Diagnosis Of Plaque Psoriasis Research Articles

Pediatric psoriasis: Understanding pathological conditions and advances in treatment.

Psoriasis is a long-lasting skin disease that primarily affects the skin, nails, and joints and is characterized by inflammation. Genetic factors contribute to its development and environmental triggers can worsen symptoms. Pathologically, psoriasis is characterized by uncontrolled keratinocyte proliferation and abnormal differentiation, and histological features include acanthosis with inflammatory cell infiltration and neovascularization. Psoriasis often starts in childhood, with about one-third of cases beginning during this time. Its prevalence steadily increases from the ages of 1 to 18 years in a linear fashion. Young people with psoriasis often require treatment throughout their childhood and adolescence, and into adulthood. However, prolonged treatment may increase the risk of complications and adverse events, so it is important to adopt an effective treatment approach that minimizes this risk. In addition, psoriasis is often associated with various comorbidities that may place a great burden on the physical and mental health of the children beyond those due to psoriasis itself. To ensure good long-term health outcomes, individuals with psoriasis should undergo regular screening. Treatment should be provided not only for skin lesions, but also for any comorbidities; however, currently there is not enough evidence on the treatment of pediatric psoriasis and no globally agreed-on guidelines exist for treating psoriasis in children. This article describes the etiology, clinical symptoms, and disease burden of pediatric psoriasis, the pathological conditions and diagnosis of plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and generalized pustular psoriasis, and the available treatments for these conditions in Japan.

COVID-19 and adherence to biologic therapies for psoriasis: An analysis of nationwide pharmacy claims data.

BACKGROUND: Early after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns were raised that the use of psoriasis treatments, particularly biologic therapies because of their immunosuppressant effects, could be associated with a poor prognosis in the case of COVID-19 infection. OBJECTIVE: To examine changes in adherence to systematic biologic therapies for psoriasis after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Using IQVIA medical and pharmacy claims data from January 1, 2018, to October 31, 2020, we identified patients aged 18 years or older who had a diagnosis of plaque psoriasis in 2018 and who received systemic biologic therapies for psoriasis, including both provider-administered and pharmacy-dispensed therapies. We calculated the incidence of 14-day gaps without therapy per 1,000 study participants for each 30-day interval. We constructed interrupted time series analyses to test changes in the incidence of outcomes after the pandemic declaration. RESULTS: The sample included 15,890 study participants: 45.4% were female and 15.2% were aged 65 years or older. For patients using biologic therapies dispensed from the pharmacy, there was a 13.1% decrease in the incidence of 14-day gaps without biologic therapy immediately after pandemic declaration, from 92.4 gaps per 1,000 patients to 80.2 gaps per 1,000 patients, but this decrease was not statistically significant. However, for patients using provider-administered therapies, the incidence of 14-day gaps without biologic therapy increased by 55.1% after pandemic declaration, from 29.0 gaps per 1,000 patients to 44.9 gaps per 1,000 patients (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we found an increased incidence of gaps in biologic therapy for psoriasis among users of provider-administered treatments but not among users of pharmacy-dispensed therapies. DISCLOSURES: Dr Hernandez reports personal fees from Bristol Myers Squibb and personal fees from Pfizer outside the submitted work. Dr Hernandez is funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (grant K01HL142847). The funder had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication. The statements, findings, conclusions, views, and opinions expressed in this publication are based on data obtained under license from IQVIA as part of the IQVIA Institute's Human Data Science Research Collaborative.

A dermoscopic study in the diagnosis of plaque psoriasis as compared with contact dermatitis, lichen planus, and pityriasis rosea in Indian patients

A dermoscopic study in the diagnosis of plaque psoriasis as compared with contact dermatitis, lichen planus, and pityriasis rosea in Indian patients

Skin-Disease Specific and Generic Psychometric Measures in Patients with Psoriasis.

IntroductionPsychosocial problems of patients with chronic dermatoses, such as psoriasis, add to their somatic ailments, which results in the lack of illness acceptance, lowered self-esteem, deteriorated quality of life, and an array of somatic comorbidities. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of psoriasis on the quality of life, sense of stigmatization, self-esteem, and satisfaction with life in patients with psoriasis.MethodsThe study was based on a short survey prepared by the authors and five validated scales: Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), 6-Item Stigmatization Scale, 33-Item Feelings of Stigmatization Questionnaire, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES), and Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). The study included 111 patients with psoriasis (46.8% women and 53.2% men). The inclusion criteria of the study were the diagnosis of plaque psoriasis and written informed consent to participate.ResultsDLQI scores ranged between 0 and 28 points (pts) (mean 10.8 pts). Mean stigmatization scores determined with the 33- and 6-Item Stigmatization Scale were 81.6 pts and 7.5 pts, respectively. The mean SWLS score for the study group (18.5 pts) was slightly below the average. The mean score SES of 27 pts implies that the study respondents’ self-esteem level was slightly above the average.ConclusionsSatisfaction with life turned out to be significantly modulated by overall stigmatization level on the 33-Item Stigmatization Scale (the stronger the sense of stigmatization, the lower the satisfaction with life) and education (respondents with higher education presented with higher satisfaction with life than those with non-higher education).

