Determinants of health-related quality of life in psoriasis patients in Malaysia.

PubMed

Nyunt, Wint Wint Thu; Low, Wah Yun; Ismail, Rokiah; Sockalingam, Sargunan; Min, Aung Ko Ko

2015-03-01

Psoriasis is a chronic dermatological disorder that has a negative impact on quality of life (QoL). This hospital-based cross-sectional study determined factors associated with health-related QoL (HRQoL) impairment in adult psoriasis patients. HRQoL was assessed using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Disease severity was assessed using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). A total of 223 patients, aged 18 to 83 years, were recruited. For 67 (30%) patients, psoriasis had very large to extremely large effect on their life (DLQI score = 11-30). The median DLQI score was 7 (interquartile range = 7). Factors significantly associated with severe impact on HRQoL (DLQI ≥ 10) were disease severity, single status, working status, sports activities, nail dystrophy, exposed area involvement, itch, disturbed sleep, stress, and infection. The factor predictive of severe impact of psoriasis on HRQoL was disease severity. A holistic approach in the management, including psychosocial issues, is absolutely crucial for the optimal care of psoriasis patients. © 2013 APJPH.

Tailor systemic therapy to the patient with severe psoriasis.

PubMed

Van de Velde, Vanessa; Tidman, Michael J

2016-02-01

There is no standard definition regarding the severity of psoriasis, and a number of factors should be considered, including the extent and stability of skin disease, involvement of joints, response to treatment, and impact on quality of life. Erythrodermic psoriasis and pustular psoriasis are severe conditions and the patient may be systemically unwell and febrile. NICE recommends that four key areas should be evaluated and recorded when assessing patients: severity, using the static Physician's Global Assessment (sPGA); disease impact on physical, psychological and social wellbeing using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI); the presence of psoriatic arthritis; and comorbidities. Ideally, patients should be assessed annually for psoriatic arthritis: the Psoriasis Epidemiology Screening Tool is a validated tool to screen for psoriatic arthritis in primary and secondary care. Patients with severe psoriasis should undergo cardiovascular risk assessment at presentation and every five years, or more frequently if indicated. Referral to secondary care should be made for patients with any type of psoriasis with poor response to topical therapy (after 2 or 3 months according to SIGN) and for extensive psoriasis. Cases where the psoriasis is having a significant physical or psychological impact on an individual's quality of life warrant early referral, as do those where the diagnosis is uncertain. Patients with generalised pustular psoriasis or erythroderma should be referred urgently for same-day specialist input. Patients with acute guttate psoriasis who may require phototherapy should also be referred. Children and adolescents with any type of psoriasis should be referred to a specialist at initial presentation.

One device, one equation: the simplest way to objectively evaluate psoriasis severity.

PubMed

Choi, Jae Woo; Kim, Bo Ri; Choi, Chong Won; Youn, Sang Woong

2015-02-01

The erythema, scale and thickness of psoriasis lesions could be converted to bioengineering parameters. An objective psoriasis severity assessment is advantageous in terms of accuracy and reproducibility over conventional severity assessment. We aimed to formulate an objective psoriasis severity index with a single bioengineering device that can possibly substitute the conventional subjective Psoriasis Severity Index. A linear regression analysis was performed to derive the formula with the subjective Psoriasis Severity Index as the dependent variable and various bioengineering parameters determined from 157 psoriasis lesions as independent variables. The construct validity of the objective Psoriasis Severity Index was evaluated with an additional 30 psoriasis lesions through a Pearson correlation analysis. The formula is composed of hue and brightness, which are sufficiently obtainable with a Colorimeter alone. A very strong positive correlation was found between the objective and subjective psoriasis severity indexes. The objective Psoriasis Severity Index is a novel, practical and valid assessment method that can substitute the conventional one. Combined with subjective area assessment, it could further replace the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index which is currently most popular. © 2014 Japanese Dermatological Association.

Severity and management of psoriasis within primary care.

PubMed

Wade, Alan G; Crawford, Gordon M; Young, David; Leman, Joyce; Pumford, Neil

2016-10-14

Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network and National Institute of Health and Care Excellence guidelines stress the importance of assessing patients with psoriasis for psoriatic arthritis, comorbidities associated with severe disease and quality of life (QoL). The purpose of the study was to evaluate the primary care management of psoriasis in relation to disease severity and QoL from a patient's perspective. A cross-sectional survey of adults (≥18 years) with psoriasis managed in primary care was conducted in Scotland over 1-year (2012-2013). Patients with psoriasis were identified and invited to participate in the online/telephone survey. The questionnaires included; Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Self-Administered Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (SAPASI), Psoriasis Epidemiology Screening Tool (PEST). The primary outcome measure was DLQI. Secondary outcomes included; demographics; comorbidities; involvement of different body sites; SAPASI and PEST scores. Relationships between measures were analysed using univariate analysis. The mean age of patients (n = 905) was 54.5 years (SD = 16.1), 436 (48.2 %) were men, and median DLQI and SAPASI scores were 4.0 and 6.0, respectively. Current psoriasis treatments were topical only (587, 64.9 %), oral medications or phototherapy (122, 13.5 %), biologics (26, 3 %) and none (156, 17.2 %). Despite SIGN recommendations, 256 of 391 patients (65.5 %) with a DLQI >5 (at least a moderate effect on QoL) had not seen a specialist during the past year. According to PEST scores, 259 patients (28.6 %) had symptoms suggestive of psoriatic arthritis requiring rheumatology referral. National recommendations are not being fully implemented in primary care in patients with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis.

Ultraviolet Phototherapy Management of Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Executive Summary Objective The purpose of this evidence based analysis was to determine the effectiveness and safety of ultraviolet phototherapy for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Research Questions The specific research questions for the evidence review were as follows: What is the safety of ultraviolet phototherapy for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis? What is the effectiveness of ultraviolet phototherapy for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis? Clinical Need: Target Population and Condition Psoriasis is a common chronic, systemic inflammatory disease affecting the skin, nails and occasionally the joints and has a lifelong waning and waxing course. It has a worldwide occurrence with a prevalence of at least 2% of the general population, making it one of the most common systemic inflammatory diseases. The immune-mediated disease has several clinical presentations with the most common (85% - 90%) being plaque psoriasis. Characteristic features of psoriasis include scaling, redness, and elevation of the skin. Patients with psoriasis may also present with a range of disabling symptoms such as pruritus (itching), pain, bleeding, or burning associated with plaque lesions and up to 30% are classified as having moderate-to-severe disease. Further, some psoriasis patients can be complex medical cases in which diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and hypertension are more likely to be present than in control populations and 10% also suffer from arthritis (psoriatic arthritis). The etiology of psoriasis is unknown but is thought to result from complex interactions between the environment and predisposing genes. Management of psoriasis is related to the extent of the skin involvement, although its presence on the hands, feet, face or genitalia can present challenges. Moderate-to-severe psoriasis is managed by phototherapy and a range of systemic agents including traditional immunosuppressants such as methotrexate and cyclospsorin. Treatment with modern

Nail Scabies: An Unusual Presentation Often Overlooked and Mistreated.

PubMed

Tempark, Therdpong; Lekwuttikarn, Ramrada; Chatproedprai, Susheera; Wananukul, Siriwan

2017-04-01

Nail scabies is an interesting clinical presentation of scabies. Although it is usually found concomitant with characteristic dermatologic manifestations, it may present as an isolated finding in the immunocompromised host. This condition is commonly mistaken with other diseases such as nail dystrophy, nail psoriasis and onychomycosis. We report two cases of unusual nail presentations that provide clues to diagnosis. Also, literature on unusual nail and dermatologic presentations was reviewed to recognize dermatologist consideration for appropriate treatment options. © The Author [2016]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Partial clinical response to anakinra in severe palmoplantar pustular psoriasis.

PubMed

Tauber, M; Viguier, M; Alimova, E; Petit, A; Lioté, F; Smahi, A; Bachelez, H

2014-09-01

Palmoplantar pustular psoriasis is a clinical psoriasis variant characterised by a high impact on quality of life and poor response to biologics approved for plaque type psoriasis.The recombinant interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor antagonist anakinra has been recently used for the treatment of isolated refractory cases of generalised pustular psoriasis with contrasted results. To report the clinical response in two patients treated with anakinra as salvage therapy in two patients with severe palmoplantar pustular psoriasis refractory to currently available antipsoriatic systemic therapies. Anakinra was given subcutaneously at the daily dose of 100 mg, and clinical response was evaluated using the palmoplantar psoriasis area and severity index (PPPASI). Only partial and transient responses were observed in both patients, who had to stop anakinra due to lack of efficacy and to side effects. Anakinra appears to provide only partial clinical improvement in refractory palmoplantar pustular psoriasis. Prospective clinical studies on larger populations are warranted to investigate more accurately both efficacy and safety of IL-1-inhibiting strategies in pustular psoriasis. © 2014 British Association of Dermatologists.

Internalized stigma in psoriasis: A multicenter study.

PubMed

Alpsoy, Erkan; Polat, Mualla; FettahlıoGlu-Karaman, Bilge; Karadag, Ayse Serap; Kartal-Durmazlar, Pelin; YalCın, Basak; Emre, Selma; Didar-Balcı, Didem; Bilgic-Temel, Asli; Arca, Ercan; Koca, Rafet; Gunduz, Kamer; Borlu, Murat; Ergun, Tulin; Dogruk-Kacar, Seval; Cordan-Yazici, Ayca; Dursun, Pınar; BilgiC, Ozlem; Gunes-Bilgili, Serap; Sendur, Neslihan; Baysal, Ozge; Halil-Yavuz, Ibrahim; Yagcioglu, Gizem; Yilmaz, Ertan; Kavuzlu, Ufuk; Senol, Yesim

2017-08-01

Internalized stigma is the adoption of negative attitudes and stereotypes of the society regarding a person's illness. It causes decreased self-esteem and life-satisfaction, increased depression and suicidality, and difficulty in coping with the illness. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the internalized stigma state of psoriatic patients and to identify the factors influencing internalized stigma. The secondary aim was to identify the correlation of internalized stigma with quality of life and perceived health status. This multicentre, cross-sectional study comprised 1485 patients. There was a significant positive correlation between mean values of Psoriasis Internalized Stigma Scale (PISS) and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, Body Surface Area, Dermatological Life Quality Index and General Health Questionnaire-12 (P < 0.001 in all). Lower percieved health score (P = 0.001), early onset psoriasis (P = 0.016), family history of psoriasis (P = 0.0034), being illiterate (P < 0.001) and lower income level (P < 0.001) were determinants of high PISS scores. Mean PISS values were higher in erythrodermic and generalized pustular psoriasis. Involvement of scalp, face, hand, genitalia and finger nails as well as arthropathic and inverse psoriasis were also related to significantly higher PISS scores (P = 0.001). Our findings imply that psoriatic patients experience high levels of internalized stigma which are associated with psoriasis severity, involvement of visible body parts, genital area, folds or joints, poorer quality of life, negative perceptions of general health and psychological illnesses. Therefore, internalized stigma may be one of the major factors responsible from psychosocial burden of the disease. © 2017 Japanese Dermatological Association.

Oral candidiasis in patients with psoriasis: correlation of oral examination and cytopathological evaluation with psoriasis disease severity and treatment.

PubMed

Picciani, Bruna Lavinas Sayed; Michalski-Santos, Bruna; Carneiro, Sueli; Sampaio, Ana Luisa; Avelleira, Joao Carlos Regazzi; Azulay, David Rubem; Pinto, Jane Marcy Neffa; Dias, Eliane Pedra

2013-06-01

Infections are known to trigger and exacerbate psoriasis. Although oral candidiasis is often clinically diagnosed, it is not always confirmed by laboratory tests such as oral cytopathology. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of oral candidiasis in patients with psoriasis through clinical and cytopathological diagnosis and to investigate the association between oral candidiasis and psoriasis with regards to the severity of the clinical presentation and the type of treatment for psoriasis. A total of 140 patients with psoriasis and 140 healthy control subjects received an oral examination. Scrapings of the tongue were also obtained for a cytopathological examination. The oral examination and the results of the cytopathological smear revealed 37 (26%) cases of candidiasis in the patients with psoriasis and no cases of candidiasis in the healthy control subjects. There was no correlation between the type of psoriasis treatment and the presence of oral candidiasis (P = .616). There was a statistically significant association (P = .033) between the clinical severity of psoriasis and the presence of Candida. This study was limited by the small number of subjects and the lack of follow-up to determine the development of psoriasis after treatment for oral candidiasis. The presence of oral candidiasis is higher in patients with psoriasis and it is associated with disease severity. This increased presence of oral candidiasis was apparent despite any type of treatment for the psoriasis. Cytopathology to rule out oral candidiasis should be used in the routine medical workup of patients with psoriasis. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Guselkumab for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

PubMed

Yang, Eric J; Sanchez, Isabelle M; Beck, Kristen; Sekhon, Sahil; Wu, Jashin J; Bhutani, Tina

2018-04-01

Guselkumab is a human monoclonal antibody targeting the p19 subunit of IL-23 that has been approved for the treatment of adult patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy. This medication blocks the IL-23/IL-17 axis, which has been implicated in playing a key role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Areas covered: This review outlines the pharmacologic properties, safety, and efficacy of guselkumab for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. Expert commentary: Guselkumab is the first IL-23 specific inhibitor to be approved for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. Phase II and III clinical trial results have demonstrated excellent safety and efficacy of guselkumab. IL-23 inhibitors may offer potential benefits over existing therapies for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in terms of safety, frequency of administration, and efficacy. Long-term safety data will be critical in evaluating the role of guselkumab in the treatment of psoriasis.

Reasons for Treatment Changes in Patients With Moderate to Severe Psoriasis.

PubMed

Anderson, Kathryn L; Feldman, Steven R

2015-01-01

Psoriasis treatment involves multiple treatment arms. Treatment choice depends on many factors and may change, due to the chronicity of psoriasis. The purpose of our study is to explore reasons for treatment changes in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. Ten charts of patients with moderate to severe psoriasis were reviewed. The medication changes and reasons for change were extracted. A "treatment change" was defined as switching between medication classes, adding or removing a medication class, or switching medications within the oral or biologic medication class. Seventy-seven treatment changes were identified. On average, 1 treatment change occurred per year of follow-up. The most common reason for treatment change was inadequate disease control. Inadequate disease control with current therapy is the most common reason a physician changes treatment for moderate to severe psoriasis. More efficacious treatments or ways to improve efficacy may help improve the long-term outcomes of psoriasis. © The Author(s) 2015.

The reliability of three psoriasis assessment tools: Psoriasis area and severity index, body surface area and physician global assessment.

PubMed

Bożek, Agnieszka; Reich, Adam

2017-08-01

A wide variety of psoriasis assessment tools have been proposed to evaluate the severity of psoriasis in clinical trials and daily practice. The most frequently used clinical instrument is the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI); however, none of the currently published severity scores used for psoriasis meets all the validation criteria required for an ideal score. The aim of this study was to compare and assess the reliability of 3 commonly used assessment instruments for psoriasis severity: the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI), body surface area (BSA) and physician global assessment (PGA). On the scoring day, 10 trained dermatologists evaluated 9 adult patients with plaque-type psoriasis using the PASI, BSA and PGA. All the subjects were assessed twice by each physician. Correlations between the assessments were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to analyze intra-rater reliability, and the coefficient of variation (CV) was used to assess inter-rater variability. Significant correlations were observed among the 3 scales in both assessments. In all 3 scales the ICCs were > 0.75, indicating high intra-rater reliability. The highest ICC was for the BSA (0.96) and the lowest one for the PGA (0.87). The CV for the PGA and PASI were 29.3 and 36.9, respectively, indicating moderate inter-rater variability. The CV for the BSA was 57.1, indicating high inter-rater variability. Comparing the PASI, PGA and BSA, it was shown that the PGA had the highest inter-rater reliability, whereas the BSA had the highest intra-rater reliability. The PASI showed intermediate values in terms of interand intra-rater reliability. None of the 3 assessment instruments showed a significant advantage over the other. A reliable assessment of psoriasis severity requires the use of several independent evaluations simultaneously.

Economic burden of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in Canada.

PubMed

Levy, Adrian R; Davie, Alison M; Brazier, Nicole C; Jivraj, Farah; Albrecht, Lorne E; Gratton, David; Lynde, Charles W

2012-12-01

Psoriasis is a chronic debilitating disease affecting approximately one million Canadians. The objective of this study is to estimate the economic burden in $CDN (2008) of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis among Canadian adults. Using a cross-sectional design, direct resource use, costs, lost productivity, and quality of life were obtained for 90 subjects diagnosed with psoriasis in three dermatology clinics in British Columbia, Ontario, and Québec. An Excel-based economic model was developed to project the annual cost of psoriasis, from the societal perspective. The estimated mean annual cost of psoriasis was $7999/subject (95% CI: $3563-$12,434) with direct costs accounting for 57%. Mean lost productivity costs, which accounted for 43% of the mean annual costs of psoriasis, were $3442/subject (95% CI: $1293-$5590). Projecting the mean costs per patient to the afflicted population yields an estimated total annual cost of $1.7 billion (95% CI: $0.8-$2.6 billion) attributable to moderate to severe psoriasis in Canada. Understanding the interplay between direct costs, lost productivity, and quality of life is critical for accurately identifying and evaluating effective treatments for this disease. © 2012 The International Society of Dermatology.

Pediatric psoriasis: Should we be concerned with comorbidity? Cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Kelati, Awatef; Baybay, Hanane; Najdi, Adil; Zinoune, Safae; Mernissi, Fatima Z

2017-08-01

Similarly to psoriasis in adults, recent research has linked psoriasis to several comorbidities in children. The aim of this study was therefore to describe comorbidities associated with pediatric psoriasis, to investigate their relationship with psoriasis characteristics and severity, and to perform a review of the literature. A cross-sectional study was performed on a sample of Moroccan children with psoriasis, in 2014-2016. A total of 64 pediatric psoriasis patients had metabolic comorbidities in association with psoriasis; 20 children had non-metabolic comorbidities; and 76 children had no comorbidity. The metabolic comorbidities were as follows: abdominal obesity, 40% (n = 64); overweight, 12.5% (n = 20); metabolic syndrome, 3.7% (n = 6); and dyslipidemia, 3.1% (n = 5); the non-metabolic comorbidities were atopy, 4.3% (n = 7); epilepsy, 3.1% (n = 5); celiac disease, 1.8% (n = 3); vitiligo, 1.8% (n = 3); alopecia ariata, 0.6% (n = 1); and valvular cardiopathy, 0.6% (n = 1). No cases of diabetes mellitus, obesity, or high blood pressure were recorded. Significant factors associated with metabolic comorbidity were extended psoriasis vulgaris >10% (P = 0.01; OR, 2.19), severe psoriasis especially pustular and erythroderma (P = 0.018; OR, 2), nail involvement (P = 0.016; OR, 1.5), face involvement (P = 0.01; OR, 1,59), resistance to topical treatment (P = 0.003; OR, 2.5) and alteration of quality of life (P = 0.02; OR, 1,7). There was no significant risk factor associated with non-metabolic comorbidity. Given the frequent association of pediatric psoriasis with many disorders, these comorbidities should be investigated and identified so that they can be taken into account in the management of psoriasis in order to avoid treatment failure. Regular follow up should be carried out in patients at risk of metabolic comorbidity. © 2017 Japan Pediatric Society.

Nail involvement in patients with moderate-to-severe alopecia areata treated with oral tofacitinib.

PubMed

Lee, Ji Su; Huh, Chang-Hun; Kwon, Ohsang; Yoon, Hyun-Sun; Cho, Soyun; Park, Hyun-Sun

2018-05-07

A few anecdotal case reports demonstrated that tofacitinib improved nail changes associated with AA. To investigate nail changes in patients with AA treated with tofacitinib and evaluate the relationship between nail and hair responses to tofacitinib. This is a retrospective study of 33 adult patients with moderate-to-severe AA treated with oral tofacitinib monotherapy for at least 4 months. Fifteen patients had nail involvement and demonstrated more severe hair loss than those without nail involvement (p = .040). However, there was no significant difference in hair regrowth between two groups. Of 15 patients with nail involvement, 11 (73.3%) showed improvement regardless of type of nail change; the first improvement was observed at a median of 5 months (range, 1-11) after administration. Nail improvement was associated with neither initial severity of hair loss nor hair response to tofacitinib. Nail improvement tended to occur later than hair regrowth. Oral tofacitinib monotherapy improves nail involvement associated with AA. Nail involvement is not a poor prognosis factor in hair regrowth with tofacitinib treatment and there is no evident relationship between nail and hair responses.

Investigation of Human Nail Microstructure with Ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maeva, A. R.; Bakulin, E. Y.; Denisova, L. A.; Maev, R. Gr.

Investigation of a human fingernail and the extraction of the data on its microstructure and elastic properties is important in three main aspects. First of all, various diseases of the nail can be differentiated more precisely; second of all, it is possible to non-invasively track during time the effects of a cosmetic product upon the nail; third of all, because various processes in the organism have a strong influence upon the nail plate growth, the monitoring of the nail morphology and its mechanical properties may be used as additional information for the diagnosis of a number of medical disorders, such as systemic sclerosis, psoriasis, chronic hand eczema, anemia etc. The aim of the present study was to carry out a detailed ultrasound investigation in the high-frequency range (25-50 MHz) of a human nail including micro-anatomical structure imaging and ultrasound velocity evaluation, using B-scans obtained with a scanning acoustic microscope. On the images, exact topology of the nail, nail matrix and the underlying bone have been revealed. Additionally, a certain type of inclined internal layering along the nails of some individuals has been found, which was not reported in previous ultrasonic studies of the nail.

Ultraviolet Phototherapy Management of Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis: An Evidence-Based Analysis.

PubMed

2009-01-01

The purpose of this evidence based analysis was to determine the effectiveness and safety of ultraviolet phototherapy for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. The specific research questions for the evidence review were as follows: What is the safety of ultraviolet phototherapy for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis?What is the effectiveness of ultraviolet phototherapy for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis? TARGET POPULATION AND CONDITION Psoriasis is a common chronic, systemic inflammatory disease affecting the skin, nails and occasionally the joints and has a lifelong waning and waxing course. It has a worldwide occurrence with a prevalence of at least 2% of the general population, making it one of the most common systemic inflammatory diseases. The immune-mediated disease has several clinical presentations with the most common (85% - 90%) being plaque psoriasis. Characteristic features of psoriasis include scaling, redness, and elevation of the skin. Patients with psoriasis may also present with a range of disabling symptoms such as pruritus (itching), pain, bleeding, or burning associated with plaque lesions and up to 30% are classified as having moderate-to-severe disease. Further, some psoriasis patients can be complex medical cases in which diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and hypertension are more likely to be present than in control populations and 10% also suffer from arthritis (psoriatic arthritis). The etiology of psoriasis is unknown but is thought to result from complex interactions between the environment and predisposing genes. Management of psoriasis is related to the extent of the skin involvement, although its presence on the hands, feet, face or genitalia can present challenges. Moderate-to-severe psoriasis is managed by phototherapy and a range of systemic agents including traditional immunosuppressants such as methotrexate and cyclospsorin. Treatment with modern immunosuppressant agents known as biologicals, which more specifically

Severe and acute complications of biologics in psoriasis.

