Low-dose cyclosporin improves the health-related quality of life in Japanese psoriasis patients dissatisfied with topical corticosteroid monotherapy

Abstract

Psoriasis greatly impacts the health-related quality of life of patients, including any dermatological conditions that are listed in the dermatology life quality index (DLQI). We investigated the relationships between DLQI and the degree of patient satisfaction using questionnaires among psoriasis patients treated only with topical corticosteroids. Patients who were dissatisfied with topical corticosteroids alone and agreed to receive cyclosporin were given low-dose oral cyclosporin. We assessed changes of the DLQI and the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) scores in patients dissatisfied with treatment during the period of cyclosporin addition. Of 32 enrolled patients, 17 reported dissatisfaction with the current treatment of topical corticosteroids alone. There was a significantly positive correlation between the degree of patient satisfaction questionnaires and the DLQI of these 32 patients. Among the 17 dissatisfied patients, 12 patients agreed to receive additional cyclosporin therapy and five did not. The 12 patients who started on cyclosporin had a significantly lower PASI after 12 weeks than they did at baseline. The DLQI improved significantly after 12 weeks in the cyclosporin-treated patients. The 12 patients who agreed to receive cyclosporin showed a significantly lower DLQI at 12 weeks compared to the five patients who declined the addition of cyclosporin to their treatment. Assessing the degree of patient satisfaction with therapy using a questionnaire could be useful for improving clinical interventions in psoriasis patients. Low-dose oral cyclosporin could be effective in patients who are dissatisfied with topical corticosteroid treatment alone.