Effectiveness of resuming ustekinumab therapy in psoriasis patients with metabolic disorders. Clinical experience

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease with possible damage to the musculoskeletal system, affecting 2-3 % of the adult population of the planet. To date, special attention in the treatment of psoriasis is paid to the comorbid background, since it is known that it can aggravate the course of psoriasis and affect the effectiveness of therapy. The purpose of psoriasis therapy is to achieve clean or almost clean skin, sustainable improvement of psoriatic arthritis, improving the quality of life, all this became possible with the advent of genetically engineered biological drugs. However, in the treatment of genetically engineered biological drugs there are “pain points”: primary inefficiency, “the effect of slipping”, the scheme of transition from one drug to another, the safety of the combined use of GIBP and system-based drugs, interruption of therapy.Objective. To study the therapeutic efficacy of ustekinumab in psoriasis patients with forced interruption of treatment, taking into account metabolic disorders.Materials and methods. 52 patients with a diagnosis of plaque psoriasis receiving ustekinumab for 3 years were under observation, which were divided into 2 groups, depending on body weight and metabolic disorders.Results. More than 80 % of patients taking the drug at a dosage of 45 mg, and at a dosage of 90 mg, to week 12 therapy reached PASI 75. By week 24, the proportion of patients in group I who reached PASI 75 was 96.3 %, in group II — 88.0 %.By week 48 PASI 75 reached 90.4 % patients: in group I — 100 % patients, in group II — 80.0 % patients.At 76 weeks, patients were interrupted ustekinumab treatment in connection with the purchase of the drug. The duration of treatment interruption ranged 36 weeks. By week 112, 86.5 % patients in both groups had a relapse of psoriasis, which was assessed by the loss of the therapeutic response of PASI 75.By week 124 (12 weeks after the resumption of therapy) 82.7 % patients reached PASI 75: in group I — 92.6 % patients, in group II — 72.0 % patients.After 16 weeks (week 128), all patients 100 % achieved PASI 75 IN group I. In group II to week 128 PASI 75 was observed in 80 % patients.Conclusion. With the resumption of treatment of patients with psoriasis with ustekinumab after a long interruption, there is a rapid and complete restoration of therapeutic effectiveness, however, in patients with psoriasis with metabolic disorders, there is a decrease in efficiency after the resumption of therapy in comparison with patients without abdominal obesity, which can determine the further strategy and tactics of management of such patients.

The content validity of the PSS in patients with plaque psoriasis

BackgroundThe primary objective of this study was to evaluate the content validity of the Psoriasis Symptom Scale (PSS), with a specific focus on understanding of the content of the PRO measure by conducting one-on-one interviews with patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. This was a cross-sectional, qualitative study conducted with 20 patients with plaque psoriasis who participated in in-person, one-on-one interviews. Participants were asked to describe their psoriasis symptoms, completed the PSS, and were cognitively debriefed on its content. Interviews were conducted in two separate rounds. Following Round 1, the study data were examined to determine if modifications to the PSS were required. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected for sample descriptive purposes.ResultsThe 20 study participants had a mean age of 50.2 ± 12.0 years (range: 25.0–73.0), and 55% were female. Thirty-five percent of the sample reported their psoriasis severity as moderate or severe. The average time since diagnosis of plaque psoriasis was almost 18 years, ranging from less than one to over 38 years. The most frequently reported symptoms and signs during the concept elicitation portion of the interviews included redness (N = 20, 100%), itching (n = 20, 100%), pain (n = 15, 75%), burning (n = 13, 65%), and flaking (n = 11, 55%). Overall, participants provided positive feedback on the PSS and felt that it was comprehensive and relevant to their experience with psoriasis. The item meaning and response options were well-understood for the majority of the items. Findings indicate that for the patient-reported symptom of redness, which is also a sign that can be reported by clinicians, redness or the perception of redness is most accurately captured by patient report. Study results did not support modifications to the instrument and no changes to the PSS were recommended.ConclusionThe evidence gained in this study provided support for the content validity of the PSS for use as clinical trial endpoint among patients with plaque psoriasis. This study found that the symptoms included in the PSS are important to and well-understood by patients with plaque psoriasis. The PSS is appropriate for inclusion in future studies designed to measure the effect of treatment on psoriasis-related symptoms.