PubMed

Oussedik, Elias; Patel, Nupur U; Cash, Devin R; Gupta, Angela S; Feldman, Steven R

2017-12-01

Biologic therapies have revolutionized the approach to immune-mediated diseases such as psoriasis. Due to their favorable safety profiles and excellent efficacy, biologic agents are considered the gold standard for moderate-to-severe psoriasis. The aim of this paper is to saliently review the severe and acute complications of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved biologic agents for psoriasis. Reviewed agents include tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitors (etanercept, infliximab, and adalimumab), interleukin 12/23 inhibitors (ustekinumab), and interleukin 17 (IL-17) inhibitors (secukinumab and ixekizumab). While malignancies, serious infections, and major adverse cardiovascular events have been reported, their association with biologic therapy are not hypothesized as causal. However, IL-17 inhibitors appear to cause exacerbations and new cases of inflammatory bowel disease. While more long-term studies are warranted in understanding the biologic's long-term side effect profile, short-term studies have confirmed that the biologics are some of the safest treatment options for psoriasis. Nevertheless, certain populations yield higher risk to acute complications with the biologics than others - physicians must use their judgement and vigilance when monitoring and treating patients undergoing therapy with biological agents.

Evaluating practice patterns for managing moderate to severe plaque psoriasis

PubMed Central

Poulin, Yves; Wasel, Norman; Chan, Daphne; Bernstein, Geula; Andrew, Robin; Fraquelli, Elisa; Papp, Kim

2012-01-01

Abstract Objective To describe practice patterns for care of Canadian patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Design Online survey of a consumer panel. Setting Participants were drawn from a population-wide Canadian consumer database. Participants To be eligible to participate, respondents had to have been diagnosed with plaque psoriasis within the past 5 years, and to have had body surface area involvement of 3% or greater in the past 5 years, or to have psoriasis on a sensitive area of the body (hands, feet, scalp, face, or genitals), or to be currently receiving treatment with systemic agents or phototherapy for psoriasis. Main outcome measures Proportion of respondents with psoriasis managed by FPs and other specialists, psoriasis therapies, comorbidities, and patient satisfaction. Results Invitations were sent to 3845 panelists with self-reported psoriasis, of which 514 qualified to complete the survey. Family physicians were reported to be the primary providers for diagnosis and ongoing care of psoriasis in all provinces except Quebec. Overall physician care was reported to be satisfactory by 62% of respondents. Most respondents receiving over-the-counter therapies (55%) or prescribed topical therapies (61%) reported that their psoriasis was managed by FPs. Respondents receiving prescription oral or injectable medications or phototherapy were mainly managed by dermatologists (42%, 74%, and 71% of respondents, respectively). Ongoing management of respondents with body surface area involvement of 10% or greater was mainly split between dermatologists (47%) and FPs (45%), compared with rheumatologists (4%) or other health care professionals (4%). Of those respondents receiving medications for concomitant health conditions, treatment for high blood pressure was most common (92%), followed by treatment for heart disease (75%) and elevated cholesterol and lipid levels (68%). Conclusion Patient-reported practice patterns for the diagnosis and management

Frequency of undiagnosed psoriatic arthritis among psoriasis patients in Australian dermatology practice.

PubMed

Spelman, L; Su, J C; Fernandez-Peñas, P; Varigos, G A; Cooper, A J; Baker, C S; Lee, M; Ring, J M; Thirunavukkarasu, K

2015-11-01

Psoriatic arthritis commonly develops in psoriasis patients and, if undiagnosed, can lead to potentially avoidable joint damage and an increased risk of comorbidity and mortality. Increased awareness of PsA symptoms among dermatologists provides an opportunity for earlier diagnosis, more timely therapy and prevention of disability. To provide Australian epidemiological data on the frequency of undiagnosed PsA among psoriasis patients in dermatology practice, and to investigate the impact of psoriasis on quality of life and work productivity. Nine tertiary centre dermatology practices enrolled patients presenting with plaque psoriasis and no prior rheumatologist-confirmed PsA diagnosis. Patients were screened using the Psoriatic Arthritis Screening and Evaluation (PASE) questionnaire and were referred to a rheumatologist for assessment of PsA status using CASPAR criteria if they had a PASE score ≥44. Based on the composite and sequential application of PASE and CASPAR criteria, undiagnosed PsA among psoriasis patients in this study is 9% [95% CI: 6, 12]. The PPV of PASE in this setting is 26% [95% CI: 19, 34]. Nail involvement and chronic large plaque psoriasis were identified as independent positive predictors of PsA, whereas scalp psoriasis was an independent negative predictor of PsA. Patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis (PASI ≥15) had lower quality of life scores than patients with less severe psoriasis. In this study, the frequency of undiagnosed PsA in Australian dermatology practice was 9% among plaque psoriasis patients with no prior PsA diagnosis. Compared with psoriasis alone, the impact of undiagnosed PsA on health-related quality of life of psoriasis patients is substantial. © 2015 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Palmoplantar psoriasis is associated with greater impairment of health-related quality of life compared to moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis

PubMed Central

Chung, Jina; Duffin, Kristina Callis; Takeshita, Junko; Shin, Daniel B.; Krueger, Gerald G.; Robertson, Andrew D.; Troxel, Andrea B.; Van Voorhees, Abby S.; Edson-Heredia, Emily; Gelfand, Joel M.

2014-01-01

Background The impact of palmoplantar psoriasis on health-related quality of life (QoL) is largely unknown. Objective To compare clinical characteristics and patient-reported outcomes between patients with palmoplantar psoriasis and moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients with plaque psoriasis (N=1,153) and palmoplantar psoriasis (N=66) currently receiving systemic or light treatment for psoriasis. Results Patients with palmoplantar psoriasis were more likely to report Dermatology Life Quality Index scores that correspond to at least a moderate impact on QoL (odds ratio [OR] 2.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20-3.61); problems with mobility (OR 1.98; 95% CI, 1.10-3.58), self-care (OR 3.12; 95% CI, 1.24-7.86), and usual activities (OR 2.47; 95% CI, 1.44-4.22) on the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions questionnaire; and heavy topical prescription use of at least twice daily in the preceding week (OR 2.81; 95% CI, 1.63-4.85) than those with plaque psoriasis. Limitations Our assessment tools may not account for all dimensions of health-related QoL affected by palmoplantar disease, and these results may not be generalizable to patients with milder forms of psoriasis. Conclusion Patients with palmoplantar psoriasis suffer from greater health-related QoL impairment and are more likely to report heavy use of topical prescriptions than those with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. PMID:24894455

The relationship between oxidative stress, smoking and the clinical severity of psoriasis.

PubMed

Emre, S; Metin, A; Demirseren, D D; Kilic, S; Isikoglu, S; Erel, O

2013-03-01

Recent studies suggested that increased oxidant products and decreased antioxidant system functions may be involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. In this study, we investigated total oxidative status, Paraoxonase (PON)1/arylesterase enzyme activities and severity of the disease in smoker and non-smoker psoriatic patients. Fifty-four patients with plaque type psoriasis (28 smokers and 26 non-smokers) and 62 healthy volunteers (16 smokers and 46 non-smokers) were enrolled in the study. Serum total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and arylesterase levels were measured, and oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated in all participants. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index scores were significantly higher in smoker patients than in non-smoker patients (P = 0.014). Both smoker and non-smoker patients had significantly increased TOS levels and OSI values and decreased TAC levels than healthy subjects (all P values = 0.000). The TAC and TOS levels, OSI values and arylesterase activities were similar between smoker and non-smoker patients. The levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were not significantly different between smoker and non-smoker psoriasis patients. When compared with non-smoking controls, only smoking psoriasis patients had significantly higher TG (P = 0.005), lower HDL (P = 0.022) and lower arylesterase levels (P = 0.015). There were no significant correlations with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores and TAC, TOS, OSI, TG, TC, HDL and LDL levels in all psoriasis patients. Oxidative stress is increased in psoriasis patients regardless of their smoking status. The decreased arylesterase activity in smoker psoriasis patients suggested that smoking may be a considerable risk factor that increases the severity of psoriasis by increasing oxidative stress in these patients. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and

Measurement Properties of the Psoriasis Symptom Inventory Electronic Daily Diary in Patients with Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis.

PubMed

Viswanathan, Hema N; Mutebi, Alex; Milmont, Cassandra E; Gordon, Kenneth; Wilson, Hilary; Zhang, Hao; Klekotka, Paul A; Revicki, Dennis A; Augustin, Matthias; Kricorian, Gregory; Nirula, Ajay; Strober, Bruce

2017-09-01

The Psoriasis Symptom Inventory (PSI) is a patient-reported outcome instrument that measures the severity of psoriasis signs and symptoms. This study evaluated measurement properties of the PSI in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. This secondary analysis used pooled data from a phase 3 brodalumab clinical trial (AMAGINE-1). Outcome measures included the PSI, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), static Physician's Global Assessment (sPGA), psoriasis-affected body surface area, 36-item Short-Form Health Survey version 2, and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). The PSI was evaluated for dimensionality, item performance, reliability (internal consistency and test-retest), construct validity, ability to detect change, and agreement between PSI response and response measures based on the PASI, sPGA, and DLQI. Results supported unidimensionality, good item fit, ordered responses, and PSI scoring. The PSI demonstrated reliability: baseline Cronbach's alpha ≥ 0.92 and intraclass correlation coefficients ≥ 0.95. Correlations between PSI total score and DLQI item 1 (r = 0.86), DLQI symptoms and feelings (r = 0.87), and 36-item Short-Form Health Survey version 2 bodily pain (r = -0.61) supported convergent validity. PSI scores differed significantly (P < 0.001) among severity groups based on the PASI (< 12/≥ 12), sPGA (0-1/2-3/4-5), body surface area (< 5%/5%-10%/> 10%), and DLQI (≤ 5/> 5) at weeks 8 and 12. At week 12, the PSI detected significant changes in severity based on PASI responses (< 50/50- < 75/≥ 75) and sPGA (0-1/≥ 2), and showed good agreement (k ≥ 0.66) between PSI response and PASI, sPGA, and DLQI responses. The PSI demonstrated excellent validity, reliability, and ability to detect change in the severity of psoriasis signs and symptoms. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nail disorders in older people, and aspects of their pharmaceutical treatment.

PubMed

Murdan, Sudaxshina

2016-10-30

The aim of this paper was to explore how aging influences the nail unit, its disorders and its response to treatment, and to identify some of the age-related gaps in the ungual drug delivery literature. Aging causes obvious changes to the nail, some of which are inherently due to old age, while others are due to diseases/conditions which become more prevalent as we age. Alterations in the nail plate's colour, contour, thickness, fragility, surface features, cell size, chemical composition and growth rate are some of the changes, with toenails and fingernails showing different effects. With respect to disease, the incidence of onychomycosis - the most common nail disorder - is considerably higher in older people. Similarly, brittle nails become more common as we age. In contrast, the literature about aging and the incidence of nail psoriasis is inconclusive, although, it is clear that as one gets older, the negative impact of nail psoriasis on one's quality of life decreases. Pharmaceutical treatment of the diseases comprises local and systemic therapies, sometimes in combination. Systemic therapies have the inherent disadvantages of adverse systemic effects, drug interactions and the need for monitoring, disadvantages which are especially problematic for older people who are more likely to suffer from co-morbidities and be on other medications. Topical therapy avoids such disadvantages. However, the success rates of commercially available preparations are low, and older people may need help with their application. It is also proposed that regular inspection and grooming of nails should become part of routine care of older people, as these would provide opportunities to identify and treat any problems at an earlier stage. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A review article on brodalumab in the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

PubMed

Roostaeyan, Omid; Kivelevitch, Dario; Menter, Alan

2017-09-01

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated skin disorder affecting approximately 2-3% of the worldwide population. Recent advances in our understanding of the immunopathogenesis of psoriasis have resulted in novel therapeutic agents. IL-17, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, plays a pivotal role in psoriasis. Therapeutic agents targeting this cytokine have shown clinical effectiveness in the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Brodalumab, a human antibody against IL-17 receptor A, has been approved by the US FDA in February 2017, by the Japanese Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency in July 2016 and by the EMA in July 2017 for the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis. This article reviews the published data relating to brodalumab for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Healthcare resource utilization and costs among psoriasis patients treated with biologics, overall and by disease severity.

PubMed

Murage, Mwangi J; Anderson, Amanda; Oliveria, Susan A; Casso, Deborah; Ojeh, Clement K; Muram, Talia M; Merola, Joseph F; Araujo, Andre B

2018-05-22

To describe healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs among biologic-treated psoriasis patients in the US, overall and by disease severity. IQVIA PharMetrics Plus administrative claims data were linked with Modernizing Medicine Data Services Electronic Health Record data and used to select adult psoriasis patients between April 1, 2010 and December 31, 2014. Eligible patients were classified by disease severity (mild, moderate, severe) using a hierarchy of available clinical measures. One-year outcomes included all-cause and psoriasis-related outpatient, emergency department, inpatient, and pharmacy HCRU and costs. This study identified 2,130 biologic-treated psoriasis patients: 282 (13%) had mild, 116 (5%) moderate, and 49 (2%) severe disease; 1,683 (79%) could not be classified. The mean age was 47.6 years; 45.4% were female. Relative to mild psoriasis patients, patients with moderate or severe disease had more median all-cause outpatient encounters (28.0 [mild] vs 32.0 [moderate], 36.0 [severe]), more median psoriasis-related outpatient encounters (6.0 [mild] vs 7.5 [moderate], 8.0 [severe]), and a higher proportion of overall claims for medications that were psoriasis-related (28% [mild] vs 37% [moderate], 34% [severe]). Relative to mild psoriasis patients, patients with moderate or severe disease had higher median all-cause total costs ($37.7k [mild] vs $42.3k [moderate], $49.3k [severe]), higher median psoriasis-related total costs ($32.7k [mild] vs $34.9k [moderate], $40.5k [severe]), higher median all-cause pharmacy costs ($33.9k [mild] vs $36.5k [moderate], $36.4k [severe]), and higher median psoriasis-related pharmacy costs ($32.2k [mild] vs $33.9k [moderate], $35.6k [severe]). The assessment of psoriasis disease severity may not have necessarily coincided with the timing of biologic use. The definition of disease severity prevented the assessment of temporality, and may have introduced selection bias. Biologic-treated patients with moderate or

Levels of physical activity in patients with severe psoriasis: a cross-sectional questionnaire study.

PubMed

Torres, Tiago; Alexandre, José Manuel; Mendonça, Denisa; Vasconcelos, Carlos; Silva, Berta Martins; Selores, Manuela

2014-04-01

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with increased cardiovascular mortality, secondary to the increased prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and premature atherosclerosis. Physical activity is a vital component in prevention and management of cardiovascular disease. Few studies have examined the level of physical activity in psoriasis patients, using validated questionnaires or other objective assessment tools. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare physical activity undertaken by patients with severe psoriasis and healthy controls, using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-S), a validated instrument for assessing physical activity. Ninety patients with severe plaque-type psoriasis and 160 healthy subjects were enrolled in the present study. Physical activity was evaluated using IPAQ-S. Psoriasis patients had reduced levels of physical activity compared with non-psoriasis patients, regardless of sex or whether the variable was continuous or categorical. The odds ratio for low-level physical activity for psoriasis patients, compared with controls, was 3.42 (95% CI 1.47-7.91), indicating that this severe psoriasis population did not undertake recommended levels of physical activity. Psoriasis patients exhibit decreased levels of physical activity, possibly for both psychological and physiological reasons. The lack of physical activity may contribute to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in psoriasis patients, in addition to the intrinsic risks related to systemic inflammation and psoriasis-linked comorbidities. Regular physical activity should be encouraged in all psoriasis patients because of its beneficial effects on systemic inflammation and cardiometabolic comorbidities associated with psoriasis.

Serum Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen in Psoriasis: A Potential Quantitative Biomarker for Disease Severity.

PubMed

Sun, Ziwen; Shi, Xiaomin; Wang, Yun; Zhao, Yi

2018-06-05

An objective and quantitative method to evaluate psoriasis severity is important for practice and research in the precision care of psoriasis. We aimed to explore serum biomarkers quantitatively in association with disease severity and treatment response in psoriasis patients, with serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA) evaluated in this pilot study. 15 psoriasis patients were treated with adalimumab. At different visits before and after treatment, quantitative body surface area (qBSA) was obtained from standardized digital body images of the patients, and the psoriasis area severity index (PASI) was also monitored. SCCA were detected by using microparticle enzyme immunoassay. The serum biomarkers were also tested in healthy volunteers as normal controls. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to explore the optimal cutoff point of SCCA to differentiate mild and moderate-to-severe psoriasis. The serum SCCA level in the psoriasis group was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in the normal control group. After treatment, the serum SCCA levels were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The SCCA level was well correlated with PASI and qBSA. In ROC analysis, when taking PASI = 10 or qBSA = 10% as the threshold, an optimal cutoff point of SCCA was found at 2.0 ng/mL with the highest Youden index. Serum SCCA might be a useful quantitative biomarker for psoriasis disease severity. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A Review of Guselkumab, an IL-23 Inhibitor, for Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis.

PubMed

Nawas, Z; Hatch, M; Ramos, E; Liu, M; Tong, Y; Peranteau, A; Tyring, S

2017-03-01

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that affects 2% of the population. Evidence suggests that interleukin (IL)-23 plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Guselkumab is a subcutaneously administered, humanized anti-IL23 monoclonal antibody indicated for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Data from Phase I-III trials in this patient population reveal that guselkumab has proven to be superior to placebo or adalimumab based on achieving a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 90% reduction, or a static Physician Global Assessment (sPGA) score of 0 or 1 from baseline. This article reviews the current status of guselkumab as a therapy for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

The Impact of Changes in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index by Body Region on Quality of Life in Patients with Psoriasis.

PubMed

Sojević Timotijević, Zorica; Majcan, Predrag; Trajković, Goran; Relić, Milijana; Novaković, Tatjana; Mirković, Momčilo; Djurić, Sladjana; Nikolić, Simon; Lazić, Bratislav; Janković, Slavenka

2017-10-01

Psoriasis severity varies by body region, with each affected region having a different impact on patient quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to assess the impact of changes in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores by body region on QoL in patients with psoriasis after treatment. A total of 100 patients with psoriasis were recruited to the study. All patients completed the generic EuroQol-5D instrument and two specific QoL measures, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Psoriasis Disability Index (PDI) at the beginning of the study, and 50 patients successfully completed the same questionnaires four weeks after the end of the treatment. Clinical severity was assessed using PASI total score and PASI body region (head, trunk, arms, and legs) scores. QoL improved after treatment, and PASI improvements on visible body regions (head, legs, and arms) showed significant correlation with the most sub-areas of the Visual Analog Scale (EQ VAS), DLQI, and PDI. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that PASI improvement (particularly on the head), sex, age, and disease duration were predictors of QoL score changes for most domains of the three instruments. Improvement of psoriasis in visible body regions has an appreciable influence on QoL improvement, and may positively affect treatment success in patients with psoriasis.

Clinic characteristics of psoriasis in China: a nationwide survey in over 12000 patients.

PubMed

Chen, Kun; Wang, Gang; Jin, Hongzhong; Xu, Jinhua; Zhu, Xuejun; Zheng, Min; Gu, Heng

2017-07-11

Psoriasis is a worldwide chronic inflammatory disease, involving both skin and joints. In order to characterize psoriasis in Han Chinese population, we conducted this nationwide prospective and hospital based survey, in which 56 hospitals with departments of dermatology participated, located in 33 cities across China. A total of 12,031 outpatients with psoriasis were registered during 2009 to 2010, which the data was collected by standard questionnaires. The main data acquisition included demographics, family history, disease status and other comorbidities. Physical and dermatological examination, including body surface area (BSA) and psoriasis area severity index (PASI) were applied to evaluate the disease severity. Descriptive statistics, 2 tailed t-test and chi-square test were used appropriately for the statistical analysis. From the study, we found that the male and female ratio of the patients was 1.49:1. Mean age of onset was 30.2 ± 14.5 years for males and 27.1 ± 15.6 years for females (P < 0.05). Scalp was the most common onset site (52.8%), The mean PASI was 18.70 ± 10.01, indicating that most patients presenting at the hospitals had moderate-to-severe psoriasis and the majority was psoriasis vulgaris (96.5%). Among 12,031 patients, 23.1% had a family history of psoriasis,16.1% had comorbidities, and 29.9% had nail changes. The most important aggravation factor was season change (60.2%), followed by psychological stress (34.5%), and there significant differences between genders on trigger factors. In conclusion, this study characterizing psoriasis in Han Chinese population, could be used as basic data for future study.

Psoriasis or crusted scabies.

PubMed

Goyal, N N; Wong, G A

2008-03-01

We describe a case of a 67-year-old woman with a 1-year history of nail thickening and a non-itchy erythematous scaly eruption on the fingertips. She was diagnosed with psoriasis and started on methotrexate after having had no response to topical calcipotriol. The diagnosis was reviewed after it was revealed by another consultant that the patient's husband had been attending dermatology clinics for several years with chronic pruritus, which had been repeatedly thought to be due to scabies. Our patient was found to have crusted scabies after a positive skin scraping showed numerous mites. She was treated with topical permethrin, keratolytics and oral ivermectin. We also review the literature on crusted scabies and its management, with recommendations.

Psoriasis or not? Review of 51 clinically confirmed cases reveals an expanded histopathologic spectrum of psoriasis.

PubMed

Chau, Thinh; Parsi, Kory K; Ogawa, Toru; Kiuru, Maija; Konia, Thomas; Li, Chin-Shang; Fung, Maxwell A

2017-12-01

Psoriasis is usually diagnosed clinically, so only non-classic or refractory cases tend to be biopsied. Diagnostic uncertainty persists when dermatopathologists encounter features regarded as non-classic for psoriasis. Define and document classic and non-classic histologic features in skin biopsies from patients with clinically confirmed psoriasis. Minimal clinical diagnostic criteria were informally validated and applied to a consecutive series of biopsies histologically consistent with psoriasis. Clinical confirmation required 2 of the following criteria: (1) classic morphology, (2) classic distribution, (3) nail pitting, and (4) family history, with #1 and/or #2 as 1 criterion in every case RESULTS: Fifty-one biopsies from 46 patients were examined. Classic features of psoriasis included hypogranulosis (96%), club-shaped rete ridges (96%), dermal papilla capillary ectasia (90%), Munro microabscess (78%), suprapapillary plate thinning (63%), spongiform pustules (53%), and regular acanthosis (14%). Non-classic features included irregular acanthosis (84%), junctional vacuolar alteration (76%), spongiosis (76%), dermal neutrophils (69%), necrotic keratinocytes (67%), hypergranulosis (65%), neutrophilic spongiosis (61%), dermal eosinophils (49%), compact orthokeratosis (37%), papillary dermal fibrosis (35%), lichenoid infiltrate (25%), plasma cells (16%), and eosinophilic spongiosis (8%). Psoriasis exhibits a broader histopathologic spectrum. The presence of some non-classic features does not necessarily exclude the possibility of psoriasis. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Investigation of tinea pedis and toenail onychomycosis prevalence in patients with psoriasis].

