Impact of psoriatic disease on women aged 18 to 45: Results from a multinational survey across 11 European countries.

Sandy R Mcbride,Anne-Claire Fougerousse,Alice Titialii,Laura C Coates,Lerzan Senturk,Louise Catton,Marta García Bustínduy,Maria C Fargnoli,Jan Koren,Cécile Ecoffet,Laura Andreoli

doi:10.1016/j.ijwd.2021.08.011

Abstract

BackgroundPlaque psoriasis (PSO) is a long-term inflammatory condition that can cause concomitant joint symptoms (psoriatic arthritis [PsA]) in up to 30% of patients. The impact of psoriatic disease on disease outcomes and quality of life is greater in women than men.ObjectiveWe evaluated the impact of psoriatic disease on women aged 18 to 45 years across Europe.MethodsWomen aged 18 to 45 years with moderate to severe PSO, PsA, or PSO + PsA (PSO with progression to PsA) and prior biologic experience were recruited from market research panels and patient association groups of the International Federation of Psoriasis Associations, European Federation of Psoriasis Patient Associations, and Arthritis Ireland and asked to complete a survey. Questions covered social and psychological wellbeing, employment, and family planning. Question types included 5- or 7-point agreement scales, where the highest/lowest two ratings were considered agreement/disagreement, respectively. The results are reported as proportions of those who selected the answer, divided by overall respondents for each question. Women were not required to answer all questions.ResultsSurvey respondents (N = 573) had a diagnosis of PSO (n = 236), PsA (n = 173), or PSO + PsA (n = 164). Women self-reported similar mean scores for physical (57.0 of 100) and mental (59.0 of 100) health. A fifth (21%) had not achieved their desired career due to PSO/PsA; career dissatisfaction and increased sick leave were linked to poor mental health. Some women reported having a limited social life (33%), smaller families (34%), and being more likely to adopt children (27%) due to PSO/PsA. A quarter of women (27%) reported not understanding enough about PSO/PsA (nonmembers vs. members of patient association groups: 37% vs. 8%).ConclusionOur findings highlight the considerable burden of psoriatic disease on women of childbearing age. Increased provision of information tailored to women, training for health care professionals, and shared decision-making between patients and health care professionals may help better support women with psoriatic disease.

Highlights

Plaque psoriasis (PSO) is a long-term inflammatory condition that typically causes the appearance of raised, erythematous and scaly lesions on the skin (National Psoriasis Foundation 2020)
The draft survey was reviewed by UCB employees and representatives of the International Federation of Psoriasis Associations (IFPA) and European Federation of Psoriasis Patient Associations (EUROPSO) and piloted with four patients recruited via patient association groups
41% (n=236) women with prior or current biologic treatment self-classified as having PSO, 30% (n=173) as PsA, and 29% (n=164) as both PSO and PsA (PSO+PsA; Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Plaque psoriasis (PSO) is a long-term inflammatory condition that typically causes the appearance of raised, erythematous and scaly lesions on the skin (National Psoriasis Foundation 2020). PSO can develop at any age, but most cases occur before the age of 35 years and women are often diagnosed slightly earlier than men (NICE 2012; Queiro et al 2014; World Health Organization 2016). Those who develop concomitant PsA are usually diagnosed 5–10 years after the onset of PSO (Mease and Armstrong 2014). Plaque psoriasis (PSO) is a long-term inflammatory condition that can cause concomitant joint symptoms (psoriatic arthritis; PsA), in up to 30% of patients. We evaluate the impact of psoriatic disease on women aged 18– 45 years across Europe

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Discussion

Conclusion