Efficacy and Safety of Tinefcon&lt;sup&gt;&amp;reg&lt;/sup&gt; Tablets in Subjects with Plaque Psoriasis: An Open Label, Non-Comparative, Multicenter, Phase IV Trial

Importance: This post-marketing surveillance study was conducted to evaluate real-world information about the efficacy and safety of oral Tinefcon? tablets (Sphaeranthus indicus based) in plaque psoriasis patients. Materials and Methods: Patients aged at least 18 years and older with clinical diagnosis of plaque psoriasis, were enrolled in this open label, non-comparative, multicenter trial. All eligible subjects received four 700 mg Tinefcon? tablets/day for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure was percent change in Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score from baseline to week 12. The secondary outcome measures were Physician Global Assessment (PGA), Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI), Psoriatic Arthritis Evaluation and Gene Expression Profiling and Immunohistochemistry. Results: After completion of Tinefcon? treatment at 12 weeks, more than half of subjects (52%) achieved PASI 50 response; PASI 75 response was attained in 68 (23%) subjects and PASI 90 response in 22 (7%) subjects. Five subjects with severe psoriasis achieved PASI 90 without receiving any concomitant medication. Reduction in severity as assessed by PGA was observed in more than half of patients with moderate disease. Histopathological evaluation revealed that epidermal thickness was considerably reduced in 66% of subjects. The expression of inflammatory marker S100A9 protein was(meaningfully reduced in 60% patients with non-significant reduction of Keratin 10 protein expression. Gene expression analysis showed increase down regulation of SERPINB4; PI3 and KRT16 genes after a 12-week treatment period in subjects with higher PASI scores. Conclusion: Oral Tinefcon? tablets showed good efficacy and had a favorable safety profile in plaque psoriasis patients.

[Roles of dermoscopy in differential diagnosis of psoriasis and eczema].

To describe the dermoscopic patterns of plaque psoriasis and chronic eczema and explore the roles of dermoscopy in their diagnosis and differential diagnosis. A total of 68 patients with plaque psoriasis or chronic eczema were recruited from our department from December 2013 to May 2014 to undergo dermoscopic and histopathological examinations. Dermoscopic features of vascular morphology, vascular arrangement, background color, scale color and scale distribution were evaluated. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were calculated for predefined dermoscopic criteria in relation to the diagnosis of plaque psoriasis. Thirty-one patients with plaque psoriasis and 37 patients with chronic eczema were included. Dotted vessels in a regular arrangement (sensitivity 80.6%, specificity 73.0%) over a light red background (sensitivity 71.0%, specificity 75.7%) and white scales (sensitivity 71.0%, specificity 83.8%) were highly predictive for the diagnosis of plaque psoriasis. And chronic eczema more commonly showed yellow scales and dotted vessels in a patchy arrangement over a dull red background. Characteristic vascular structures of hairpin vessels and red loops were also found to be highly specific (91.9%, 94.6%) for the diagnosis of psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis shows specific dermoscopic patterns compared with chronic eczema. And dermoscopy is valuable in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of psoriasis.

Clinical and Histologic Diagnostic Guidelines for Psoriasis: A Critical Review

Psoriasis is a common inflammatory skin disease that is associated with joint, psychiatric, and cardiovascular comorbidities. Diagnosis of plaque psoriasis is dependent primarily on characteristic physical findings and history. Given the varied clinical presentations of psoriasis and its mimicry to other papulosquamous skin diseases, it may be difficult for nondermatologists to diagnose psoriasis. Currently, no diagnostic criteria for plaque psoriasis have been validated in clinical studies. In this paper, we provide diagnostic guidelines for the nondermatologist to aid them in recognizing psoriasis.

PSS39 PSORIASIS: AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC EVALUATION OF DISEASE BURDEN IN 590 PATIENTS

Background : There are limited data available on the economical burden of psoriasis and its impact on everyday life. Objective : The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of psoriasis on personal and professional life, and to evaluate the cost of psoriasis for the patient. Methods : We performed a cross-sectional study in psoriasis patients. All patients aged ≥18 years with a diagnosis of plaque-psoriasis confirmed by a physician were included. A self-administered questionnaire evaluating everyday life was constructed with members of the French association of psoriasis patients. In addition, the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Working Productivity and Activity Impairment and individual costs were assessed. Results : A total of 590 patients completed the study. Mean age of the responders was 56 years. The mean DLQI score was 8.5 for patients with severe psoriasis vs. 6.4 for mild psoriasis. Global loss of productivity was 10.7% without significant difference according to the disease severity. Daily activities alteration was most important in patients with severe psoriasis. In this study, 36.8% of patients with severe psoriasis reported a negative impact on their professional life vs. 19.6% for patients with mild psoriasis (P = 0.002). Time devoted to phototherapy was on average 33 h/year/patient and the application of emollients took 25 h/year/patient; 47.3% of patients had a feeling to clean the house more often, in correlation with the severity of the disease. Mean out-of-pocket expenses for the disease was estimated to be 543€/year/patient. High impact of psoriasis on quality of life (DLQI >10), age <40 years and joint involvement were significantly associated with an increased risk of loss of work productivity. Conclusion : Psoriasis, particularly severe psoriasis, is a true burden for patients and impacts significantly everyday life and patient’s economical resources.