PubMed

Altunay, Zeynep Tülay; Ilkit, Macit; Denli, Yaşargül

2009-07-01

The data about the prevalence of onychomycosis in patients with psoriasis is contradictory. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of onychomycosis and tinea pedis in patients with psoriasis compared to control group. A total of 60 patients with psoriasis (27 male, 33 female; mean age: 40.8 +/- 17.6 years) and 60 subjects without psoriasis (27 male, 33 female; mean age: 42.8 +/- 17.3 years) who were admitted to dermatology outpatient clinics of our hospital were included to the study. Scrapings from both normal and abnormal toenails as well as toewebs were examined using microscopy and fungal culture. Foot dermatomycosis was diagnosed in 6 (5 onychomycosis and 1 tinea pedis) patients with psoriasis (10%) and in 8 (5 onychomycosis and 3 tinea pedis) control subjects (13.3%) (p > 0.05). The only dermatophyte fungi isolated in both patients with psoriasis and control group were Trichophyton rubrum (75%) and Trichophyton interdigitale (25%). Onychomycosis was more predominant in male psoriatic patients (p = 0.01). Both distero-lateral subungual onychomycosis (DLSO) and total dystrophic onychomycosis were detected in patients with psoriasis, however, DLSO, was the only clinical type in the control group. Pitting is the most typical lesions in nails in patients with psoriasis (p = 0.04). The use of common showers play a role in transmission of foot dermatomycosis (p = 0.04). In this study, psoriasis was not found as a risk factor for onychomycosis. However, onychomycosis is a major problem in psoriatic nails, and mycological methods would be useful in differential diagnosis. Since dermatomycosis is still an important public health problem, it may be controlled by education of the patient about proper foot hygiene and avoiding walking barefooted in shower areas.

Tofacitinib for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis in Japanese patients: Subgroup analyses from a randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial.

PubMed

Abe, Masatoshi; Nishigori, Chikako; Torii, Hideshi; Ihn, Hironobu; Ito, Kei; Nagaoka, Makoto; Isogawa, Naoki; Kawaguchi, Isao; Tomochika, Yukiko; Kobayashi, Mihoko; Tallman, Anna M; Papp, Kim A

2017-11-01

Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor. These post-hoc analyses assessed tofacitinib efficacy and safety in Japanese patients with psoriasis enrolled in a 52-week global phase 3 study. Patients received tofacitinib 5 mg, tofacitinib 10 mg or placebo twice daily (b.i.d.); placebo-treated patients advanced to tofacitinib at week 16. Primary efficacy end-points were the proportions of patients with 75% or more reduction from baseline Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI-75) and Physician's Global Assessment (PGA) of "clear" or "almost clear" (PGA response) at week 16. Other end-points included: Itch Severity Item (ISI), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score and Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI). Adverse events (AEs) were recorded throughout the study. Overall, 58 Japanese patients were included in this analysis (tofacitinib 5 mg b.i.d., n = 22; 10 mg b.i.d., n = 24; placebo, n = 12); 29 completed the study. At week 16, significantly more patients receiving tofacitinib 5 and 10 mg b.i.d. versus placebo achieved PASI-75 (50% and 75% vs 0%, P < 0.01) and PGA response (59% and 75% vs 0%, P < 0.001). Substantial improvements in ISI, DLQI and NAPSI score were observed with both tofacitinib doses. Over 52 weeks, similar rates of AEs were reported across treatment groups; one serious AE occurred with tofacitinib 10 mg b.i.d. Herpes zoster occurred in three patients receiving tofacitinib 10 mg b.i.d. No deaths, serious infections, malignancies or gastrointestinal perforations were reported. Results were generally consistent with global analysis, suggesting sustained efficacy and a manageable safety profile, with increased herpes zoster incidence, of tofacitinib in Japanese patients with psoriasis. © 2017 The Authors. The Journal of Dermatology published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Dermatological Association.

Biological therapies in moderate and severe psoriasis: perspectives and certainties

PubMed Central

Constantin, MM; Poenaru, E; Constantin, T; Poenaru, C; Purcarea, VL; Mateescu, BR

2014-01-01

An inflammatory, proliferative condition with chronic evolution and systemic response, psoriasis, is positioned today among the most common inflammatory skin diseases affecting the Caucasian population worldwide. With a significant incidence, psoriasis has been increasingly defined as a disease with a major impact on the patient's life and the society to which he/she belongs. This paper conducts an analysis of the currently available therapies for the treatment of moderate and severe psoriasis, therapies with biological agents obtained through sophisticated genetic engineering technologies. Recent research and the increasing interest in therapeutic methods as complete and efficient as possible make us optimistic and confident in the future. PMID:25870666

Prevalence of obesity in paediatric psoriasis and its impact on disease severity and progression.

PubMed

Ergun, Tulin; Seckin Gencosmanoglu, Dilek; Karakoc-Aydiner, Elif; Salman, Andac; Tekin, Burak; Bulbul-Baskan, Emel; Alpsoy, Erkan; Cakıroglu, Aylin; Onsun, Nahide

2017-11-01

The current literature suggests there is a possible connection between paediatric psoriasis and obesity. However, there is a paucity of research on the influence of increased adiposity on the severity of paediatric psoriasis and disease progression. We aimed to compare the prevalence of being overweight or obese in paediatric psoriasis patients and controls and assess the potential impact of being overweight/obese on disease severity and progression of disease. This multicentre prospective case-control study included 289 psoriasis patients (aged < 18 years) treated and followed up by one of the four university hospitals in Turkey. The control group consisted of 151 consecutive age-matched and sex-matched children who lacked a personal or family history of psoriasis. The participants' characteristics, psoriasis-related parametres (e.g., initial subtype, psoriasis area and severity index, presence of psoriatic arthritis) and body mass index were determined. The difference between the prevalence of being overweight/obese among psoriatics (28%) and the control group (19%) was significant (P = 0.024). Being overweight/obese had no significant impact on disease severity and unresponsiveness to topical treatment. Within a median follow-up time of 12 months, 23% of our patients with localised disease at disease onset progressed to generalised disease. The impact of being overweight/obese on disease progression was found to be non-significant; however, disease duration was found to have a significant impact on disease progression (P = 0.026). Although it is not associated with disease severity and course, increased bodyweight may be a health problem for psoriatic children. © 2016 The Australasian College of Dermatologists.

Coffee consumption, metabolic syndrome and clinical severity of psoriasis: good or bad stuff?

PubMed

Barrea, Luigi; Muscogiuri, Giovanna; Di Somma, Carolina; Annunziata, Giuseppe; Megna, Matteo; Falco, Andrea; Balato, Anna; Colao, Annamaria; Savastano, Silvia

2018-05-01

Despite the wide consumption of coffee, its anti-inflammatory effect on clinical severity of psoriasis is still debatable. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the coffee consumption and clinical severity of psoriasis in a sample of patients stratified according to the presence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and smoking. This cross-sectional case-control observational study was conducted on 221 treatment-naïve psoriatic patients. Lifestyle habits, anthropometric measures, clinical and biochemical evaluations were obtained. Clinical severity of psoriasis was assessed by Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score. Data on energy caloric intake and coffee consumption were collected using a 7-day food diary record. The coffee consumption was analyzed as coffee intake (consumers and non-consumers) and daily servings (range 0-4 servings/day). Coffee consumers have a lower PASI score vs non-consumers (p < 0.001). The lowest PASI score and MetS prevalence were found in patients consuming 3 cups of coffee/day (p < 0.001), which was also the most common daily serving (34.8%), whereas the highest PASI score was found among those drinking ≥ 4 cups/day. Grouping the case patients according to smoking and MetS, the best odds of PASI score was observed in those drinking 3 cups of coffee per day and no smokers, after adjusting for total energy intake (OR 74.8; p < 0.001). As a novel finding, we reported a negative association between coffee intake, MetS prevalence and clinical severity of psoriasis. The evaluation of the anti-inflammatory effect of coffee on clinical severity of psoriasis, whose metabolic risk increases along with its clinical severity, could be of great importance from a public health perspective.

The association between etanercept serum concentration and psoriasis severity is highly age-dependent.

PubMed

Detrez, Iris; Van Steen, Kristel; Segaert, Siegfried; Gils, Ann

2017-06-01

The association between etanercept serum concentration and psoriasis disease severity is poorly investigated, and currently etanercept serum concentration monitoring that is aiming to optimize the psoriasis treatment lacks evidence. In this prospective study, we investigated the relation between etanercept exposure and disease severity via measuring etanercept concentrations at five consecutive time points in 56 psoriasis patients. Disease severity assessments included the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), body surface area (BSA) and Physician Global Assessment (PGA), and etanercept and anti-etanercept antibody concentrations were determined every 3 months for a period of 1 year. The present study demonstrated that the association between etanercept concentration and psoriasis severity is age-dependent: when patients were stratified into three groups, patients in the youngest age group (-50 years) showed a lower PASI at a higher etanercept concentration (β = -0.26), whereas patients in the oldest age group (+59 years) showed the opposite trend (β =0.22). Similar age effects were observed in the relation of etanercept concentration with BSA ( P =0.02) and PGA ( P =0.02). The influence of age and length of time in therapy on the etanercept concentration-disease severity relation was unaffected by body mass index (BMI) or any other possible confounder. Incidence of anti-etanercept antibodies was low (2%). The age-dependent relation between etanercept serum concentrations is both unexpected and intriguing and needs further investigation. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

Treatment of severe psoriasis in children: recommendations of an Italian expert group.

PubMed

Fortina, Anna Belloni; Bardazzi, Federico; Berti, Samantha; Carnevale, Claudia; Di Lernia, Vito; El Hachem, Maya; Neri, Iria; Gelmetti, Carlo Mario; Lora, Viviana; Mazzatenta, Carlo; Milioto, Mirella; Moretta, Gaia; Patrizi, Annalisa; Peris, Ketty; Villani, Alberto

2017-10-01

This article provides comprehensive recommendations for the systemic treatment of severe pediatric psoriasis based on evidence obtained from a systematic review of the literature and the consensus opinion of expert dermatologists and pediatricians. For each systemic treatment, the grade of recommendation (A, B, C) based on the treatment's approval by the European Medicines Agency for childhood psoriasis and the experts' opinions is discussed. The grade of recommendation for narrow-band-ultraviolet B phototherapy, cyclosporine, and retinoids is C, while that for methotrexate is C/B. The use of adalimumab, etanercept, and ustekinumab has a grade A recommendation. No conventional systemic treatments are approved for pediatric psoriasis. Adalimumab is approved by the European Medicines Agency as a first-line treatment for severe chronic plaque psoriasis in children (≥ 4 years old) and adolescents. Etanercept and ustekinumab are approved as second-line therapy in children ≥ 6 and ≥ 12 years, respectively. A treatment algorithm as well as practical tools (i.e., tabular summaries of differential diagnoses, treatment mechanism of actions, dosing regimens, control parameters) are provided to assist in therapeutic reasoning and decision-making for individual patients. These treatment recommendations are endorsed by major Italian Pediatric and Dermatology Societies. What is Known: • Guidelines for the treatment of severe pediatric psoriasis are lacking and most traditional systemic treatments are not approved for use in young patients. Although there has been decades of experience with some of the traditional agents such as phototherapy, acitretin, and cyclosporine in children, there are no RCTs on their pediatric use while RCTs investigating new biologic agents have been performed. What is New: • In this manuscript, an Italian multidisciplinary team of experts focused on treatment recommendations for severe forms of psoriasis in children based on an up

Protoporphyrin IX fluorescence as potential indicator of psoriasis severity and progression.

PubMed

Wang, Bo; Xu, Yu-Ting; Zhang, Li; Zheng, Jie; Sroka, Ronald; Wang, Hong-Wei; Wang, Xiu-Li

2017-09-01

In psoriatic lesions, fluorescence diagnosis with blue light can detect protoporphyrin IX accumulation, especially after topical 5-aminolaevulinic acid (ALA) application. However, variable fluorescence distributions, interpersonal variations and long incubation time limit its wide application in clinic. This study is aimed to identify a consistent and convenient method to facilitate diagnosis and evaluation of psoriatic lesions. 104 psoriatic lesions from 30 patients were evaluated. Single lesion PSI scoring and fluorescence by macrospectrofluorometry were recorded on each lesion before and after treatment with narrow-band UVB. Punctate red fluorescence, emitted mainly by protoporphyrin IX, is observed in some psoriatic lesions. According to psoriasis severity index, fluorescence-positive lesions are more severe than lesions without fluorescence. We found a significant positive correlation between psoriasis severity and fluorescence intensity from protoporphyrin IX. Protoporphyrin IX-induced red fluorescence can be used as a novel and convenient approach for psoriasis diagnosis and progression evaluation. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Relationship between psoriasis severity, clinical symptoms, quality of life and work productivity among patients in the USA.

PubMed

Korman, N J; Zhao, Y; Pike, J; Roberts, J

2016-07-01

Psoriasis is a chronic disease, and many patients experience itching, painful skin and scaling. The relationship between psoriasis severity and symptom severity, quality of life (QoL) and work productivity is not fully understood. To examine how QoL, work productivity and clinical symptoms vary between patients with mild, moderate and severe psoriasis. During a recent US survey, dermatologists provided information on overall disease severity, symptom severity and comorbidities. Patients with psoriasis completed QoL and work productivity instruments: the EuroQoL 5-Dimension Health (EQ-5D) questionnaire, the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire. Multivariate regression was used to explore the relationship between these outcome variables and psoriasis severity, controlling for differences in demographics and comorbidities. The study analysed 694 patients (55% male; mean age: 44 years); 48%, 46% and 6% had mild, moderate and severe psoriasis, respectively. Scaling was the most common symptom, which was experienced by 82% of patients, followed by itching (73%) and pain (32%). Increased psoriasis severity was associated with increased itching, pain and scaling, and with reduced QoL (decrease in EQ-5D scores: moderate vs. mild -0.04, severe vs. mild -0.18; increase in DLQI: moderate vs. mild 2.97, severe vs. mild 7.95). WPAI scores increased with severity, indicating greater impairment (moderate vs. mild: 11.77, severe vs. mild 18.73). Patients with more severe psoriasis experienced more severe symptoms and had a greater reduction in QoL and work productivity. It is important that physicians recognize the impact of severe disease on patients' lives and take steps to address this. © 2016 British Association of Dermatologists.

Disease Severity, Quality of Life, and Psychiatric Morbidity in Patients With Psoriasis With Reference to Sociodemographic, Lifestyle, and Clinical Variables: A Prospective, Cross-Sectional Study From Lahore, Pakistan

PubMed Central

Khawaja, Abdul Rahman; Bokhari, Syed Muhammad Azam; Rasheed, Tariq; Shahzad, Atif; Hanif, Muhammad; Qadeer, Faisal

2015-01-01

Background: Psoriasis is an immune-mediated, chronic disease with a genetic background that involves skin, nails, and joints. The incidence of psoriasis varies from 2.0% to 4.0% depending on the geographical location, ethnic background, and environmental conditions. Recent research has proved that psoriasis is a systemic inflammatory disease with extensive systemic implications. Objectives of the study were to explore the severity of psoriasis, dermatology-related quality of life, and psychiatric health of the patients with reference to sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical characteristics. Method: Consecutive patients with psoriasis (ICD-10 criteria) from skin outpatient clinics of 3 tertiary care hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan, between November 1, 2012, and December 31, 2012, were assessed in this prospective cross-sectional study. The final sample includes 87 patients who were evaluated for severity of psoriasis (Psoriasis Area Severity Index [PASI]), dermatology-related quality of life (Dermatology Life Quality Index [DLQI]), and psychiatric morbidity (12-item General Health Questionnaire [GHQ-12]) and were assessed on 23 sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical variables. Results: Of the 23 variables, the PASI was significantly associated with education and habit of drinking alcohol (P < .05), the DLQI was significantly associated with disturbed eating (P < .05), and the GHQ-12 score was significantly associated with hair disease (P < .05), current income (P < .05), and disturbed eating and sleeping (P < .01). The PASI, DLQI, and GHQ-12 were not usually affected by sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors, except for some variables such as education of the patient, alcohol intake, eating and sleeping disturbance, and income status. A statistically significant correlation (P < .01) was found between all 3 scores (ie, PASI, DLQI, and GHQ-12). The correlation coefficients of the PASI with the DLQI and GHQ-12 are 0.345 and 0.460, respectively, and

Pharmacotherapeutic approaches for treating psoriasis in difficult-to-treat areas.

PubMed

Kivelevitch, Dario; Frieder, Jillian; Watson, Ian; Paek, So Yeon; Menter, M Alan

2018-04-01

Despite great therapeutic advancements in psoriasis, four notable difficult-to-treat areas including the scalp, nails, intertriginous (including genitals), and palmoplantar regions, pose a challenge to both physicians and patients. Localized disease of these specific body regions inflicts a significant burden on patients' quality of life and requires an adequate selection of treatments. Areas covered: This manuscript discusses appropriate therapies and important treatment considerations for these difficult-to-treat areas based on the available clinical data from the literature. Expert opinion: Clinical trials assessing therapies for the difficult-to-treat areas have been inadequate. With the first biological clinical trial for genital psoriasis pending publication, it is with hope that other biological agents will be evaluated for region-specific psoriasis. A greater understanding of the genetic and immunologic aspects of regional psoriasis, as well as identification of unique biomarkers, will further guide management decisions. For example, the recent discovery of the IL-36 receptor gene for generalized pustular psoriasis may prove valuable for other forms of psoriasis. Ultimately, identification of the most beneficial treatments for each psoriasis subtype and difficult-to-treat area will provide patients with maximal quality of life.

Healthcare costs in psoriasis and psoriasis sub-groups over time following psoriasis diagnosis.

PubMed

Al Sawah, Sarah; Foster, Shonda A; Goldblum, Orin M; Malatestinic, William N; Zhu, Baojin; Shi, Nianwen; Song, Xue; Feldman, Steven R

2017-09-01

To quantify healthcare costs in patients with psoriasis overall and in psoriasis patient sub-groups, by level of disease severity, presence or absence of psoriatic arthritis, or use of biologics. Administrative data from Truven Health Analytics MarketScan Research Database were used to select adult patients with psoriasis from January 2009 to January 2014. The first psoriasis diagnosis was set as the index date. Patients were required to have ≥6 months of continuous enrollment with medical and pharmacy benefits pre-index and ≥12 months post-index. Patients were followed from index until the earliest of loss to follow-up or study end. All-cause healthcare costs and outpatient pharmacy costs were calculated for the overall psoriasis cohort and for the six different psoriasis patient sub-groups: (a) patients with moderate-to-severe disease and mild disease, (b) patients with psoriatic arthritis and those without, and (c) patients on biologics and those who are not. Costs are presented per-patient-per-year (PPPY) and by years 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of follow-up, expressed in 2014 US dollars. A total of 108,790 psoriasis patients were selected, with a mean age of 46.0 years (52.7% females). Average follow-up was 962 days. All-cause healthcare costs were $12,523 PPPY. Outpatient pharmacy costs accounted for 38.6% of total costs. All-cause healthcare costs were highest for patients on biologics ($29,832), then for patients with psoriatic arthritis ($23,427) and those with moderate-to-severe disease ($21,481). Overall, all-cause healthcare costs and outpatient pharmacy costs presented an upward trend over a 5-year period. Psoriasis is associated with significant economic burden, which increases over time as the disease progresses. Patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, those with psoriatic arthritis, or use of biologics contributes to higher healthcare costs. Psoriasis-related pharmacy expenditure is the largest driver of healthcare costs in patients with psoriasis.

Nail cosmetics.

PubMed

Madnani, Nina A; Khan, Kaleem J

2012-01-01

The nail as an anatomic structure protects the terminal phalanx of the digit from injury. Historically, it has served as a tool for protection and for survival. As civilizations developed, it attained the additional function of adornment. Nail beautification is a big industry today, with various nail cosmetics available, ranging from nail hardeners, polishes, extensions, artificial/sculpted nails, and nail decorations. Adverse events may occur either during the nail-grooming procedure or as a reaction to the individual components of the nail cosmetics. This holds true for both the client and the nail technician. Typically, any of the procedures involves several steps and a series of products. Separate "nail-bars" have been set up dedicated to serve women and men interested in nail beautification. This article attempts to comprehensively inform and educate the dermatologist on the services offered, the products used, and the possible/potential adverse effects related to nail-grooming and nail cosmetics.

Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in individuals with psoriasis: associations with body surface area and subjective disease severity.

PubMed

Wilson, P B

2013-10-01

Psoriasis is associated with serious comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. These comorbidities are related to low physical activity in the general population. Limited research has evaluated physical activity in psoriasis, and thus, the purpose of this investigation was to compare physical activity between individuals with and without psoriasis as well as explore the associations between measures of psoriasis severity and physical activity. Cross-sectional study using data from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Self-reported psoriasis diagnosis and psoriasis severity were regressed on moderate/vigorous physical activity, as measured objectively by accelerometers. Measures of psoriasis severity included rating of psoriasis as a problem in life and body surface area involvement. A total of 4316 individuals had data on psoriasis, moderate/vigorous physical activity, and relevant covariates, with 3.6% (population weighted) of participants (N.=117) reporting a diagnosis of psoriasis. A psoriasis diagnosis was not associated with moderate/vigorous physical activity, and furthermore, body surface area involvement was not associated with moderate/vigorous physical activity among participants with psoriasis. However, every tertile increase in psoriasis as a problem in life was associated with 28% less moderate/vigorous physical activity, which remained significant after adjusting for covariates and removing outliers. While a diagnosis of psoriasis and body surface area involvement do not appear to be associated with less moderate/vigorous physical activity, individuals that rate their psoriasis to be a large problem engage in less moderate/vigorous physical activity.

Recommendations for incorporating biologicals into management of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis: individualized patient approaches.

PubMed

Langley, Richard G; Ho, Vincent; Lynde, Charles; Papp, Kim A; Poulin, Yves; Shear, Neil; Toole, Jack; Zip, Catherine

2006-01-01

Psoriasis is a T-cell mediated skin disease that affects approximately 2% of the population worldwide. Despite the prevalence of the disease and long-standing efforts to develop strategies to treat it, there is a need for safe and effective therapies to treat psoriasis, particularly the more severe forms. Biological agents such as alefacept, efalizumab, etanercept, and infliximab have been recognized as a class of treatment distinct from other forms of therapy in the treatment algorithm of psoriasis. Recent national and international consensus meetings have developed statements that position biological agents as an important addition to the treatment armamentarium for moderate to severe psoriasis, along with phototherapy and traditional systemic agents. There has been consensus that treatment should be individualized to each patient's needs and circumstances. Biological agents offer the hope of safe, effective, long-term management of moderate to severe psoriasis. As new agents receive approval from Health Canada, the available range of therapeutic options for treating this chronic disease will broaden. A Canadian Psoriasis Expert Panel recently convened in February 2005 to analyze, based on a series of clinical case scenarios, the indications, contraindications, and considerations for and against each of the four biological agents, derived from product labelling, where available, and from the efficacy and safety data from phase 3 and earlier clinical trials, as well as post-marketing reports. The Panel has formulated a set of recommendations for incorporating these biological agents into the current treatment paradigm of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and has identified the preferred biological agents for each patient based on individual needs and circumstances.

