Clinical characteristics and outcomes of psoriasis patients with COVID-19: A retrospective, multicenter cohort study in China.

Abstract

Limited information exists regarding the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on psoriasis patients. The objective of this study was to identify clinical factors associated with the prognosis of psoriasis following SARS-CoV-2 infection. A retrospective, multicenter study was conducted between March and May 2023. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with COVID-19-related psoriasis outcomes. The study included 2371 psoriasis patients from 12 clinical centers, with 2049 of them having been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Among the infected group, lower exacerbation rates were observed in individuals treated with biologics compared to those receiving traditional systemic or nonsystemic treatments (22.3% [236/1058] vs. 39.8% [92/231] vs. 37.5% [140/373], P <0.001). Psoriasis progression with lesions (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=8.197, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]=5.685-11.820, compared to no lesions), hypertension (adjusted OR=1.582, 95% CI=1.068-2.343), traditional systemic (adjusted OR=1.887, 95% CI=1.263-2.818), and nonsystemic treatment (adjusted OR=1.602, 95% CI=1.117-2.297) were found to be associated with exacerbation of psoriasis after SARS-CoV-2 infection, but not biologics (adjusted OR=0.931, 95% CI=0.680-1.274, compared to no treatment), according to multivariable logistic regression analysis. A reduced risk of psoriasis exacerbation after SARS-CoV-2 infection was observed with biologics compared to traditional systemic and nonsystemic treatments. Significant risk factors for exacerbation after infection were identified as existing psoriatic lesions and hypertension. ClinicalTrials.gov (No. NCT05961605).