriasis.”
Dr. Lebwohl published a paper recently that addresses this topic, which we summarize here:
Impact of Psoriasis Disease Severity & Special Area Involvement on Patient-Reported Outcomes in the Real World: An Analysis from the CorEvitas Psoriasis Registry
J Dermatolog Treat. 2024;35(1):2287401.
Background: The comprehensive characterization of the impact of psoriasis on patient physical functioning, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and work abilities, specifically in special areas such as the scalp, nails, palms, soles, and genitals, remains incomplete. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between disease severity and involvement of special areas in psoriasis symptoms, HRQoL, and work/activity impairment.
Methods: Patients with psoriasis from the CorEvitas Psoriasis Registry who initiated systemic treatment between April 2015 and June 2020 were included. Outcomes measured changes from baseline in psoriasis symptoms, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and work/activity impairment at 6 months, stratified by baseline disease severity and special area involvement.
Results: Among the 2620 patients, increasing disease severity correlated with deteriorating patient-reported outcomes. Those with psoriasis in special areas (46.0%; N = 1205) compared to those without (54.0%; N = 1415) reported greater HRQoL impairment and work/activity issues. Over the 6-month period, patients with unchanged or worsening disease severity experienced reduced HRQoL and increased symptom severity. Conversely, incremental improvements in patient HRQoL and reductions in symptom severity were associated with improved disease severity.
Conclusions: Elevated disease severity and involvement of special areas were linked to unfavorable outcomes and impaired work abilities. These findings underscore the substantial impact that effective treatment of severe psoriasis and special area involvement can have on patient HRQoL and overall functioning.