Investigation of dietary supplements prevalence as complementary therapy: Comparison between hospitalized psoriasis patients and non-psoriasis patients, correlation with disease severity and quality of life.

PubMed

Yousefzadeh, Hadis; Mahmoudi, Mahmoud; Banihashemi, Mahnaz; Rastin, Maryam; Azad, Farahzad Jabbari

2017-08-01

Psoriasis patients are often displeased with traditional medical treatments and they may self-prescribe dietary supplements as an alternative or complementary treatments. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of self-medication of dietary supplements among psoriasis and non-psoriasis cases and its impact on disease severity and quality of life. This case-control study evaluated 252 records of psoriasis patients and 245 non-psoriasis cases. Dietary supplementation over last 30days and characteristics, including age, age at onset of disease, co-morbidities, smoking and education were recorded. Psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) and dermatology quality of life index (DLQI) were calculated. P value less than 0.05 was considered as significant level. This study consisted 138 psoriasis (females; 54) and 138 non-psoriasis cases (females; 50), aged between 21 and 91 years. Among psoriasis patients, 72% reported using at least one of dietary supplements, which was different from non-psoriasis cases (25.36%, P=0.01). Multivitamin/mineral supplements (MVM) were the most frequent used dietary supplements (26.81%) and the most common reasons for the consumption of these supplements were to maintain and improve health. The consumption of folic acid (21.73%), omega-3 fatty acids or fish oil (10.14%), herbs (12.31%) and vitamin E (1.44%) had the most frequencies after MVM. No significant differences in PASI and DLQI were found among patients with consumption of different supplements (P>0.05). There was non-significant and negative correlation between education and use of supplements (P=0.21, r=-0.02). Self-medicating of MVM over last 30days was prevalent among studied psoriasis patients. They took dietary supplements in order to improve and maintain their health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Several cases of undesirable effects caused by methacrylate ultraviolet-curing nail polish for non-professional use.

PubMed

Dahlin, Jakob; Berne, Berit; Dunér, Kari; Hosseiny, Sara; Matura, Mihály; Nyman, Gunnar; Tammela, Monica; Isaksson, Marléne

2016-09-01

Ultraviolet (UV)-curing nail polishes based on acrylates or methacrylates are currently also available for non-professional use. The Swedish Medical Products Agency recently prohibited one brand of UV-curing polish, because several consumers reported undesirable effects after using it. To investigate whether consumers with undesirable effects after using the UV-curing nail polish that was later prohibited were contact allergic to the polish and its individual ingredients. Eight patients who had reported severe skin reactions after the use of the UV-curing polish were patch tested with two coatings of the nail polish and its ingredients at five dermatology departments in Sweden. All patients tested except one showed contact allergic reactions to one or several of the acrylate-based or methacrylate-based ingredients in the nail polish. The non-professional use of UV-curing nail polishes poses a risk of sensitization from acrylates and methacrylates. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Scalp psoriasis, clinical presentations and therapeutic management.

PubMed

van de Kerkhof, P C; de Hoop, D; de Korte, J; Kuipers, M V

1998-01-01

The scalp is a well-known predilection site for psoriasis. Many patients indicate that scalp psoriasis is both psychologically and socially distressing. The aim of the present investigation is to provide epidemiological data on the various manifestations of scalp psoriasis, as well as on its therapeutic management. A questionnaire, targeted on scalp psoriasis, was mailed to patient subscribers of a Dutch journal on psoriasis. In total 1,023 forms were returned and evaluated. Remarkably, a relatively high occurrence of facial psoriasis (25%) and nail psoriasis (40%) was recorded. The dynamics of scalp psoriasis were rather similar to psoriasis at other sites with respect to the total duration of the disease and exacerbations/remissions. In 57% of the patients, psoriasis was psychologically and socially distressing, at least occasionally. Itch and scaling proved to be the leading symptoms, in terms of frequency of occurrence as well as in terms of distress. Therefore, these parameters should be regarded as primary efficacy criteria in the treatment of scalp psoriasis. On average, most patients were seen by the dermatologist 5 times a year. The majority of prescriptions (76%) was given by the dermatologist. The application of topical corticosteroids was by far the most frequent treatment modality. To our surprise, calcipotriol was used by 28% of patients. At the time of investigation calcipotriol was only available as ointment. Tar shampoos were used by 51% of the patients, although the clinical efficacy of such a shampoo has never been demonstrated in a controlled study. A remarkable observation was the lack of instruction on the duration of treatment and the frequency of applications. In fact, 72% of the patients used topical treatments, including topical corticosteroids, for more than 8 weeks, and 42% of the patients used an intermittent schedule of a few applications per week. Based on the present survey, the following profile for an optimal treatment of scalp

Effect of a family history of psoriasis and age on comorbidities and quality of life in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis: Results from the ARIZONA study.

PubMed

López-Estebaranz, Jose Luis; Sánchez-Carazo, Jose Luis; Sulleiro, Sara

2016-04-01

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease whose clinical characteristics vary from patient to patient. We aimed to analyze how comorbidities and quality of life (QoL, as per the Dermatology Life Quality Index [DLQI]) may be affected by a family history of psoriasis and by age. The ARIZONA study was a multicenter, cross-sectional study in 1022 adult patients diagnosed with moderate to severe psoriasis at least 6 months prior to inclusion. The severity of psoriasis and the proportion of patients with comorbidities were not affected by the presence of a family history. The regression analysis revealed that the presence of a family history of psoriasis was associated with the effect on the patient's QoL (P = 0.002), regardless of disease severity. The mean DLQI total score varied significantly across age groups (5.1 ± 5.3 for the 18-30-year group, 5.7 ± 6.5 for the 31-60-year group and 3.8 ± 5.1 for the >60-year group; P = 0.001). In conclusion, the presence of a family history of psoriasis appears to disrupt QoL in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis, but it hardly affected the prevalence of comorbid conditions. The effect of age on QoL was particularly noticeable in younger patients, highlighting its negative impact. As expected, older patients appeared to be burdened with a higher number of comorbidities than their younger counterparts. © 2015 Japanese Dermatological Association.

Epidemiology and Clinical Features of Adult Patients with Psoriasis in Malaysia: 10-Year Review from the Malaysian Psoriasis Registry (2007-2016).

PubMed

Mohd Affandi, Azura; Khan, Iman; Ngah Saaya, Nooraishah

2018-01-01

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting 2-3% of the general population. To evaluate the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of patients with psoriasis who seek treatment in outpatient dermatology clinics throughout hospitals in Malaysia. Data were obtained from the Malaysian Psoriasis Registry (MPR). All patients (aged 18 and above) who were notified to the registry from July 2017 to December 2017 were included in this study. Among 15,794 patients, Malays were the most common (50.4%), followed by Chinese (21.4%), Indian (17.6%), and others (10.6%). The mean age onset of psoriasis for our study population was 35.14 ± 16.16 years. Male to female ratio was 1.3 : 1. 23.1% of patients had positive family history of psoriasis. The most common clinical presentation was chronic plaque psoriasis (85.1%), followed by guttate psoriasis (2.9%), erythrodermic psoriasis (1.7%), and pustular psoriasis (1.0%). Majority of our patients (76.6%) had a mild disease with BSA < 10%. 57.1% of patients had nail involvement, while arthropathy was seen in 13.7% of patients. Common triggers of the disease include stress (48.3%), sunlight (24.9%), and infection (9.1%). Comorbidities observed include obesity (24.3%), hypertension (25.6%), hyperlipidemia (18%), diabetes mellitus (17.2%), ischaemic heart disease (5.4%), and cerebrovascular disease (1.6%). The mean DLQI (Dermatology Life Quality Index) was 8.5 ± 6.6. One-third (33.1%) of the patients had a DLQI score of more than 10, while 14.2% of patients reported no effect at all. Our study on the epidemiological data of adult patients with psoriasis in Malaysia showed a similar clinical profile and outcome when compared to international published studies on the epidemiology of psoriasis.

Psoriasis and Cardiovascular Comorbidities: Focusing on Severe Vascular Events, Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Implications for Treatment

PubMed Central

Hu, Stephen Chu-Sung; Lan, Cheng-Che E.

2017-01-01

Psoriasis is a common and chronic inflammatory disease of the skin. It may impair the physical and psychosocial function of patients and lead to decreased quality of life. Traditionally, psoriasis has been regarded as a disease affecting only the skin and joints. More recently, studies have shown that psoriasis is a systemic inflammatory disorder which can be associated with various comorbidities. In particular, psoriasis is associated with an increased risk of developing severe vascular events such as myocardial infarction and stroke. In addition, the prevalence rates of cardiovascular risk factors are increased, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Consequently, mortality rates have been found to be increased and life expectancy decreased in patients with psoriasis, as compared to the general population. Various studies have also shown that systemic treatments for psoriasis, including methotrexate and tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors, may significantly decrease cardiovascular risk. Mechanistically, the presence of common inflammatory pathways, secretion of adipokines, insulin resistance, angiogenesis, oxidative stress, microparticles, and hypercoagulability may explain the association between psoriasis and cardiometabolic disorders. In this article, we review the evidence regarding the association between psoriasis and cardiovascular comorbidities, focusing on severe vascular events, cardiovascular risk factors and implications for treatment. PMID:29065479

Apremilast and Narrowband Ultraviolet-B Combination Therapy for Treating Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis.

PubMed

Bagel, Jerry; Nelson, Elise; Keegan, Brian R

2017-10-01

Combining narrowband UVB (NB-UVB) phototherapy with biologics has been shown to enhance the therapeutic response of plaque psoriasis patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of apremilast combined with NB-UVB in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. This was a 12-week, open-label study of 29 patients diagnosed with moderate to severe psoriasis. Patients received apremilast 30 mg twice daily, and increasing doses of NB-UVB (310-312 nm) 3 times per week for 12 weeks. Twenty-two of 29 patients (76%) completed the 12-week apremilast and NB-UVB combination therapy; 73% (16 of 22 completers) achieved a PASI 75 response at week 12. Mean scores for PASI, VAS pain, VAS itch, DLQI, and PGA improved by 77%, 77%, 69%, 70%, and 67%, respectively, at week 12. The most commonly reported adverse events (AEs) were mild and moderate first-degree burns related to NB-UVB (n=11 [38%] patients). A second-degree NB-UVB burn was reported (likely due to an underlying photosensitivity) and was considered a serious AE. The combination of apremilast with NB-UVB was effective for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, without any unexpected safety signals. Apremilast combined with NB-UVB provided a high treatment response in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, and may be an option for patients to enhance a patient's initial therapeutic response.

J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(10):957-962.

A preliminary study for fully automated quantification of psoriasis severity using image mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukai, Kazuhiro; Iyatomi, Hitoshi

2014-03-01

Psoriasis is a common chronic skin disease and it detracts patients' QoL seriously. Since there is no known permanent cure so far, controlling appropriate disease condition is necessary and therefore quantification of its severity is important. In clinical, psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) is commonly used for abovementioned purpose, however it is often subjective and troublesome. A fully automatic computer-assisted area and severity index (CASI) was proposed to make an objective quantification of skin disease. It investigates the size and density of erythema based on digital image analysis, however it does not consider various inadequate effects caused by different geometrical conditions under clinical follow-up (i.e. variability in direction and distance between camera and patient). In this study, we proposed an image alignment method for clinical images and investigated to quantify the severity of psoriasis under clinical follow-up combined with the idea of CASI. The proposed method finds geometrical same points in patient's body (ROI) between images with Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) and performs the Affine transform to map the pixel value to the other. In this study, clinical images from 7 patients with psoriasis lesions on their trunk under clinical follow-up were used. In each series, our image alignment algorithm align images to the geometry of their first image. Our proposed method aligned images appropriately on visual assessment and confirmed that psoriasis areas were properly extracted using the approach of CASI. Although we cannot evaluate PASI and CASI directly due to their different definition of ROI, we confirmed that there is a large correlation between those scores with our image quantification method.

Secukinumab treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in routine clinical care: real-life data of prior and concomitant use of psoriasis treatments from the PROSPECT study.

PubMed

Körber, A; Thaçi, D; von Kiedrowski, R; Bachhuber, T; Melzer, N; Kasparek, T; Kraehn-Senftleben, G; Amon, U; Augustin, M

2018-03-01

Secukinumab, a fully human anti-interleukin-17A monoclonal antibody, has demonstrated efficacy and safety in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. However, as per study protocols, transition periods from prior psoriasis treatments of a defined minimal length were required and use of concomitant psoriasis medication was prohibited. There is therefore a lack of data on the effect of shorter transition periods and concomitant psoriasis treatment with other pharmacologically active substances on the effectiveness and safety of secukinumab in routine clinical practice. The PROSPECT study was designed to assess prior and concomitant use of psoriasis treatments in subjects receiving secukinumab and the duration of transition periods from prior treatments to secukinumab. Here, we report the baseline characteristics and the duration of transition period in an interim analysis of the first 805 subjects. PROSPECT is an ongoing 24-week, single-cohort, non-interventional study. Subjects with moderate to severe psoriasis with a decision to receive secukinumab were included. The majority of subjects were male (491/796, 61.7%), with a mean age of 47.7 years (SD 13.7). The baseline Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) was available for 92.4% (744/805) of subjects, and mean baseline PASI was 17.5 (SD 13.1); 93.4% (752/805) of subjects had signs of high disease severity. Use of concomitant treatment increased with the number of signs. Within the last 12 months prior to inclusion, 10%, 40%, and 28% of subjects had received topical, conventional systemic, or biologic treatments as their last prior psoriasis therapy, respectively, and 22% of subjects had not received any psoriasis therapy. Discontinuation of prior treatment due to adverse events was high in subjects with conventional systemic treatment (93/413, 22.5%) compared to biologic treatment (5/210, 2.4%). The median duration of the transition period was 14.0, 30.5, and 38.0 days for prior topical, conventional systemic

A Review of Biologic Therapies Targeting IL-23 and IL-17 for Use in Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis.

PubMed

Campa, Molly; Mansouri, Bobbak; Warren, Richard; Menter, Alan

2016-03-01

The development of several highly effective biologic drugs in the past decade has revolutionized the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. With increased understanding of the immunopathogenesis of psoriasis, the emphasis has turned toward more specific targets for psoriasis drugs. Although the complex immunological pathway of psoriasis is not yet completely understood, current models emphasize the significant importance of interleukin (IL)-23 and IL-17. Several biologic drugs targeting these cytokines are now in various stages of drug development. Drugs targeting IL-23 include BI-655066, briakinumab, guselkumab, tildrakizumab, and ustekinumab. Drugs targeting IL-17 include brodalumab, ixekizumab, and secukinumab. While many of these have shown safety and good efficacy in clinical trials of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, long-term safety is still to be established.

Understanding the Molecular Basis of Psoriasis | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

Unsightly red patches, itchy, flaky skin, and disfigured nails are typical symptoms of psoriasis, one of the most common chronic inflammatory diseases of the skin. An estimated 7.5 million people in the United States are affected. The disease is characterized by increased production of skin cells and inflammation in the skin, but it is unclear if the primary trigger is

Spotlight on ixekizumab for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis: design, development, and use in therapy.

PubMed

Giunta, Alessandro; Ventura, Alessandra; Chimenti, Maria Sole; Bianchi, Luca; Esposito, Maria

2017-01-01

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting up to 3% of the general population, associated with discomfort and impaired quality of life. In recent years, the pathogenic cytokine network of psoriasis has been extensively studied leading to the development of new treatments that provide greater efficacy. Interleukin 17A (IL-17A) has been recognized as a crucial cytokine that mediates immunopathogenesis of psoriasis. Ixekizumab - indicated for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis - is a subcutaneously administered humanized monoclonal antibody that targets IL-17A. A large percentage of patients affected by psoriasis achieved consistent benefits in terms of disease control and rapid onset of action during clinical trials. Overall, ixekizumab brought clinical improvement and a favorable safety profile in phase III trials. Ixekizumab is characterized by consistent efficacy and rapid onset of response; it is not influenced by previous exposure to biologics and has shown good results in areas that are difficult to treat and in severe clinical variants of psoriasis. Ixekizumab has shown significant improvements in the activity of the disease and in those physical functions that inhibit radiographic progression in patients with concomitant involvement of joints. Our data support ixekizumab as a successful therapeutic option for patients affected by moderate-to-severe plaque-type psoriasis.

When all you have is a dermatoscope— start looking at the nails

PubMed Central

Haenssle, Holger A.; Blum, Andreas; Hofmann-Wellenhof, Rainer; Kreusch, Juergen; Stolz, Wilhelm; Argenziano, Giuseppe; Zalaudek, Iris; Brehmer, Franziska

2014-01-01

Pigmented and non-pigmented nail alterations are a frequent challenge for dermatologists. A profound knowledge of clinical and dermatoscopic features of nail disorders is crucial because a range of differential diagnoses and even potentially life-threatening diseases are possible underlying causes. Nail matrix melanocytes of unaffected individuals are in a dormant state, and, therefore, fingernails and toenails physiologically are non-pigmented. The formation of continuous, longitudinal pigmented streaks (longitudinal melanonychia) may either be caused by a benign activation of matrix melanocytes (e.g., as a result of trauma, inflammation, or adverse drug reactions) or by a true melanocytic proliferation (e.g., in a nevus or melanoma). In general, non-continuous nail alterations, affecting only limited parts of the nail apparatus, are most frequently of non-melanocytic origin. Important and common differential diagnoses in these cases are subungual hemorrhage or onychomycosis. In addition, foreign bodies, bacterial infections, traumatic injuries, or artificial discolorations of the nail unit may less frequently cause non-continuous nail alterations. Many systemic diseases that may also show involvement of the nails (e.g., psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, lichen planus, alopecia areata) tend to induce alterations in numerous if not all nails of the hands and feet. A similar extensive and generalized alteration of nails has been reported after treatment with a number of systemic drugs, especially antibiotics and cytostatics. Benign or malignant neoplasms that may also affect the nail unit include glomus tumor, Bowen’s disease, squamous cell carcinoma, and rare collision tumors. This review aims to assist clinicians in correctly evaluating and diagnosing nail disorders with the help of dermatoscopy. PMID:25396079

Patient Satisfaction with Treatments for Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis in Clinical Practice

PubMed Central

Takeshita, J.; Krueger, G.G.; Robertson, A.D.; Troxel, A.B.; Shin, D.B.; Van Voorhees, A.S.; Gelfand, J.M.

2014-01-01

Background Treatment satisfaction among moderate-to-severe psoriasis patients has not been studied and compared across treatments using a validated instrument. Objectives To assess patient-reported satisfaction with systemic and phototherapy treatments for moderate-to-severe psoriasis in clinical practice and to correlate satisfaction with disease severity and quality of life measures. Methods Cross-sectional study of 1182 patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis in the Dermatology Clinical Effectiveness Research Network in the United States. Patients receiving either topical therapies only; monotherapy with oral systemic therapies, biologics, or narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy; or combination therapy with biologics and methotrexate completed the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication version II. Results Median unadjusted Overall Satisfaction scores were highest for patients receiving biologic monotherapies, biologic-methotrexate combinations, or phototherapy (83.3); scores were lowest for those receiving topical therapies only or acitretin (66.7). In fully adjusted models, compared to patients receiving methotrexate monotherapy, those receiving adalimumab, etanercept, ustekinumab, phototherapy, or adalimumab with methotrexate had significantly higher median Overall Satisfaction scores by 7.2 to 8.3 points, while those receiving topical therapies only had significantly lower Overall Satisfaction by 8.9 points. Adjusted Convenience scores were the lowest for patients receiving topical therapies only or infliximab. Modest but significant correlations were found between Overall Satisfaction and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (ρ = −0.36, p < 0.001) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (−0.47, p < 0.001). Conclusions Discernable differences were found in treatment satisfaction among therapies, particularly regarding treatment effectiveness and convenience. Further application of treatment satisfaction measures may inform treatment decisions

Product of the Physician Global Assessment and body surface area: a simple static measure of psoriasis severity in a longitudinal cohort.

PubMed

Walsh, Jessica A; McFadden, Molly; Woodcock, Jamie; Clegg, Daniel O; Helliwell, Philip; Dommasch, Erica; Gelfand, Joel M; Krueger, Gerald G; Duffin, Kristina Callis

2013-12-01

The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) is considered the gold standard assessment tool for psoriasis severity, but PASI is limited by its complexity and insensitivity in people with mild psoriasis. We sought to evaluate the product of a Physician Global Assessment (PGA) and Body Surface Area (BSA) (PGAxBSA) as an alternative to PASI. Psoriasis severity was evaluated at 6-month intervals in participants of the Utah Psoriasis Initiative registry. Correlation coefficients were used to compare PGAxBSA with PASI and the Simplified PASI (SPASI). Between August 2008 and November 2010, 435 assessments were completed in 226 participants. The median PASI score was 3.2 (interquartile range 1.8-5.4) and the median BSA was 3.0% (interquartile range 1.0%-5.0%). PGAxBSA had higher correlations with PASI than SPASI (0.87 vs 0.76, P < .001). PGAxBSA also had higher correlations with a Global Patient Assessment of psoriasis severity (0.65) than both PASI (0.59, P < .001) and SPASI (0.51, P < .001). The use of PGAxBSA for measuring severe psoriasis and response to therapy is unclear, because most participants had mild to moderate psoriasis and data were not collected at predefined intervals in relation to therapy initiation. Interrater reliability was not assessed. PGAxBSA is a simple and sensitive instrument for measuring psoriasis severity. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Treatment Changes in Patients With Moderate to Severe Psoriasis: A Retrospective Chart Review.

PubMed

Smith, Jaclyn A; Wehausen, Brooke; Richardson, Irma; Zhao, Yang; Li, Yunfeng; Herrera, Vivian; Feldman, Steven R

Psoriasis treatment involves topical medications, oral medications, phototherapy, and/or biologics. The treatments used depend on a myriad of factors that change over time. To characterise the frequency of and reasons for treatment changes in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. A chart review examined treatment changes at 902 visits by 116 patients seen between January 1, 2010, and June 30, 2015, for moderate to severe psoriasis and the physicians' justifications for those changes. 'Treatment change' was defined as switching between, adding, or removing medication classes or switching within the oral or biologic class. There were 221 visits with treatment changes identified, and a change occurred every 4.1 visits. On average, there were 1.2 treatment changes per year. Patients treated for at least 1 year averaged 1 treatment change every 16 months. The most common type of change was from one biologic to another biologic (24.9%), followed by adding a nonbiologic to a biologic (18.6%). The most common reason for switching was poor control or flare of psoriasis. Affordability was a more common problem for biologics than for nonbiologic treatments. Biologic treatment options provide a major improvement over older systemic treatments, but patients still undergo frequent treatment changes to help control their disease.

Clobetasol propionate shampoo 0.05%: a new option to treat patients with moderate to severe scalp psoriasis.

PubMed

Jarratt, Michael; Breneman, Debra; Gottlieb, Alice B; Poulin, Yves; Liu, Yin; Foley, Valerie

2004-01-01

Psoriasis is a chronic, papulosquamous condition that affects up to 2% of the U.S. population. Approximately 50% of patients with psoriasis have involvement of the scalp. This was a multicentre, randomized, vehicle-controlled, double-masked and parallel-group study. The aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of clobetasol propionate shampoo, 0.05% versus its corresponding vehicle in subjects aged 12 years and older with moderate to severe scalp psoriasis over a treatment period of 4 weeks. Recurrence of scalp psoriasis was assessed during a two week follow-up period. A total of 142 subjects were treated. Results after 4 weeks demonstrated that clobetasol propionate shampoo, 0.05% was with a similar safety profile significantly more effective than its vehicle. The novel short contact shampoo formulation of clobetasol propionate is convenient and efficacious and minimizes systemic exposure while being efficient, safe and well-tolerated in the treatment of moderate to severe scalp psoriasis.

Genome-wide scan reveals association of psoriasis with IL-23 and NF-kappaB pathways.

PubMed

Nair, Rajan P; Duffin, Kristina Callis; Helms, Cynthia; Ding, Jun; Stuart, Philip E; Goldgar, David; Gudjonsson, Johann E; Li, Yun; Tejasvi, Trilokraj; Feng, Bing-Jian; Ruether, Andreas; Schreiber, Stefan; Weichenthal, Michael; Gladman, Dafna; Rahman, Proton; Schrodi, Steven J; Prahalad, Sampath; Guthery, Stephen L; Fischer, Judith; Liao, Wilson; Kwok, Pui-Yan; Menter, Alan; Lathrop, G Mark; Wise, Carol A; Begovich, Ann B; Voorhees, John J; Elder, James T; Krueger, Gerald G; Bowcock, Anne M; Abecasis, Gonçalo R

2009-02-01

Psoriasis is a common immune-mediated disorder that affects the skin, nails and joints. To identify psoriasis susceptibility loci, we genotyped 438,670 SNPs in 1,409 psoriasis cases and 1,436 controls of European ancestry. We followed up 21 promising SNPs in 5,048 psoriasis cases and 5,041 controls. Our results provide strong support for the association of at least seven genetic loci and psoriasis (each with combined P < 5 x 10(-8)). Loci with confirmed association include HLA-C, three genes involved in IL-23 signaling (IL23A, IL23R, IL12B), two genes that act downstream of TNF-alpha and regulate NF-kappaB signaling (TNIP1, TNFAIP3) and two genes involved in the modulation of Th2 immune responses (IL4, IL13). Although the proteins encoded in these loci are known to interact biologically, we found no evidence for epistasis between associated SNPs. Our results expand the catalog of genetic loci implicated in psoriasis susceptibility and suggest priority targets for study in other auto-immune disorders.

Psoriasis: the visible killer.

PubMed

Torres, Tiago; Bettencourt, Nuno

2014-02-01

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory disease associated with serious comorbidities. In recent years, increased mortality due to cardiovascular disease (myocardial infarction and stroke) has been documented in patients with severe psoriasis. Patients with psoriasis have a higher prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia and obesity, but it has been suggested that the chronic inflammatory nature of psoriasis is also a contributing and potentially an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. The authors highlight the need for early identification and treatment of psoriasis-related comorbidities and cardiovascular disease, as well as effective treatment of psoriasis, in order to reduce the underlying systemic inflammation, and also the importance of a multidisciplinary approach of severe psoriasis patients to optimize the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of various comorbidities, so as to prevent cardiovascular events. Copyright © 2013 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Moderate Psoriasis: A Proposed Definition.

PubMed

Llamas-Velasco, M; de la Cueva, P; Notario, J; Martínez-Pilar, L; Martorell, A; Moreno-Ramírez, D

2017-12-01

The Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) is the most widely used scale for assessing the severity of psoriasis and for therapeutic decision making. On the basis of the PASI score, patients have been stratified into 2 groups: mild disease and moderate-to-severe disease. To draft a proposal for the definition and characterization of moderate psoriasis based on PASI and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores. A group of 6 dermatologists with experience in the treatment of psoriasis undertook a critical review of the literature and a discussion of cases to draft a proposal. In order of priority, PASI, DLQI, and body surface area (BSA) are the parameters to be used in daily practice to classify psoriasis as mild, moderate, or severe. Severity should be assessed on the basis of a combined evaluation and interpretation of the PASI and DLQI. And 3, PASI and DLQI should carry equal weight in the determination of disease severity. On this basis, psoriasis severity was defined using the following criteria: mild, PASI<7 and DLQI<7; moderate, PASI=7-15 and DLQI=5-15 (classified as severe when difficult-to-treat sites are affected or when there is a significant psychosocial impact); severe, PASI >15, independently of the DLQI score. A more precise classification of psoriasis according to disease severity will improve the risk-benefit assessment essential to therapeutic decision making in these patients. Copyright © 2017 AEDV. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

CD19+ B cell subsets in the peripheral blood and skin lesions of psoriasis patients and their correlations with disease severity

PubMed Central

Lu, J.; Ding, Y.; Yi, X.; Zheng, J.

2016-01-01

T lymphocytes are important in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, and increasing evidence indicates that B cells also play an important role. The mechanisms of action, however, remain unclear. We evaluated the ratios of CD19+ B cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 157 patients with psoriasis (65 patients with psoriasis vulgaris, 32 patients with erythrodermic psoriasis, 30 patients with arthropathic psoriasis, and 30 patients with pustular psoriasis) and 35 healthy controls (HCs). Ratios of CD19+ B cells in skin lesions were compared with non-lesions in 7 erythrodermic psoriasis patients. The Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) was used to measure disease severity. CD19+ B cell ratios in PBMCs from psoriasis vulgaris (at both the active and stationary stage) and arthropathic psoriasis patients were higher compared with HCs (P<0.01), but ratios were lower in erythrodermic and pustular psoriasis patients (P<0.01). CD19+ B cell ratios in erythrodermic psoriasis skin lesions were higher than in non-lesion areas (P<0.001). Different subsets of CD19+CD40+, CD19+CD44+, CD19+CD80+, CD19+CD86+, CD19+CD11b+, and CD19+HLA-DR+ B cells in PBMCs were observed in different psoriasis clinical subtypes. PASI scores were positively correlated with CD19+ B cell ratios in psoriasis vulgaris and arthropathic psoriasis cases (r=0.871 and r=0.692, respectively, P<0.01), but were negatively correlated in pustular psoriasis (r=-0.569, P<0.01). The results indicated that similar to T cells, B cells activation may also play important roles in different pathological stages of psoriasis. PMID:27532281

Reliability of the MDi Psoriasis® Application to Aid Therapeutic Decision-Making in Psoriasis.

PubMed

Moreno-Ramírez, D; Herrerías-Esteban, J M; Ojeda-Vila, T; Carrascosa, J M; Carretero, G; de la Cueva, P; Ferrándiz, C; Galán, M; Rivera, R; Rodríguez-Fernández, L; Ruiz-Villaverde, R; Ferrándiz, L

2017-09-01

Therapeutic decisions in psoriasis are influenced by disease factors (e.g., severity or location), comorbidity, and demographic and clinical features. We aimed to assess the reliability of a mobile telephone application (MDi-Psoriasis) designed to help the dermatologist make decisions on how to treat patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. We analyzed interobserver agreement between the advice given by an expert panel and the recommendations of the MDi-Psoriasis application in 10 complex cases of moderate to severe psoriasis. The experts were asked their opinion on which treatments were most appropriate, possible, or inappropriate. Data from the same 10 cases were entered into the MDi-Psoriasis application. Agreement was analyzed in 3 ways: paired interobserver concordance (Cohen's κ), multiple interobserver concordance (Fleiss's κ), and percent agreement between recommendations. The mean percent agreement between the total of 1210 observations was 51.3% (95% CI, 48.5-54.1%). Cohen's κ statistic was 0.29 and Fleiss's κ was 0.28. Mean agreement between pairs of human observers only, excluding the MDi-Psoriasis recommendations, was 50.5% (95% CI, 47.6-53.5%). Paired agreement between the recommendations of the MDi-Psoriasis tool and the majority opinion of the expert panel (Cohen's κ) was 0.44 (68.2% agreement). The MDi-Psoriasis tool can generate recommendations that are comparable to those of experts in psoriasis. Copyright © 2017 AEDV. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Mental health self-assessment in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis: an observational, multicenter study of 1164 patients in Spain (the VACAP Study).

PubMed

Pujol, R M; Puig, L; Daudén, E; Sánchez-Carazo, J L; Toribio, J; Vanaclocha, F; Yébenes, M; Sabater, E; Casado, M A; Caloto, M T; Aragón, B

2013-12-01

Poor self-assessed mental health appears to be related to the severity of psoriasis. To evaluate the impact of psoriasis severity on mood and anxiety disorders. A prospective, observational, multicenter study was conducted by 123 dermatologists in Spain. Patients (n=164; mean [SD] age, 45.11 [13.92] years; 60.8% males) with moderate to severe psoriasis were evaluated at baseline and 4 months later. Psoriasis severity was measured using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), with a score range of 0 (mild) to 72 (severe); body surface area involvement (BSA); and physician global assessment (PGA) scores, with a range of 1 (mild) to 7 (severe). Mental health was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), with a total possible score of 0-42 (higher scores representing worse mental health). Mean first and second visit scores were compared. Mean (SD) scores improved between the first and second visit as follows: 13.24 (9.50) to 5.07 (6.03) for PASI, 12.52 (7.92) to 10.78 (7.32) for overall HADS, 7.83 (4.55) to 6.85 (4.21) for the HADS anxiety subscale, and 4.72 (4.12) to 3.95 (3.76) for the HADS depression subscale (P<.001 in all cases). Multivariate analyses showed that the main factors related to anxiety were psoriasis severity, sex, and completion of graduate studies. The independent variables included in the model for depression were psoriasis severity, sex, and psoriasis located on the head. Reductions in disease severity improve self-assessed mood and anxiety disorders in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. and AEDV. All rights reserved.

Understanding the Molecular Basis of Psoriasis | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

Unsightly red patches, itchy, flaky skin, and disfigured nails are typical symptoms of psoriasis, one of the most common chronic inflammatory diseases of the skin. An estimated 7.5 million people in the United States are affected. The disease is characterized by increased production of skin cells and inflammation in the skin, but it is unclear if the primary trigger is dysregulation of the immune system, abnormalities in skin cells, or both.

Psoriasis: the future.

PubMed

Menter, M Alan; Griffiths, Christopher E M

2015-01-01

The umbrella term psoriasis is now understood to incorporate several distinct phenotypes or endotypes along the disease spectrum that in turn will dictate different therapies. A stratified medicine approach to psoriasis using this clinical information coupled with pharmacogenomic and immunologic data will become more widely acceptable in the future. Comorbidities associated with psoriasis, such as diabetes, depression, and Crohn disease, and the debate about the interdependence of psoriasis and cardiovascular disease will also dictate future research and holistic and management plans for this complex disease.

Psychometric properties of the Itch Numeric Rating Scale in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

PubMed

Kimball, A B; Naegeli, A N; Edson-Heredia, E; Lin, C-Y; Gaich, C; Nikaï, E; Wyrwich, K; Yosipovitch, G

2016-07-01

Itching is a profoundly distressing symptom for many patients with psoriasis, but it has not been rigorously studied using validated tools for this condition. This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Itch Numeric Rating Scale (Itch NRS), a single-item patient-reported outcome (PRO) measuring the worst itching severity due to psoriasis in the past 24 h. Using disease-specific clinician-rated and PRO data from one phase II and three phase III randomized clinical studies of subjects with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, the Itch NRS was evaluated for test-retest reliability, construct validity and responsiveness. A responder definition was explored using anchor- and distribution-based methods. Test-retest reliability analyses supported the reproducibility of the measure (intraclass correlation coefficient range 0·71-0·74). To support the construct validity of the Itch NRS, large cross-sectional correlations with the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) Symptoms and Feelings domain (r ≥ 0·60 at baseline and r ≥ 0·80 at week 12) supported a priori hypotheses, while large correlations (r ≥ 0·71) between changes in Itch NRS scores and changes in DLQI Symptoms and Feelings domain scores from baseline to week 12 established responsiveness. A 4-point change was optimal for demonstrating a level of clinically meaningful improvement in itch severity after 12 weeks of treatment, which corresponds with marked clinical improvements in plaque psoriasis. The Itch NRS demonstrated sufficient reliability, validity and responsiveness, and appropriate interpretation standards for evaluating change over time in itch severity among patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis when validated using clinical trial data for this condition. © 2016 The Authors. British Journal of Dermatology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Association of Dermatologists.

Treatment patterns in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis: results from a Belgian cross-sectional study (DISCOVER).

PubMed

Lambert, Julien; Ghislain, Pierre-Dominique; Lambert, Jo; Cauwe, Bénédicte; Van den Enden, Maria

2017-08-01

The present study aimed to evaluate current treatment patterns and achievement of treatment goals in Belgian patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. This cross-sectional observational study (DISCOVER) was conducted in 2011 - 2012 in Belgian dermatology centers. Patient data were collected during a single visit and included information on psoriasis management and severity (PASI and DLQI). Treatment success was defined according to the current European consensus treatment goal algorithm. Of the 556 patients included in the study, 38.1% reported no current treatment or only topicals, 34.2% were being treated with traditional systemics and/or phototherapy, and 29.5% with biologics. Methotrexate (11.7%) was the most commonly prescribed traditional systemic and adalimumab (14.2%) was the most commonly prescribed biologic agent at the time of the study. The percentage of patients achieving treatment goals was significantly higher in biologic-treated patients (73.1%) compared to those using traditional systemics (50.6%), phototherapy (41.1%), or no treatment/only topicals (20.9%; p < .001). Nearly 40% of Belgian patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis in the DISCOVER study were undertreated despite the severity of their disease. Undertreatment of psoriasis remains a problem in Belgium and more effective educational strategies are needed to ensure the best treatment outcome for these patients. [Formula: see text].

Psoriasis (For Parents)

MedlinePlus

... accompanied by fever, chills, severe itching, and fatigue. Inverse psoriasis. This causes smooth, raw-looking patches of ... a healthy weight. This decreases the risk of inverse psoriasis. Remind your child to keep skin clean ...

Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) response in moderate-severe psoriatic patients switched to adalimumab: results from the OPPSA study.

PubMed

Talamonti, M; Galluzzo, M; Bernardini, N; Caldarola, G; Persechino, S; Cantoresi, F; Egan, C G; Potenza, C; Peris, K; Bianchi, L

2018-05-18

Few studies have compared the efficacy of switching to adalimumab in the real-life setting in plaque psoriasis patients. To evaluate the effect of adalimumab in psoriasis patients previously treated with other biologics. In this multicentre study, psoriasis patients (N=262) treated with an anti-TNF alpha agent, ustekinumab or naïve to biologics then switched to adalimumab were included. Disease severity was assessed by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) at baseline and after 3, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months. The association between clinical risk factors and achievement of PASI response was evaluated by logistic regression. Adalimumab treatment resulted in a decrease in PASI (15.1±6.2 at baseline vs. 2.7±4.8 at 6 months, p<0.0001), regardless of previous biologic treatment. Furthermore, adalimumab allowed 92.5%, 79%, 56% of patients to achieve PASI response (PASI 50, 75, 90, respectively) and complete remission (PASI 100 response) in 48.4% of patients, by 6 months and maintained over 3 years, independent of prior biologic treatment. The absence of metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, hypertension and lower PASI and lower age at baseline were associated with achievement of PASI response at 3, 6 and 12 months, whereas at later time points (24 and 36 months), PASI 90 and PASI 100 response was associated with diagnosis of psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis. Adalimumab was effective at reducing PASI score over 3 years, irrespective of whether patients were biologic-naïve, or previously treated with a TNF-alpha or IL-12/23 inhibitor. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Psoriasis lesions are associated with specific types of emotions. Emotional profile in psoriasis.

PubMed

Martín-Brufau, Ramón; Romero-Brufau, Santiago; Martín-Gorgojo, Alejandro; Brufau Redondo, Carmen; Corbalan, Javier; Ulnik, Jorge

2015-01-01

At present there is still controversy about the relationship between emotional stress and psoriasis lesions. Most of the published literature does not include the broad spectrum of emotional response. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between skin lesions and emotional state in a large sample of patients with psoriasis. 823 psoriasis patients were recruited (mean age 45.9 years, 55.7% female) and answered two online questionnaires: lesion severity and current extension were evaluated using a self-administered psoriasis severity index (SAPASI); emotional state was assessed using the positive and negative affect schedule (PANAS). Second order factors were calculated and correlated with the SAPASI. We found positive associations between the extent and severity of skin lesions and the negative and submissive emotions, a negative correlation with dominance emotions and no association with positive emotions. Our data supports the relationship between emotions and skin lesions. It also allows for discrimination of the associations between psoriasis lesions and the specific type of emotions.

A Pilot Study: Nailing Indian Elections with the Indelible Ink Mark

PubMed Central

Abraham, Anil; Roga, Gillian; Thomas, Naveen

2015-01-01

Context: The indelible ink that's used in our elections was developed by National Physical Laboratories (NPL), Delhi in 1962, and has been used ever since. Though formulated by NPL, it is manufactured by Mysore Paints and Varnish Ltd. owned by the Karnataka Government. Earlier, the ink mark was applied on the cuticle but with effect from February 01, 2006 the ink is applied on the voter's left index fingernail from the distal end proximally until the cuticle using an applicator. This idea of the ink mark applied during elections was used as a simple tool to measure the rate of nail growth in a busy outpatient department of a Tertiary Hospital in South India. Aims: To assess the feasibility of using the ink mark during elections as a method of obtaining data of nail growth across the spectrum of the entire country. Subjects and Methods: In 74 patients presenting to a hospital, the rate of nail growth was measured. The voter's mark on the left index fingernail of patients during the recent elections was used as a marker for measuring the length of the nail. Results: The average rate of nail growth was 0.113 mm/day. The rate of nail growth was found to be more in females, younger individuals, pregnancy, patients on nutritional supplementation, psoriasis. Conclusion: This study which was conducted on 74 patients using the election ink mark successfully confirmed the possibility of using it as an efficient tool in measuring the rate of nail growth. The findings revealed the slightly higher rate of nail growth as compared to a study done by Rani et al. However, the limited sample size in this study was the major limitation. PMID:26677268

Topical 0.25% desoximetasone spray efficacy for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis: a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Saleem, Mohammed D; Negus, Deborah; Feldman, Steven R

2018-02-01

Traditionally, ointments were the vehicle of choice for psoriasis. Poor adherence of traditional vehicles limits the use of topical corticosteroids. Alternative formulations have gained popularity due to their ease of application, improved adherence and efficacy. To evaluate the efficacy of topical desoximetasone 0.25% spray formulation in extensive psoriasis. This multicenter, double-blinded, randomized trial compared twice daily topical 0.25% desoximetasone spray to placebo in subjects ≥18 with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Primary outcome of the study was the proportion of subjects in each group that achieved clinical success (Physician Global Assessment [PGA] of 0 or 1) and/or treatment success at (target lesion score of 0 or 1) day 28. One-hundred-and-twenty subjects were enrolled. At baseline, 75.0% and 73.3% of the treatment and placebo group had at least moderate PGA, respectively. Clinical success in the intended-to treat and placebo group was 30% and 5% (p = .0003), respectively; treatment success was 39% and 7% (p < .0001), respectively. The lack of standardized outcomes for topical psoriasis treatments limits the ability to compare the results to other treatments. Topical desoximetasone spray provides rapid control of moderate to severe psoriasis lesions and may be considered for patients awaiting approval of biologicals. Clinical Trial was registered at clinicaltrial.gov: NCT01206387.

Psoriasis image representation using patch-based dictionary learning for erythema severity scoring.

PubMed

George, Yasmeen; Aldeen, Mohammad; Garnavi, Rahil

2018-06-01

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease which can be life-threatening. Accurate severity scoring helps dermatologists to decide on the treatment. In this paper, we present a semi-supervised computer-aided system for automatic erythema severity scoring in psoriasis images. Firstly, the unsupervised stage includes a novel image representation method. We construct a dictionary, which is then used in the sparse representation for local feature extraction. To acquire the final image representation vector, an aggregation method is exploited over the local features. Secondly, the supervised phase is where various multi-class machine learning (ML) classifiers are trained for erythema severity scoring. Finally, we compare the proposed system with two popular unsupervised feature extractor methods, namely: bag of visual words model (BoVWs) and AlexNet pretrained model. Root mean square error (RMSE) and F1 score are used as performance measures for the learned dictionaries and the trained ML models, respectively. A psoriasis image set consisting of 676 images, is used in this study. Experimental results demonstrate that the use of the proposed procedure can provide a setup where erythema scoring is accurate and consistent. Also, it is revealed that dictionaries with large number of atoms and small patch sizes yield the best representative erythema severity features. Further, random forest (RF) outperforms other classifiers with F1 score 0.71, followed by support vector machine (SVM) and boosting with 0.66 and 0.64 scores, respectively. Furthermore, the conducted comparative studies confirm the effectiveness of the proposed approach with improvement of 9% and 12% over BoVWs and AlexNet based features, respectively. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Demographic characteristics and health-related quality of life of patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis: The VACAP study.

PubMed

Daudén, E; Pujol, R M; Sánchez-Carazo, J L; Toribio, J; Vanaclocha, F; Puig, L; Yébenes, M; Sabater, E; Casado, M A; Caloto, M T; Aragón, B

2013-11-01

Psoriasis is associated with a deterioration in the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of affected patients. The aim of this study was to assess the HRQoL of patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. A prospective observational study (the VACAP Study) was carried out in 123 centers in Spain with 1217 patients. Patients were evaluated at baseline (visit 1 [V1]) and again four months later (visit 2 [V2]). The severity of psoriasis was determined using the following indices: (i) Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) (score range 0-72, higher score indicates more severe disease), (ii) the body surface area (BSA) affected, and (iii) the Physicians Global Assessment (PGA) (range 1-7, higher score indicates more severe disease). Four questionnaires were used for the assessment of the HRQoL: (i) the Short-Form 36 quality-of-life questionnaire (SF-36) (score range 0-100, higher score indicates better HRQoL); (ii) Euroqol (EQ-5D) (range from 1 to 3, lower score indicates better HRQoL); (iii) Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) (ranges 0-30; from best to worst HRQoL); and (iv) Psoriasis Disability Index (PDI) (ranges 0-45; higher score indicates better HRQoL). The mean (SD) age of the patients was 45.11 (13.92) years at V1. The mean age at the onset of psoriasis was 26.08 (14.19) years. The majority of patients were female (61%) and were employed (68%). The mean PASI score was 13.24 (9.50) at V1 and 5.07 (6.03) at V2 (P<.001). Scores from the generic HRQoL questionnaires (EQ-5D, SF-36) showed significant improvement between visits in all dimensions measured (P<.001). The disease-specific questionnaires also revealed overall improvements in quality of life over time: the DLQI mean total score was 8.97 (7.28) at V1 and 4.76 (5.72) at V2 (P<.001), and the PDI mean total score was 9.24 (8.76) V1 and 4.88 (6.65) at V2 (P<.001). Multivariate analysis using PDI as the dependent variable showed that the principal factors related to HRQoL were severity of psoriasis as

Risankizumab versus Ustekinumab for Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis.

PubMed

Papp, Kim A; Blauvelt, Andrew; Bukhalo, Michael; Gooderham, Melinda; Krueger, James G; Lacour, Jean-Philippe; Menter, Alan; Philipp, Sandra; Sofen, Howard; Tyring, Stephen; Berner, Beate R; Visvanathan, Sudha; Pamulapati, Chandrasena; Bennett, Nathan; Flack, Mary; Scholl, Paul; Padula, Steven J

2017-04-20

Interleukin-23 is thought to be critical to the pathogenesis of psoriasis. We compared risankizumab (BI 655066), a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody that inhibits interleukin-23 by specifically targeting the p19 subunit and thus prevents interleukin-23 signaling, and ustekinumab, an interleukin-12 and interleukin-23 inhibitor, in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. We randomly assigned a total of 166 patients to receive subcutaneous injections of risankizumab (a single 18-mg dose at week 0 or 90-mg or 180-mg doses at weeks 0, 4, and 16) or ustekinumab (45 or 90 mg, according to body weight, at weeks 0, 4, and 16). The primary end point was a 90% or greater reduction from baseline in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score at week 12. At week 12, the percentage of patients with a 90% or greater reduction in the PASI score was 77% (64 of 83 patients) for risankizumab (90-mg and 180-mg groups, pooled), as compared with 40% (16 of 40 patients) for ustekinumab (P<0.001); the percentage of patients with a 100% reduction in the PASI score was 45% in the pooled 90-mg and 180-mg risankizumab groups, as compared with 18% in the ustekinumab group. Efficacy was generally maintained up to 20 weeks after the final dose of 90 or 180 mg of risankizumab. In the 18-mg and 90-mg risankizumab groups and the ustekinumab group, 5 patients (12%), 6 patients (15%), and 3 patients (8%), respectively, had serious adverse events, including two basal-cell carcinomas and one major cardiovascular adverse event; there were no serious adverse events in the 180-mg risankizumab group. In this phase 2 trial, selective blockade of interleukin-23 with risankizumab was associated with clinical responses superior to those associated with ustekinumab. This trial was not large enough or of long enough duration to draw conclusions about safety. (Funded by Boehringer Ingelheim; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02054481 ).

Molecular and Cellular Profiling of Scalp Psoriasis Reveals Differences and Similarities Compared to Skin Psoriasis

PubMed Central

Ruano, Juan; Suárez-Fariñas, Mayte; Shemer, Avner; Oliva, Margeaux

2016-01-01

Scalp psoriasis shows a variable clinical spectrum and in many cases poses a great therapeutic challenge. However, it remains unknown whether the immune response of scalp psoriasis differs from understood pathomechanisms of psoriasis in other skin areas. We sought to determine the cellular and molecular phenotype of scalp psoriasis by performing a comparative analysis of scalp and skin using lesional and nonlesional samples from 20 Caucasian subjects with untreated moderate to severe psoriasis and significant scalp involvement and 10 control subjects without psoriasis. Our results suggest that even in the scalp, psoriasis is a disease of the inter-follicular skin. The immune mechanisms that mediate scalp psoriasis were found to be similar to those involved in skin psoriasis. However, the magnitude of dysregulation, number of differentially expressed genes, and enrichment of the psoriatic genomic fingerprint were more prominent in skin lesions. Furthermore, the scalp transcriptome showed increased modulation of several gene-sets, particularly those induced by interferon-gamma, compared with that of skin psoriasis, which was mainly associated with activation of TNFα/L-17/IL-22-induced keratinocyte response genes. We also detected differences in expression of gene-sets involving negative regulation, epigenetic regulation, epidermal differentiation, and dendritic cell or Th1/Th17/Th22-related T-cell processes. PMID:26849645

Temporomandibular Disorders in Psoriasis Patients with and without Psoriatic Arthritis: An Observational Study

PubMed Central

Crincoli, Vito; Di Comite, Mariasevera; Di Bisceglie, Maria Beatrice; Fatone, Laura; Favia, Gianfranco

2015-01-01

AIMS: Psoriasis is a chronic, remitting and relapsing inflammatory disorder, involving the skin, nails, scalp and mucous membranes, that impairs patients' quality of life to varying degrees. Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic seronegative, inflammatory arthritis, usually preceded by psoriasis. Temporomandibular disorders is a generic term referred to clinical conditions involving the jaw muscles and temporomandibular joint. The aim of this study was to assess symptoms and signs of temporomandibular disorders in psoriasis patients with and without psoriatic arthritis. METHODS: The study group included 112 patients (56 men, 56 women; median age 49.7±12 years) with psoriasis, 25 of them were affected by psoriatic arthritis. A group of 112 subjects without psoriasis (56 men, 56 women; median age 47.7±17 years) served as controls. Signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders were evaluated according to the standardized Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders. Psoriasis patients were subgrouped according to the presence/absence of psoriatic arthritis and by gender, to assess the prevalence of traditional symptoms and signs of temporomandibular disorders. RESULTS: Patients with psoriasis, and to an even greater extent those with psoriatic arthritis, were more frequently affected by symptoms and signs of temporomandibular disorders, including an internal temporomandibular joint opening derangement than healthy subjects. A statistically significant increase in symptoms of temporomandibular disorders, in opening derangement, bruxism and sounds of temporomandibular joint was found in patients with psoriatic arthritis as compared with psoriasis patients without arthritis and controls. CONCLUSIONS: psoriasis seems to play a role in temporomandibular joint disorders, causing an increase in orofacial pain and an altered chewing function. PMID:26019683

The skin in psoriasis: assessment and challenges.

PubMed

Oji, Vinzenz; Luger, Thomas A

2015-01-01

The coexistence of psoriasis arthritis (PsA) and psoriasis vulgaris in about 20% of patients with psoriasis leads to a need for rheumatologic-dermatologic team work. We summarise the role of dermatologists in assessment of the skin in psoriasis. Chronic plaque psoriasis must be differentiated from other subtypes such as generalised pustular psoriasis (GPP) or palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP). Therapeutic management is based on the evaluation of the disease severity. Quantitative scoring of skin severity includes calculation of the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), body surface area (BSA) as well as the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). These scoring systems do not replace the traditional dermatologic medical history and physical examination of the patient. The skin should be examined for additional skin diseases; moreover, patients should be monitored for comorbidity, most importantly PsA and cardiovascular comorbidity.

Microorganisms and psoriasis.

PubMed Central

Rosenberg, E. W.; Noah, P. W.; Skinner, R. B.

1994-01-01

It has been suggested previously that psoriasis is best explained as a distinctive inflammatory response to a variety of microbial stimuli, all acting primarily through activation of the alternative complement pathway. For the past several years we have conducted a "Problem Psoriasis Clinic" based on that premise. Patients are questioned, examined, and subjected to microbiologic laboratory investigations in an attempt to identify possibly relevant microorganisms, and then are treated with antibiotics. This article lists the most commonly found microorganisms in psoriasis patients and describes the usual treatment for each. Results obtained with this approach compare favorably with those achieved with more usual anti-psoriasis treatments. We recommend that a microbiologic investigation and a trial of antimicrobial treatment should precede any plan to treat psoriasis patients with anything more than the simplest topical agents. PMID:8040907

Nail-Gun Injuries to the Hand

PubMed Central

Pierpont, Yvonne N.; Pappas-Politis, Effie; Naidu, Deepak K.; Salas, R. Emerick; Johnson, Erika L.; Payne, Wyatt G.

2008-01-01

Background: The nail gun is a commonly utilized tool in carpentry and construction. When used properly with appropriate safety precautions, it can facilitate production and boost efficiency; however, this powerful tool also has the potential to cause serious injury. The most common site of nail-gun injuries in both industrial and nonoccupational settings is the hand. Materials and Methods: We report on two patients with nail-gun injuries to the hand. A review of the literature and discussion of clinical evaluation and treatment of nail-gun injuries to the hand are presented. Results: Two patients present with soft tissue injuries to the hand with the nail embedded and intact at the injury site. Operative removal of the nail and wound care resulted in successful treatment in both cases. Nail-gun injuries to the hand vary in severity on the basis of the extent of structural damage. Treatment is based on the severity of injury and the presence and location of barbs on the penetrating nail. Conclusion: Healthcare providers must understand and educate patients on the prevention mechanics of nail-gun injuries. Nail-gun injuries to the hand necessitate appropriate evaluation techniques, understanding of surgical management versus nonsurgical management, and awareness of potential pitfalls in treatment. PMID:19079574

Physical and Mental Impact of Psoriasis Severity as Measured by the Compact Short Form-12 Health Survey (SF-12) Quality of Life Tool

PubMed Central

Grozdev, Ivan; Kast, Douglas; Cao, Lauren; Carlson, Diana; Pujari, Prasad; Schmotzer, Brian; Babineau, Denise; Kern, Elizabeth; McCormick, Thomas; Cooper, Kevin D.; Korman, Neil J.

2012-01-01

The Short Form-12 Health Survey (SF-12) is used to assess the patient’s quality of life (QoL) using the physical component score (PCS) and the mental component score (MCS). The purpose of this study was to determine whether the SF-12 PCS and MCS are associated with psoriasis severity and to compare QoL between Murdough Family Center for Psoriasis (MFCP) patients and patients with other major chronic diseases included in the National Survey of Functional Health Status data. We used data from 429 adult patients enrolled in MFCP. Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) was used to assess psoriasis severity at the time of completion of the SF-12 questionnaire. Other variables included age, sex, body mass index, psoriatic arthritis, psychiatric disorders, and comorbidities. Linear regression models were used to estimate effect sizes ±95% confidence intervals. For every 10-point increase in PASI, there was a 1.1±1.3 unit decrease in MCS (P = 0.100) and a 2.4±1.3 unit decrease in PCS (P<0.001). Psoriasis severity was associated with PCS and MCS after adjusting for variables, although the strength of the relationship was attenuated in some models. Psoriasis severity is associated with decreased QoL. SF-12 may be a useful tool for assessing QoL among psoriasis patients. PMID:22205305

Nail toxicity induced by cancer chemotherapy.

PubMed

Gilbar, Peter; Hain, Alice; Peereboom, Veta-Marie

2009-09-01

To provide a comprehensive literature review of chemotherapy-induced nail toxicity, including clinical presentation, implicated drugs and approaches for prevention and management. A search of MEDLINE and EMBASE (1966-2008) databases was conducted using the terms (and variations of the terms) antineoplastic agents, nails, nail toxicity, onycholysis, and paronychia. Bibliographies from selected articles were reviewed for appropriate references. The retrieved literature was reviewed to include all articles relevant to the clinical presentation, diagnosis, incidence, prevention, and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nail toxicity. Nail toxicity is a relatively uncommon adverse effect linked to a number of chemotherapeutic agents. Clinical presentation varies, depending on which nail structure is affected and the severity of the insult. Nail changes may involve all or some nails. Toxicity may be asymptomatic and limited to cosmetic concerns, however, more severe effects, involving pain and discomfort can occur. Taxanes and anthracyclines are the antineoplastic drug groups most commonly implicated. It is suggested that the administration schedule may influence the incidence of nail abnormalities, for example reported cases linked to the weekly administration of paclitaxel.Before instituting chemotherapy, patients should be educated regarding potential nail toxicities and strategies for prevention implemented. Management includes appropriate nail cutting, avoiding potential irritants, topical, or oral antimicrobials, and possibly cessation or dose reduction of the offending agent. Cryotherapy, through the application of frozen gloves or socks, has been beneficial in reducing docetaxel-induced nail toxicity and may be effective for other drugs.

Circulating levels of sphingosine-1-phosphate are elevated in severe, but not mild psoriasis and are unresponsive to anti-TNF-α treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Checa, Antonio; Xu, Ning; Sar, Daniel G.; Haeggström, Jesper Z.; Ståhle, Mona; Wheelock, Craig E.

2015-07-01

Sphingolipids are bioactive molecules with a putative role in inflammation. Alterations in sphingolipids, in particular ceramides, have been consistently observed in psoriatic skin. Herein, we quantified the circulating sphingolipid profile in individuals with mild or severe psoriasis as well as healthy controls. In addition, the effects of anti-TNF-α treatment were determined. Levels of sphingoid bases, including sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), increased in severe (P < 0.001 n = 32), but not in mild (n = 32), psoriasis relative to healthy controls (n = 32). These alterations were not reversed in severe patients (n = 16) after anti-TNF-α treatment despite significant improvement in psoriasis lesions. Circulating levels of sphingomyelins and ceramides shifted in a fatty acid chain length-dependent manner. These alterations were also observed in psoriasis skin lesions and were associated with changes in mRNA levels of ceramide synthases. The lack of S1P response to treatment may have pathobiological implications due to its close relation to the vascular and immune systems. In particular, increased levels of sphingolipids and especially S1P in severe psoriasis patients requiring biological treatment may potentially be associated with cardiovascular comorbidities. The fact that shifts in S1P levels were not ameliorated by anti-TNF-α treatment, despite improvements in the skin lesions, further supports targeting S1P receptors as therapy for severe psoriasis.

Disease quantification in dermatology: in vivo near-infrared spectroscopy measures correlate strongly with the clinical assessment of psoriasis severity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greve, Tanja Maria; Kamp, Søren; Jemec, Gregor B. E.

2013-03-01

Accurate documentation of disease severity is a prerequisite for clinical research and the practice of evidence-based medicine. The quantification of skin diseases such as psoriasis currently relies heavily on clinical scores. Although these clinical scoring methods are well established and very useful in quantifying disease severity, they require an extensive clinical experience and carry a risk of subjectivity. We explore the opportunity to use in vivo near-infrared (NIR) spectra as an objective and noninvasive method for local disease severity assessment in 31 psoriasis patients in whom selected plaques were scored clinically. A partial least squares (PLS) regression model was used to analyze and predict the severity scores on the NIR spectra of psoriatic and uninvolved skin. The correlation between predicted and clinically assigned scores was R=0.94 (RMSE=0.96), suggesting that in vivo NIR provides accurate clinical quantification of psoriatic plaques. Hence, NIR may be a practical solution to clinical severity assessment of psoriasis, providing a continuous, linear, numerical value of severity.

Psychological differences between early- and late-onset psoriasis: a study of personality traits, anxiety and depression in psoriasis.

PubMed

Remröd, C; Sjöström, K; Svensson, A

2013-08-01

Onset of psoriasis may occur at any age. Early negative experiences often influence personality development, and may lead to physical disease, anxiety and depression in adulthood. Knowledge about onset of psoriasis and psychopathology is limited. To examine whether patients with early-onset psoriasis differ psychologically from patients with late-onset psoriasis, regarding personality traits, anxiety and depression. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 101 consecutively recruited outpatients with psoriasis. A psychosocial interview was performed followed by self-assessment of validated questionnaires: Swedish Universities Scales of Personality (SSP), Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory. Psoriasis severity was assessed by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index. Patients with early-onset psoriasis (age < 20 years) were significantly more anxious and depressed than patients with late-onset psoriasis. In multiple linear regression models, younger age at onset of psoriasis was a significant determinant of higher scores of four personality traits: SSP-embitterment, -trait irritability, -mistrust and -verbal trait aggression. Our results indicate that early detection of psychological vulnerability when treating children and adolescents with psoriasis seems to be of great importance. Traits of psychological vulnerability and pessimistic personality traits were found to be significantly associated with the early onset of psoriasis, but not with disease duration in this study. These traits may be seen as a consequence of psoriasis, and/or as individual traits modulating and impairing clinical course and efforts to cope with psoriasis. © 2013 The Authors BJD © 2013 British Association of Dermatologists.

Psoriasis: classical and emerging comorbidities*

PubMed Central

de Oliveira, Maria de Fátima Santos Paim; Rocha, Bruno de Oliveira; Duarte, Gleison Vieira

2015-01-01

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory systemic disease. Evidence shows an association of psoriasis with arthritis, depression, inflammatory bowel disease and cardiovascular diseases. Recently, several other comorbid conditions have been proposed as related to the chronic inflammatory status of psoriasis. The understanding of these conditions and their treatments will certainly lead to better management of the disease. The present article aims to synthesize the knowledge in the literature about the classical and emerging comorbidities related to psoriasis. PMID:25672294

Metabolic syndrome and psoriasis severity in South-East Asian patients: An investigation of potential association using current and chronological assessments.

PubMed

Chularojanamontri, Leena; Wongpraparut, Chanisada; Silpa-Archa, Narumol; Chaweekulrat, Pichanee

2016-12-01

Although studies regarding prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in Asian psoriatic patients are limited and show varying results, a previous report describes a significant increase in prevalence of MS in Thai psoriatic patients, as compared with rates in the general population. However, no significant association between MS and psoriasis severity using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) was found, which differs from the findings of Korean and Japanese studies. This study aimed at re-evaluating the association between MS and psoriasis severity in Thai patients using current assessment (PASI) and chronological assessment (historical course and interventions). A total of 273 psoriatic patients were recruited. After controlling for age and sex, 96 patients were assigned to the MS group and 96 patients to the non-MS group. Similar to the previous study, no significant differences were identified between metabolic and non-metabolic patients regarding PASI, age of onset, disease duration and family history of psoriasis. However, the numbers of hospitalizations (P = 0.018) and interventions (P = 0.028) were significantly higher in metabolic patients than in non-metabolic patients. Further, a greater number of metabolic components was significantly associated with a higher number of hospitalizations (P = 0.012), pustular or erythrodermic psoriasis episodes (P = 0.049), and interventions (P = 0.005). Body mass index of 23 kg/m 2 or more, abdominal obesity and high blood pressure were associated with an increased risk of treatment failure. Using chronological assessment, our study supported that MS negatively affects psoriasis severity and treatment outcomes. Screening for MS is highly recommended for psoriatic patients. © 2016 Japanese Dermatological Association.

Sleep disturbance in psoriasis - a case-controlled study.

PubMed

Jensen, P; Zachariae, C; Skov, L; Zachariae, R

2018-04-28

Sleep is essential for daytime functioning and health. Given the physical symptoms of psoriasis, a higher prevalence of sleep disorders could be expected. So far, the studies examining sleep disturbance in psoriasis have been of less-than-optimal methodological quality and with mixed results. We aimed to: 1) examine the prevalence of sleep disturbance in patients with plaque psoriasis compared to controls, 2) evaluate associations with health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and 3) examine possible disease-related predictors of disturbed sleep. We used a cross-sectional, case-controlled design. Participants included 179 consecutively recruited patients with plaque psoriasis and 105 controls. Measures included psoriasis severity (Psoriasis Area and Severity index [PASI]); HRQoL (Dermatology Life Quality Index [DLQI]); insomnia severity (Insomnia Severity Index [ISI]); sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]); stress (Perceived Stress Scale [PSS]); Itch (Itch Severity Scale [ISS]); and depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory [BDI]). Analyses included group comparisons and regression analyses to identify predictors of sleep disturbance. Twenty-five per cent of patients with psoriasis reported clinical insomnia (ISI > 15), compared with 10.5% of controls. In all, 53.9% of patients with psoriasis were poor sleepers (PSQI > 5), compared with 21.9% of controls. Itch was statistically significantly associated with all sleep-related outcomes. A higher proportion of patients with psoriasis suffer from poor sleep than controls from the general population. Itch was the main predictor of impaired sleep. Improved control of psoriasis with decreased itch may improve sleep disturbance in psoriasis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

[Quality of life in patients with psoriasis].

PubMed

García-Sánchez, Liliana; Montiel-Jarquín, Álvaro José; Vázquez-Cruz, Eduardo; May-Salazar, Adriana; Gutiérrez-Gabriel, Itzel; Loría-Castellanoso, Jorge

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, in which an autoimmune mechanism participates, triggering an accelerated keratopoiesis. Its etiology is unknown; environmental factors, trauma, and infections are involved. The aim of this paper is to present the correlation between the index of severity of psoriasis and quality of life in patients with psoriasis. This was a cross-sectional study in 72 patients with psoriasis, older than 15 years old, who agreed to participate in the study. We applied the Dermatology Life Quality Index and the Psoriasis Severity Index; descriptive statistics, measures of central tendency, dispersion, and correlation measures were used. Patients (n = 72), were 43% male, 57% female, with a mean age 51.22 (15-77) ± 14.05 years. Education: bachelor's degree 23.6%, housework occupation 26.4%, duration of the disease 12.25 (1-50) ± 10.58 years. Psoriasis plaques occurred in 88.9%, the Psoriasis Severity Index was mild in 70.8%. The result of the impact on quality of life was moderate in effect in 33.3%, the difference between the degree of involvement of the disease and the impact on quality of life was p = 0.104, and correlation between the quality of life and degree of psoriasis was p = 0.463. Quality of life is independent of the degree of disease in patients with psoriasis.

Efficacy of Guselkumab Compared With Adalimumab and Placebo for Psoriasis in Specific Body Regions: A Secondary Analysis of 2 Randomized Clinical Trials.

PubMed

Foley, Peter; Gordon, Kenneth; Griffiths, Christopher E M; Wasfi, Yasmine; Randazzo, Bruce; Song, Michael; Li, Shu; Shen, Yaung-Kaung; Blauvelt, Andrew

2018-06-01

Psoriasis of the scalp, palms and/or soles, and nails is challenging to treat. To evaluate the effect of guselkumab on psoriasis in specific body regions. VOYAGE 1 and VOYAGE 2 were, double-blind, placebo- and adalimumab-controlled studies of guselkumab conducted at 101 and 115 global sites, respectively, from November 3, 2014, to May 19, 2016. Patients had moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score ≥12, Investigator's Global Assessment [IGA] score ≥3, and ≥10% body surface area with psoriasis). This post hoc data analysis was performed from February 10 through November 15, 2017. Patients were randomized to guselkumab, 100 mg (weeks 0 and 4, then every 8 weeks); placebo followed by guselkumab, 100 mg, starting at week 16; or adalimumab (80 mg [week 0] and 40 mg [week 1, then every 2 weeks]). Efficacy was assessed through week 24. End points included numbers of patients achieving scores of 0 or 1 (clear or near clear) or 0 (clear) on the scalp-specific IGA (ss-IGA), Physician's Global Assessment of the hands and/or feet (hf-PGA), and fingernail PGA (f-PGA) and percentage of improvement in target Nail Psoriasis Severity Index score. Of 1829 randomized patients (mean [SD] age, 43.6 [12.4] years; 1300 [71.1%] male, 1498 [81.9%] white), 1576 (86.2%) had psoriasis of the scalp; 501 (27.4%), palms and/or soles; and 1049 (57.4%), fingernails. At baseline, 1512 (82.7%), 461 (25.2%), and 928 (50.7%) patients had a score of 2 or higher on the ss-IGA, hf-PGA, and f-PGA, respectively, and were included in the analysis. Guselkumab was superior to placebo based on the proportion of patients achieving an ss-IGA score of 0 or 1 (560 [81.8%] vs 43 [12.4%]) at week 16 and to adalimumab (582 [85.0%] vs 329 [68.5%]) at week 24 (both P < .001); 479 (69.9%) in the guselkumab group vs 270 (56.3%) in the adalimumab group achieved an ss-IGA score of 0 (all P < .001). An hf-PGA score of 0 or 1 was achieved by 154 patients (75.5%) in the

Psoriasis-associated vascular disease: the role of HDL.

PubMed

Paiva-Lopes, Maria Joao; Delgado Alves, José

2017-09-14

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory systemic disease with a prevalence of 2-3%. Overwhelming evidence show an epidemiological association between psoriasis, cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis. Cardiovascular disease is the most frequent cause of death in patients with severe psoriasis. Several cardiovascular disease classical risk factors are also increased in psoriasis but the psoriasis-associated risk persists after adjusting for other risk factors.Investigation has focused on finding explanations for these epidemiological data. Several studies have demonstrated significant lipid metabolism and HDL composition and function alterations in psoriatic patients. Altered HDL function is clearly one of the mechanisms involved, as these particles are of the utmost importance in atherosclerosis defense. Recent data indicate that biologic therapy can reverse both structural and functional HDL alterations in psoriasis, reinforcing their therapeutic potential.

Demographics, clinical disease characteristics, and quality of life in a large cohort of psoriasis patients with and without psoriatic arthritis

PubMed Central

Truong, B; Rich-Garg, N; Ehst, BD; Deodhar, AA; Ku, JH; Vakil-Gilani, K; Danve, A; Blauvelt, A

2015-01-01

Innovation What is already known about the topic: psoriasis (PsO) is a common skin disease with major impact on quality of life (QoL). Patient-reported data on QoL from large number of PsO patients with and without psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are limited. What this study adds: In a large cohort referred to a university psoriasis center, patients with PsO and concomitant PsA (~30% in this group) had greater degrees of skin and nail involvement and experienced greater negative impacts on QoL. Despite large numbers of patients with moderate-to-severe disease, use of systemic therapy by community practitioners was uncommon. Background PsO and PsA are common diseases that have marked adverse impacts on QoL. The disease features and patient-reported QoL data comparing PsO and PsA patients are limited. Objective To identify and compare demographics, clinical disease characteristics, and QoL scores in a large cohort of PsO patients with and without PsA. Methods All PsO patients seen in a psoriasis specialty clinic, named the Center of Excellence for Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis, were enrolled in an observational cohort. Demographic, QoL, and clinical data were collected from patient-reported questionnaires and from physical examinations performed by Center of Excellence for Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis dermatologists and a rheumatologists. Cross sectional descriptive data were collected and comparisons between patients with PsO alone and those with concomitant PsA are presented. Results A total of 568 patients were enrolled in the database. Mean age of PsO onset was 28 years and mean disease duration was 18 years. Those with family history had an earlier onset of PsO by ~7 years. Mean body surface area involvement with PsO was 14%. Mean body mass index was 30.7. Prevalence of PsA was 29.8%. PsA patients had a higher mean body surface area compared to patients with PsO alone (16.7% vs 13.4%, P<0.05), higher prevalence of psoriatic nail changes (54.4% vs 36%, P<0

Guttate psoriasis

MedlinePlus

Psoriasis - guttate; Group A streptococcus - guttate psoriasis; Strep throat - guttate psoriasis ... Guttate psoriasis is a type of psoriasis . Guttate psoriasis is usually seen in people younger than 30, especially in ...

Psoriasis in those planning a family, pregnant or breast-feeding. The Australasian Psoriasis Collaboration.

PubMed

Rademaker, Marius; Agnew, Karen; Andrews, Megan; Armour, Katherine; Baker, Chris; Foley, Peter; Frew, John; Gebauer, Kurt; Gupta, Monisha; Kennedy, Debra; Marshman, Gillian; Sullivan, John

2017-05-23

The Australasian Psoriasis Collaboration has reviewed the evidence for managing moderate to severe psoriasis in those who are pregnant or are breast-feeding, or planning a family. The severity of the psoriasis, associated comorbidities and specific anti-psoriasis treatment, along with other exposures, can have a deleterious effect on pregnancy outcomes. Psoriasis itself increases the risk of preterm and low birthweight babies, along with spontaneous and induced abortions, but no specific birth defects have been otherwise demonstrated. The baseline risk for a live born baby to have a major birth defect is 3%, and significant neuro-developmental problem is 5%. In Australia, pregnant women with psoriasis are more likely to be overweight or obese, depressed, or smoke in their first trimester, and are also less likely to take prenatal vitamins or supplements. Preconception counselling to improve maternal, pregnancy and baby health is therefore strongly encouraged. The topical and systemic therapies commonly used in psoriasis are each discussed separately, with regards to pregnancy exposure, breast-feeding and effects on male fertility and mutagenicity. The systemic therapies included are acitretin, adalimumab, apremilast, certolizumab, ciclosporin, etanercept, infliximab, ixekizumab, methotrexate, NBUVB, prednisone, PUVA, secukinumab and ustekinumab. The topical therapies include dithranol (anthralin), calcipotriol, coal tar, corticosteroids (weak, potent and super-potent), moisturisers, salicylic acid, tacrolimus, and tazarotene. As a general recommendation, effective drugs that have been widely used for years are preferable to newer alternatives with less foetal safety data. It is equally important to evaluate the risks of not treating, as severe untreated disease may negatively impact both mother and the foetus. © 2017 The Australasian College of Dermatologists.

Etanercept provides an effective, safe and flexible short- and long-term treatment regimen for moderate-to-severe psoriasis: a systematic review of current evidence.

PubMed

Strohal, Robert; Chimenti, Sergio; Vena, Gino Antonio; Girolomoni, Giampiero

2013-06-01

The treatment of psoriasis requires long-lasting intervention. Conventional treatments for psoriasis comprise topical, phototherapeutic and systemic modalities, such as methotrexate or cyclosporine. Biological therapies are advocated by treatment guidelines for the use in moderate-to-severe psoriasis, when conventional treatments have failed, are contraindicated or are associated with severe adverse events. Etanercept is an anti-TNF recombinant fusion protein that has emerged as a standard biologic treatment option for moderate-to-severe psoriasis. The present review summarizes data from pivotal and post-marketing randomized controlled etanercept trials to treat moderate-to-severe psoriasis for 24 weeks and longer. During the first 12 weeks, etanercept can be administered in different dosing regimens: 50 mg twice weekly (BIW) and 50 mg once weekly. Although both regimens are effective, it has been shown that the 50 mg BIW dosage leads to higher response rates at week 24. In addition, after 24 weeks' treatment etanercept provides the unique possibility of continuous or intermittent long-term treatment programmes. The medium- to long-term efficacy of etanercept was consistent, regardless of whether etanercept therapy was interrupted or continuous. Taking the chronic nature of psoriasis into account, this flexibility in dosing regimen bestows a key advantage in facilitating individualisation of long-term treatment according to patient needs.

Successful ustekinumab treatment of noninfectious uveitis and concomitant severe psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis.

PubMed

Mugheddu, Cristina; Atzori, Laura; Del Piano, Maria; Lappi, Astrid; Pau, Monica; Murgia, Severino; Zucca, Ignazio; Rongioletti, Franco

2017-09-01

We report the first successful treatment of noninfectious uveitis with ustekinumab in a patient with severe concomitant psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis who failed to respond to conventional immune suppressants and with contraindications to tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitors. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Efficacy and Safety of Secukinumab in Elderly Subjects with Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis: A Pooled Analysis of Phase III Studies.

PubMed

Körber, Andreas; Papavassilis, Charis; Bhosekar, Vaishali; Reinhardt, Maximilian

2018-02-01

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, affecting patients of a wide age range, including elderly patients. Elderly patients can respond differently to drug treatments and can be more vulnerable to adverse reactions. There are limited data on biologic therapies for psoriasis in elderly subjects. Secukinumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody that selectively neutralizes IL-17A, has proven significant efficacy in the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis. A post-hoc analysis of three phase III trials (ERASURE, FIXTURE and CLEAR) was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of secukinumab in elderly subjects. Studies were multicentre, randomized, parallel-group, double-blind, 52-week phase III trials in subjects with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. For efficacy analyses, 67 elderly subjects (≥ 65 years) treated with secukinumab 300 mg were compared with 841 younger subjects (18-64 years). Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), Dermatological Life Quality Index (DLQI) and safety were analysed. Elderly subjects had higher baseline frequencies of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. Secukinumab efficacy in elderly subjects was comparable to that in younger subjects throughout 52 weeks of treatment. PASI 75 response was reached by 81.8% of elderly subjects and 79.4% of younger subjects at Week 52. Similar rates of DLQI 0/1 response were observed. The total rate of adverse events was similar between elderly and younger subjects. Secukinumab at the recommended dose (300 mg) is effective and acceptably safe in subjects aged ≥ 65 years with moderate to severe psoriasis, with quality-of-life benefits, despite an increased prevalence of cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities in this population.

Calcipotriol Plus Betamethasone Dipropionate Aerosol Foam in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis: Sub-Group Analysis of the PSO-ABLE Study.

PubMed

Paul, Carle; Leonardi, Craig; Menter, Alan; Reich, Kristian; Gold, Linda Stein; Warren, Richard B; Møller, Anders; Lebwohl, Mark

2017-06-01

Fixed-combination calcipotriol 50 μg/g plus betamethasone 0.5 mg/g (Cal/BD) aerosol foam is a new topical treatment for psoriasis. Although moderate-to-severe psoriasis is typically treated with systemic/biologic therapies, a topical treatment that is efficacious in these patients may be a significant cost-saving alternative to systemic therapy. The objective of this study was to assess the response to Cal/BD foam and gel in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis enrolled in the phase III, 12-week PSO-ABLE study. Patients eligible for this analysis had moderate-to-severe psoriasis, defined by the 'Rule of Tens': body surface area ≥10% or Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) [excluding head; modified PASI (mPASI)] >10 or Dermatology Life-Quality Index >10. Endpoints included: proportion of patients achieving mPASI75 or mPASI90; change in body surface area; proportion of patients clear/almost clear with a ≥2 grade improvement (i.e., treatment success); change in Dermatology Life-Quality Index. Seventy-seven Cal/BD foam patients and 82 gel patients had moderate-to-severe psoriasis. A greater proportion achieved mPASI75 and mPASI90 with Cal/BD foam than gel at weeks 4, 8, and 12 (57.1 vs. 35.4%; p = 0.006 and 15.6 vs. 12.2% at week 12, respectively); overall reduction in mPASI from baseline to week 12 was 64% with the foam vs. 51% with the gel. Overall reduction in body surface area at week 12 was 50% with the foam and 39% with the gel. Treatment success rates were higher with the Cal/BD foam than the gel at weeks 1, 2, 4, 8 (p = 0.0089), and 12, and a greater proportion of foam patients achieved a Dermatology Life-Quality Index score of 0/1 at weeks 4 (p = 0.004), 8, and 12 (p = 0.001). Cal/BD foam can be considered as a treatment option in some patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis who are potential candidates for systemic therapy. CLINICALTRIALS. NCT02132936.

Patient perspectives in the management of psoriasis: results from the population-based Multinational Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Survey.

PubMed

Lebwohl, Mark G; Bachelez, Hervé; Barker, Jonathan; Girolomoni, Giampiero; Kavanaugh, Arthur; Langley, Richard G; Paul, Carle F; Puig, Lluís; Reich, Kristian; van de Kerkhof, Peter C M

2014-05-01

Available psoriasis surveys offer valuable information about psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), but are limited by methodology or enrollment requirements. To further the understanding of the unmet needs of psoriasis and PsA patients. This was a large, multinational, population-based survey of psoriasis and/or PsA patients in North America and Europe. Patients were selected by list-assisted random digit dialing and did not have to currently be under the care of a health care provider, a patient organization member, or receiving treatment; 139,948 households were screened and 3426 patients completed the survey. The prevalence of psoriasis/PsA ranged from 1.4% to 3.3%; 79% had psoriasis alone and 21% had PsA. When rating disease severity at its worst, 27% (psoriasis) and 53% (PsA ± psoriasis) of patients rated it as severe. Psoriasis patients indicated that their most bothersome signs or symptoms were itching (43%), scales (23%), and flaking (20%). Of psoriasis patients, 45% had not seen a physician in a year; >80% of psoriasis patients with ≥ 4 palms body surface area and 59% of PsA patients were receiving no treatment or topical treatment only. Of patients who had received oral or biologic therapy, 57% and 45%, respectively, discontinued therapy, most often for safety/tolerability reasons and a lack/loss of efficacy. The survey lacked a control group, did not account for ethnic and health care system differences across countries, and was limited by factors associated with any patient survey, including accurate recall and interpretation of questions. Several identified unmet needs warrant additional attention and action, including improved severity assessment, PsA screening, patient awareness, and treatment options. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Prediction of a nail polish colour applied on a nail.

PubMed

Monpeurt, C; Cinotti, E; Razafindrakoto, J; Rubegni, P; Fimiani, M; Perrot, J L; Hebert, M

2018-02-01

The colour of a nail polish varies according to the nail on which it is applied. The objective of this study was to predict the colour of the nail polish on a given nail and to study how the colour varies depending on the nail polish thickness. Six nail polishes were applied in one, two and three layers on the nails of one subject, thus forming eighteen samples. The spectral reflectances of the eighteen nail polishes applied on the nails with different thicknesses were obtained by spectrophotometry. The spectral reflectances of the nails without polish were also measured using the same technique. The thicknesses of nail polishes were measured by high-definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT). Then, to determine the physical parameters of the nail polish itself, we applied the six nail polishes on an opacity drawdown chart and we measured the spectral reflectance and the thickness of each patch using spectrophotometry and HD-OCT, respectively. The Kubelka-Munk theory was used to get the predicted spectral reflectance of the nail polish applied on the nail according to the polish thickness by knowing the parameter of the polish itself and the spectral reflectance of the nail. The predicted spectral reflectances were finally compared with those measured directly on the nails. The predicted spectral reflectances were rather close to measured ones. Consequently, knowing the colour of the nail without polish and the optical parameters of the nail polish itself, we can estimate the colour of the nail polish applied on the nail depending on its thickness. Our study showed that the Kubelka-Munk theory can be used to predict the nail polish colour. The ability to predict the real colour of a nail polish applied on a nail could help a nail polish manufacturer to improve his polish formulae in order to obtain a precise colour. © 2017 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

Psoriasis and suicidality: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Singh, Sanminder; Taylor, Catherine; Kornmehl, Heather; Armstrong, April W

2017-09-01

Psoriasis is associated with psychiatric comorbidities; however, the relationship between psoriasis and suicidality is not well understood. To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis that elucidates the relationship between psoriasis and suicidality. Applying the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, we systematically searched the PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Cochrane databases. We searched literature published between 1946 and 2017. We identified 18 studies with a total of 1,767,583 participants, of whom 330,207 had psoriasis. On the basis of random effects modeling, the pooled odds ratio (OR) for suicidal ideation among patients with psoriasis was 2.05 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.54-2.74). Patients with psoriasis were more likely to exhibit suicidal behaviors (combined attempted and completed suicides) with a pooled OR of 1.26 (95% CI, 1.13-1.40). Subgroup analysis showed that patients with psoriasis were more likely to attempt suicides (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.14-1.54) and complete suicide (OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.04-1.39) than those without psoriasis. More severe psoriasis and younger age were associated with greater likelihood of suicidality. There are few studies examining suicidality in conjunction with psoriasis severity. Patients with psoriasis have a significantly higher likelihood of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and completed suicides. Among patients with psoriasis, those who are younger and whose psoriasis is more severe are at particular risk for suicidality. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Biologics in pediatric psoriasis - efficacy and safety.

PubMed

Dogra, Sunil; Mahajan, Rahul

2018-01-01

Childhood psoriasis is a special situation that is a management challenge for the treating dermatologist. As is the situation with traditional systemic agents, which are commonly used in managing severe psoriasis in children, the biologics are being increasingly used in the recalcitrant disease despite limited data on long term safety. Areas covered: We performed an extensive literature search to collect evidence-based data on the use of biologics in pediatric psoriasis. The relevant literature published from 2000 to September 2017 was obtained from PubMed, using the MeSH words 'biologics', 'biologic response modifiers' and 'treatment of pediatric/childhood psoriasis'. All clinical trials, randomized double-blind or single-blind controlled trials, open-label studies, retrospective studies, reviews, case reports and letters concerning the use of biologics in pediatric psoriasis were screened. Articles covering the use of biologics in pediatric psoriasis were screened and reference lists in the selected articles were scrutinized to identify other relevant articles that had not been found in the initial search. Articles without relevant information about biologics in general (e.g. its mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics and adverse effects) and its use in psoriasis in particular were excluded. We screened 427 articles and finally selected 41 relevant articles. Expert opinion: The available literature on the use of biologics such as anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α agents, and anti-IL-12/23 agents like ustekinumab suggests that these are effective and safe in managing severe pediatric psoriasis although there is an urgent need to generate more safety data. Dermatologists must be careful about the potential adverse effects of the biologics before administering them to children with psoriasis. It is likely that with rapidly evolving scenario of biologics in psoriasis, these will prove to be very useful molecules particularly in managing severe and recalcitrant

Nail tic disorders: Manifestations, pathogenesis and management.

PubMed

Singal, Archana; Daulatabad, Deepashree

2017-01-01

Nail tic disorders are classic examples of overlap between the domains of dermatology and psychiatry. They are examples of body-focused repetitive behaviors in which there is an irresistible urge or impulse to perform a certain behavior. The behavior is reinforced as it results in some degree of relief and pleasure. Nail tic disorders are common, yet poorly studied and understood. The literature on nail tic disorders is relatively scarce. Common nail tics include nail biting or onychophagia, onychotillomania and the habit tic deformity. Some uncommon and rare nail tic disorders are onychoteiromania, onychotemnomania, onychodaknomania and bidet nails. Onychophagia is chronic nail biting behavior which usually starts during childhood. It is often regarded as a tension reducing measure. Onychotillomania is recurrent picking and manicuring of the fingernails and/or toenails. In severe cases, it may lead to onychoatrophy due to irreversible scarring of the nail matrix. Very often, they occur in psychologically normal children but may sometimes be associated with anxiety. In severe cases, onychotillomania may be an expression of obsessive-compulsive disorders. Management of nail tic disorders is challenging. Frequent applications of distasteful topical preparations on the nail and periungual skin can discourage patients from biting and chewing their fingernails. Habit-tic deformity can be helped by bandaging the digit daily with permeable adhesive tape. Fluoxetine in high doses can be helpful in interrupting these compulsive disorders in adults. For a complete diagnosis and accurate management, it is imperative to assess the patient's mental health and simultaneously treat the underlying psychiatric comorbidity, if any.

Low incidence of hypercalcemia following combined calcipotriol hydrate/betamethasone dipropionate ointment treatment in Japanese patients with severe psoriasis vulgaris.

PubMed

Morita, Akimichi; Muramatsu, Shinnosuke; Kubo, Ryoji; Ikumi, Kyoko; Sagawa, Yoko; Saito, Chiyo; Torii, Kan; Nishida, Emi

2018-01-10

Topical active vitamin D3 application alone or in combination with topical steroid application is widely used to treat psoriasis. In Japan, combined calcipotriol hydrate/betamethasone dipropionate ointment has been used for patients with psoriasis vulgaris since September 2014. Current evidence regarding the incidence of hypercalcemia due to the use of this combination product, however, is insufficient. We evaluated the incidence of hypercalcemia following combined calcipotriol hydrate/betamethasone dipropionate ointment in patients with severe psoriasis vulgaris. Japanese patients (n = 22) with extensive plaque psoriasis (body surface area: 20-30%) applied the combined calcipotriol hydrate/betamethasone dipropionate ointment once daily for 8 weeks, and their serum Ca concentrations were measured periodically. The mean serum Ca concentration changed only marginally, from 9.04 ± 0.34 mg/dL before treatment to 9.08 ± 0.39 mg/dL after 8 weeks of treatment. None of the patients had an elevated serum Ca concentration throughout the study. No cases of hypercalcemia were reported as an adverse event. No correlation was detected between the amount of the combined calcipotriol hydrate/betamethasone dipropionate ointment applied and changes in the serum Ca concentration. The incidence of hypercalcemia due to topical application of a combined calcipotriol hydrate/betamethasone dipropionate ointment is low in Japanese patients with severe psoriasis vulgaris.

Improving outcomes in patients with psoriasis.

PubMed

Tidman, Michael J

2013-01-01

Psoriasis is a heterogeneous inflammatory disorder that targets the skin and joints. It affects 1.3-2% of the population. The diagnosis of plaque psoriasis is usually straightforward, a helpful diagnostic clue is the tendency for silver scales to appear after gentle scratching of a lesion. Stress, streptococcal infection and drugs including beta-blockers, antimalarials and lithium may precipitate or exacerbate psoriasis. Psoriasis, especially when severe, predisposes to metabolic syndrome, and patients with psoriasis are at increased risk of ischaemic heart disease, hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes and hyperlipidaemia. Additionally, psoriasis sufferers appear at increased risk of uveitis, inflammatory boweldisease, lymphoma, non-melanoma skin cancer, COPD and venous thromboembolism. Psoriasis should be assessed on the basis of: severity, impact on physical, psychological and social wellbeing, symptoms of arthritis and the presence of comorbidities. Poor response to topical therapy may be as much to do with lack of compliance as with lack of efficacy. The number of treatments each day should be kept to a minimum, and patients should be reviewed after four weeks when initiating or changing topical therapy to improve adherence to treatment and assess response. The majority of patients with psoriasis can be managed in primary care, although specialist care may be necessary at some point in up to 60% of cases. Patients with erythrodermic or generalised pustular psoriasis should be referred for a same day dermatological opinion, and if psoriatic arthritis is suspected, early referral for a rheumatological opinion is recommended.

Providing Guidance for Patients With Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis Who Are Candidates for Biologic Therapy: Role of the Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant.

PubMed

Aldredge, Lakshi M; Young, Melodie S

2016-01-01

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated disease characterized by itchy, scaly, and often painful plaques in the skin. Psoriasis can have significant psychosocial burdens and increased risks for numerous comorbidities, including diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, particularly in patients with moderate-to-severe disease. Dermatology nurse practitioners and physician assistants are an important part of the healthcare team, contributing to all aspects of psoriasis management. This review reinforces the unique aspects of care that nurse practitioners and physician assistants provide to patients with psoriasis, such as facilitating conversations about managing disease, setting appropriate expectations, and considering treatment options, including when treatment response or tolerability is suboptimal. The importance of relationship building is stressed. Patient management topics discussed include helpful tips about assessing treatment options, initiating biologic therapy, optimizing patient adherence, and managing comorbidities. Also reviewed are how to deal with common barriers including lack of knowledge about psoriasis or making healthy lifestyle changes, fear of injections or side effect risks, lack of health insurance, and concerns about treatment costs. Overall, by forming meaningful relationships and engaging patients in their psoriasis care, nurse practitioners and physician assistants can help to optimize clinical efficacy outcomes and consistently manage moderate-to-severe psoriasis and its comorbidities over the patient's life course.

Subjective Health Complaints in Individuals with Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis: Associations with the Severity of the Skin Condition and Illness Perceptions - A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Nordbø, Emma Charlott Andersson; Aamodt, Geir; Ihlebæk, Camilla Martha

2017-06-01

High comorbidity has been reported among persons with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), but the occurrence of subjective health complaints (SHCs) in these patient groups is poorly understood. The study aimed to describe the prevalence of SHCs among individuals with psoriasis and PsA in Norway, and investigate whether the severity of their skin condition and their illness perceptions were associated with the number and severity of health complaints. Participants were recruited through the Psoriasis and Eczema Association of Norway (PEF) (n = 942). The participants answered a self-administered questionnaire covering subjective health complaints, the severity of their skin condition, and their illness perceptions measured with the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ-R). The prevalence and severity of SHCs were high. Participants with PsA reported more complaints and higher severity of complaints compared with participants with psoriasis. In both groups, the severity of the skin condition was associated with the number and severity of SHCs. Cognitive illness perceptions (consequences) and emotional illness perceptions (emotional affect) were associated with SHCs in participants with psoriasis, whereas only cognitive illness perceptions (consequences and identity) were associated with SHCs in participants with PsA. The high prevalence and severity of SHCs among individuals with psoriasis and PsA were associated with the severity of the skin condition and illness perceptions. Somatic and cognitive sensitizations are proposed as possible mechanisms. The findings suggest that holistic approaches are essential when managing these patient groups in health care institutions and clinical practice.

Psoriasis: new comorbidities*

PubMed Central

Machado-Pinto, Jackson; Diniz, Michelle dos Santos; Bavoso, Nádia Couto

2016-01-01

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with several comorbidities. A few decades ago, it was considered an exclusive skin disease but today it is considered a multisystem disease. It is believed that 73% of psoriasis patients have at least one comorbidity. Studies have demonstrated the association of psoriasis with inflammatory bowel disease, uveitis, psychiatric disorders, metabolic syndrome and its components and cardiovascular diseases. The systemic inflammatory state seems to be the common denominator for all these comorbidities. This work aims at presenting a review of the current literature on some new comorbidities that are associated with psoriasis as osteoporosis, obstructive sleep apnea and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. While there is still controversy, many studies already point to a possible bone involvement in patients with psoriasis, especially in the male group, generally less affected by osteoporosis. Psoriasis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease present some risk factors in common as obesity, smoking and physical inactivity. Besides, both diseases are associated with the metabolic syndrome. These factors could be potential confounders in the association of the two diseases. Further prospective studies with control of those potential confounders should be developed in an attempt to establish causality. Existing data in the literature suggest that there is an association between obstructive sleep apnea and psoriasis, but studies performed until now have involved few patients and had a short follow-up period. It is, therefore, premature to assert that there is indeed a correlation between these two diseases. PMID:26982772

The impact of PASI 75 and PASI 90 on quality of life in moderate to severe psoriasis patients.

PubMed

Abrouk, Michael; Nakamura, M; Zhu, T H; Farahnik, B; Koo, J; Bhutani, T

2017-09-01

It is well known that psoriasis significantly impacts patients' quality of life (QoL). With the introduction of improved treatment modalities with biologic agents, more patients with moderate to severe psoriasis are able to achieve better results as measured by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). PASI 75 indicates a 75% or greater reduction in PASI scores from baseline and is indicative of excellent disease improvement. With newer biologic agents such as secukinumab, ixekizumab and brodalumab, patients are now capable of achieving PASI 90, introducing additional clinical decisions for physicians when considering treatment options. However, little is known regarding how the difference between achieving PASI-75 versus PASI-90 impacts patients' QoL. The purpose of this study was to compare how achieving PASI 75 versus PASI 90 impacts QoL for patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis by using validated psychometric instruments that have been widely used in both dermatologic and non-dermatologic settings. Two separate open-label clinical trials were conducted to specifically assess QoL in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis on adalimumab or ustekinumab over 24 weeks. In addition to clinical assessments of psoriasis, patients completed two surveys: The Psychological General Well-Being (PGWB) Index and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Changes in total PGWB score and DLQI score at weeks 12 and 24 compared to baseline were compared between groups achieving PASI 75 and PASI 90. There was no statistically significant difference in PGWB scores between patients achieving PASI 75 and patients achieving PASI 90 in the adalimumab treatment group (week 12 p = .21, but there was at week 24 p = .05). There was a statistically significant difference in DLQI between the patients achieving PASI 75 and the patients achieving PASI 90 in the adalimumab treatment group at week 24 (p = .01), but not week 12 (p = .11). There was no

The effect of secukinumab on moderate-to-severe scalp psoriasis: Results of a 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3b study.

PubMed

Bagel, Jerry; Duffin, Kristina Callis; Moore, Angela; Ferris, Laura K; Siu, Kimberly; Steadman, Jennifer; Kianifard, Farid; Nyirady, Judit; Lebwohl, Mark

2017-10-01

Moderate-to-severe scalp psoriasis has not been evaluated in prospective trials of patients without moderate-to-severe body psoriasis. Evaluate the efficacy and safety of secukinumab in moderate-to-severe scalp psoriasis. In this 24-week, double-blind, phase 3b study, 102 patients were randomized 1:1 to subcutaneous secukinumab 300 mg or placebo at baseline, weeks 1, 2, and 3, and then every 4 weeks from week 4 to 20. The primary efficacy variable was 90% improvement of Psoriasis Scalp Severity Index (PSSI 90) score from baseline to week 12. At week 12, PSSI 90 (secukinumab 300 mg vs placebo, 52.9% vs 2.0%) and Investigator's Global Assessment modified 2011 scalp responses of 0 or 1 (secukinumab 300 mg vs placebo, 56.9% vs 5.9%) were significantly greater with secukinumab 300 mg than placebo (P < .001 for both). In addition, significantly more patients achieved complete clearance of scalp psoriasis at week 12 with secukinumab 300 mg than placebo (35.3% vs 0%; P < .001). The median time to 50% reduction in PSSI score was 3.29 weeks with secukinumab 300 mg. The safety profile of secukinumab was consistent with previous phase 3 studies. There was no active comparator arm. Secukinumab is efficacious and well-tolerated for patients with extensive moderate-to-severe scalp psoriasis. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Calcipotriol Plus Betamethasone Dipropionate Aerosol Foam is Effective, Independent of Body Mass Index and the Extent and Severity of Psoriasis.

PubMed

Stein Gold, Linda; Villumsen, John; Rosen, Monika

2016-12-01

Good treatment adherence is important in the effective management of psoriasis and is related to both the frequency of applications and the amount of product used versus the recommended dose. The efficacy and safety of fixed combination calcipotriol 50 µg/g (Cal) and betamethasone 0.5 mg/g as dipropionate (BD) in the treatment of psoriasis is well established; an aerosol foam formulation has been developed to enhance adherence. This subanalysis from the Phase III PSO-FAST study evaluates the amount of Cal/BD foam used during treatment and the association between the extent and severity of baseline disease. Patients (≥18 years) with mild-to-severe body psoriasis were randomized 3:1 to once-daily Cal/BD foam or vehicle. The amount of Cal/BD foam and vehicle used over the 4-week study period was evaluated according to three baseline disease assessments: extent of body surface area (BSA) affected by psoriasis, physician's global assessment of disease severity (PGA) and modified psoriasis area and severity index (mPASI). Treatment success and mPASI75 rates were assessed according to body mass index (BMI) and body weight. 323 patients were randomized to Cal/BD foam and 103 to vehicle. At week 4, the mean total amount of Cal/BD foam used was 120.8 g (n = 293), which was similar to the amount of vehicle used (128.9 g; n = 98). The total amount of Cal/BD foam used at week 4 was greater with increasing BSA and increasing severity of baseline PGA and mPASI. Throughout the study, 93.1% of patients in the Cal/BD foam group and 99.0% of patients in the vehicle group missed ≤10% of treatment applications. Treatment success and mPASI75 rates were generally similar when stratified according to BMI and body weight. This subanalysis demonstrates that Cal/BD aerosol foam is used appropriately and is effective for the treatment of psoriasis, independent of BMI and the extent or severity of disease. NCT01866163. LEO Pharma A/S.

Easy-interactive and quick psoriasis lesion segmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Guoli; He, Bei; Yang, Wenming; Shu, Chang

2013-12-01

This paper proposes an interactive psoriasis lesion segmentation algorithm based on Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM). Psoriasis is an incurable skin disease and affects large population in the world. PASI (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index) is the gold standard utilized by dermatologists to monitor the severity of psoriasis. Computer aid methods of calculating PASI are more objective and accurate than human visual assessment. Psoriasis lesion segmentation is the basis of the whole calculating. This segmentation is different from the common foreground/background segmentation problems. Our algorithm is inspired by GrabCut and consists of three main stages. First, skin area is extracted from the background scene by transforming the RGB values into the YCbCr color space. Second, a rough segmentation of normal skin and psoriasis lesion is given. This is an initial segmentation given by thresholding a single gaussian model and the thresholds are adjustable, which enables user interaction. Third, two GMMs, one for the initial normal skin and one for psoriasis lesion, are built to refine the segmentation. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Psoriasis and metabolic syndrome.

PubMed

Sales, Rita; Torres, Tiago

2014-01-01

Psoriasis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disease associated with several cardiometabolic comorbidities, such as obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, and with clinically significant increased risk of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular mortality. These comorbidities are components of the metabolic syndrome. Multiple epidemiologic studies have revealed a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with psoriasis compared with other skin diseases. Genetic susceptibility and overlapping inflammatory pathways may be potential biologic links underlying this association. Understanding the interrelationship between these conditions is important for the management of psoriasis and its associated comorbidities. This review will focus on the range of these comorbidities, with emphasis on the metabolic syndrome, aiming to encourage physicians to screen patients with psoriasis for cardiometabolic disorders and risk factors.

Correlation of psoriasis activity with socioeconomic status: cross-sectional analysis of patients enrolled in the Psoriasis Longitudinal Assessment and Registry (PSOLAR).

PubMed

Kimball, A B; Augustin, M; Gordon, K B; Krueger, G G; Pariser, D; Fakharzadeh, S; Goyal, K; Calabro, S; Lee, S; Lin, R; Li, N; Srivastava, B; Guenther, L

2018-05-10

The interdependence between socioeconomic status and disease control in patients with severe psoriasis is not well understood. To assess whether worse disease control among patients with historically severe psoriasis correlated with negative socioeconomic status, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis from Psoriasis Longitudinal Assessment and Registry (PSOLAR), a large, observational study of psoriasis patients receiving, or eligible to receive, conventional systemic or biologic therapies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Nail abnormalities

MedlinePlus

... appearance of the thumbnails. Long-term exposure to moisture or nail polish can cause nails to peel ... nail, if your nails are constantly exposed to moisture, or whether you are always picking at your ...

Pustular psoriasis: pathophysiology and current treatment perspectives

PubMed Central

Benjegerdes, Katie E; Hyde, Kimberly; Kivelevitch, Dario; Mansouri, Bobbak

2016-01-01

Psoriasis vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory disease that classically affects skin and joints and is associated with numerous comorbidities. There are several clinical subtypes of psoriasis including the uncommon pustular variants, which are subdivided into generalized and localized forms. Generalized forms of pustular psoriasis include acute generalized pustular psoriasis, pustular psoriasis of pregnancy, and infantile and juvenile pustular psoriasis. Localized forms include acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau and palmoplantar pustular psoriasis. These subtypes vary in their presentations, but all have similar histopathologic characteristics. The immunopathogenesis of each entity remains to be fully elucidated and some debate exists as to whether these inflammatory pustular dermatoses should be classified as entities distinct from psoriasis vulgaris. Due to the rarity of these conditions and the questionable link to the common, plaque-type psoriasis, numerous therapies have shown variable results and most entities remain difficult to treat. With increasing knowledge of the pathogenesis of these variants of pustular psoriasis, the development and use of biologic and other immunomodulatory therapies holds promise for the future of successfully treating pustular variants of psoriasis. PMID:29387600

[Psoriasis complicated with severe mutilating psoriatic osteoarthropathy. Clinical case and review of the literature].

PubMed

Iannello, S; Camuto, M; Cavaleri, A; Fagone, S; Belfiore, F

2000-09-01

Aim of this paper is to discuss, on the basis of an extensive critical review of the recent literature, the case of a 56-yr-old male patient who suffered from cutaneous psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis mutilans (PA) (polyarticular, symmetric, destruent and erosive) with involvement of the hands, feet and spine, associated with android obesity and mild type 2 diabetes mellitus. HLA typing of the patient showed the HLA-A3-Ax, B14-B63 and Cw4-Cw6 haplotypes, some of which are associated or correlated with susceptibility to PA. Cutaneous psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory dermatitis, with onset at any age and affecting approximately 2% of the western populations. In 5-7% of patients, it is associated with articular manifestations or true arthritis. PA is a chronic, inflammatory, seronegative arthropathy which may develop in some psoriasis patients, may involve peripheral and axial (spondarthritis) joints and may lead to severe joint destruction. Genetic, immunologic and environmental (i.e., infectious agents or trauma) factors seem to play an important role in the onset and clinical appearance of PA. Although PA is a clinically monomorphic disease, it may show different heterogenous subgroups with differences in their etiopathogenesis. When PA is suspected, it is mandatory to analyze carefully the patient's familiar history, search attentively for the specific skin features, exclude a septic arthritis (especially if the involvement is monoarticular) and, in the cases of fulminant disease, consider always the possible coexistence of an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. PA can occasionally be an aggressive, disfigurating and disabling disease and the treatment (incisive and precocious) should be similar to that for rheumatoid arthritis. At present, a definitive therapy does not yet exist, but the majority of PA patients can lead a fairly normal life and they do not show increased mortality rates (excluding the severe cases of erythrodermic or pustulosis psoriasis

Intramedullary nailing of humeral shaft fractures.

PubMed

Pickering, Robert M; Crenshaw, Andrew H; Zinar, Daniel M

2002-01-01

The development of interlocking humeral nail systems has greatly broadened the indications for nailing of humeral shaft fracture. Rotational control is better than with earlier nail systems, and most nails have an oblong distal hole that allows axial loading of the fracture site with muscle contraction. When nailing is done with closed technique, loss of the fracture hematoma and periosteal stripping are avoided. Even when open reduction is required, periosteal stripping can be kept to a minimum. Surgical wounds are smaller, even when open reduction is necessary, and when closed nailing is done, bone grafting is unnecessary. Intramedullary nails are ideal for segmental fractures, pathologic fractures, and fractures in osteopenic bone. Because the arm usually is not a weight-bearing extremity, hardware failure is rare and union rates are equivalent to those of compression plate and screw fixation. Compression plates and external fixation certainly have their place for some fracture patterns and for severe wounds that are unsuitable for intramedullary nailing. The surgeon should be well versed in all three techniques and should be able to rapidly choose among these, depending upon the fracture pattern, skin wound, associated injuries, and overall condition of the patient.

A smartphone application for psoriasis segmentation and classification (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasefi, Fartash; MacKinnon, Nicholas B.; Horita, Timothy; Shi, Kevin; Khan Munia, Tamanna Tabassum; Tavakolian, Kouhyar; Alhashim, Minhal; Fazel-Rezai, Reza

2017-02-01

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease affecting approximately 125 million people worldwide. Currently, dermatologists monitor changes of psoriasis by clinical evaluation or by measuring psoriasis severity scores over time which lead to Subjective management of this condition. The goal of this paper is to develop a reliable assessment system to quantitatively assess the changes of erythema and intensity of scaling of psoriatic lesions. A smartphone deployable mobile application is presented that uses the smartphone camera and cloud-based image processing to analyze physiological characteristics of psoriasis lesions, identify the type and stage of the scaling and erythema. The application targets to automatically evaluate Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) by measuring the severity and extent of psoriasis. The mobile application performs the following core functions: 1) it captures text information from user input to create a profile in a HIPAA compliant database. 2) It captures an image of the skin with psoriasis as well as image-related information entered by the user. 3) The application color correct the image based on environmental lighting condition using calibration process including calibration procedure by capturing Macbeth ColorChecker image. 4) The color-corrected image will be transmitted to a cloud-based engine for image processing. In cloud, first, the algorithm removes the non-skin background to ensure the psoriasis segmentation is only applied to the skin regions. Then, the psoriasis segmentation algorithm estimates the erythema and scaling boundary regions of lesion. We analyzed 10 images of psoriasis images captured by cellphone, determined PASI score for each subject during our pilot study, and correlated it with changes in severity scores given by dermatologists. The success of this work allows smartphone application for psoriasis severity assessment in a long-term treatment.

Cost-of-illness in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis: a cross-sectional survey in Hungarian dermatological centres.

PubMed

Balogh, Orsolya; Brodszky, Valentin; Gulácsi, László; Herédi, Emese; Herszényi, Krisztina; Jókai, Hajnalka; Kárpáti, Sarolta; Baji, Petra; Remenyik, Éva; Szegedi, Andrea; Holló, Péter

2014-05-01

Despite the widespread availability of biological drugs in psoriasis, there is a shortage of disease burden studies. To assess the cost-of-illness and quality of life of patients with moderate to severe psoriasis in Hungary. Consecutive patients with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) > 10 and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) > 10, or treated with traditional systemic (TST) or biological systemic treatment (BST) were included. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, psoriasis related medication, health care utilizations and employment status in the previous 12 months were recorded. Costing was performed from the societal perspective applying the human capital approach. Quality of life was assessed using DLQI and EQ-5D measures. Two-hundred patients were involved (females 32%) with a mean age of 51 (SD 13) years, 103 (52%) patients were on BST. Mean PASI, DLQI and EQ-5D scores were 8 (SD 10), 6 (SD 7) and 0.69 (SD 0.3), respectively. The mean total cost was €9,254/patient/year (SD 8,502) with direct costs accounting for 86%. The main cost driver was BST (mean €7,339/patient/year). Total costs differed significantly across treatment subgroups, mean (SD): no systemic therapy €2,186 (4,165), TST €2,388 (4,106) and BST €15,790 (6,016) (p < 0,001). Patients with BST had better PASI and DLQI scores (p < 0.01) than the other two subgroups. Patients with biological treatment have a significantly better quality of life and higher total costs than patients with or without traditional systemic treatment. Our study is the largest in Europe and the first in the CEE region that provides cost-of-illness data in psoriasis involving patients with BST.

Secukinumab is Efficacious and Safe in Hispanic Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis: Pooled Analysis of Four Phase 3 Trials.

PubMed

Adsit, Sandra; Zaldivar, Enrique Rivas; Sofen, Howard; Dei-Cas, Ignacio; Maldonado-García, César; Peñaranda, Elkin O; Puig, Luís; Meng, Xiangyi; Fox, Todd; Guana, Adriana

2017-06-01

There is little evidence available on the efficacy and safety of biologic therapies for the treatment of psoriasis in Hispanic patients. Secukinumab is demonstrated to be highly effective for clearing psoriasis. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of secukinumab in Hispanic and non-Hispanic patients. Data were pooled from four phase 3 studies of secukinumab in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Patients who self-identified as Hispanic were included in the Hispanic subgroup. Efficacy responses (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index [PASI] 75/90/100 and Investigator's Global Assessment 2011 modified version 0/1) for secukinumab 300 mg were greater than for etanercept at week 12 in the Hispanic and non-Hispanic patient subgroups. At week 12 with secukinumab 300 mg, PASI 90/100 responses were achieved by 70.6%/35.9% of Hispanic patients and 58.0%/28.1% of non-Hispanic patients. At week 12 with secukinumab 150 mg, PASI 90/100 responses were achieved by 59.5%/25.1% of Hispanic patients and 41.2%/13.4% of non-Hispanic patients. In both subgroups, peak efficacy responses with secukinumab were observed at week 16 and were maintained to week 52. Secukinumab is highly effective for clearing psoriasis in both Hispanic and non-Hispanic patients. Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation.

Nail Damage (Severe Onychodystrophy) Induced by Acrylate Glue: Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Investigations

PubMed Central

Pinteala, Tudor; Chiriac, Anca Eduard; Rosca, Irina; Larese Filon, Francesca; Pinteala, Mariana; Chiriac, Anca; Podoleanu, Cristian; Stolnicu, Simona; Coros, Marius Florin; Coroaba, Adina

2017-01-01

Background Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques have been used in various fields of medical research, including different pathologies of the nails; however, no studies have focused on obtaining high-resolution microscopic images and elemental analysis of disorders caused by synthetic nails and acrylic adhesives. Methods Damaged/injured fingernails caused by the use of acrylate glue and synthetic nails were investigated using SEM and EDX methods. Results SEM and EDX proved that synthetic nails, acrylic glue, and nails damaged by contact with acrylate glue have a different morphology and different composition compared to healthy human nails. Conclusions SEM and EDX analysis can give useful information about the aspects of topography (surface sample), morphology (shape and size), hardness or reflectivity, and the elemental composition of nails. PMID:28232921

Sustained response with ixekizumab treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis with scalp involvement: results from three phase 3 trials (UNCOVER-1, UNCOVER-2, UNCOVER-3).

PubMed

Reich, Kristian; Leonardi, Craig; Lebwohl, Mark; Kerdel, Francisco; Okubo, Yukari; Romiti, Ricardo; Goldblum, Orin; Dennehy, Ellen B; Kerr, Lisa; Sofen, Howard

2017-06-01

Scalp is a frequently affected and difficult-to-treat area in psoriasis patients. We assessed the efficacy of ixekizumab in the treatment of patients with scalp psoriasis over 60 weeks using the Psoriasis Scalp Severity Index (PSSI). In three Phase 3, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis in UNCOVER-1 (N = 1296), UNCOVER-2 (N = 1224) and UNCOVER-3 (N = 1346) were randomized to subcutaneous 80 mg ixekizumab every two weeks (Q2W) or every four weeks (Q4W) after a 160 mg starting dose, or placebo through Week 12. Additional UNCOVER-2 and UNCOVER-3 cohorts were randomized to 50 mg bi-weekly etanercept through Week 12. Patients entering the open-label long-term extension (LTE) (UNCOVER-3) received ixekizumab Q4W; UNCOVER-1 and UNCOVER-2 included a blinded maintenance period in which static physician global assessment (sPGA) 0/1 responders were re-randomized to placebo, ixekizumab Q4W, or 80 mg ixekizumab every 12 weeks (Q12W) through Week 60. In patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis with baseline scalp involvement, PSSI 90 and 100 were achieved at Week 12 in higher percentages of patients treated with ixekizumab Q2W (81.7% and 74.6%) or ixekizumab Q4W (75.6% and 68.9%) compared with patients treated with placebo (7.6% and 6.7%; p < .001 each ixekizumab arm versus placebo) or etanercept (55.5% and 48.1%; p < .001 each ixekizumab arm versus etanercept). These outcomes were maintained through Week 60 of the maintenance (UNCOVER-1 and UNCOVER-2) and LTE (UNCOVER-3) period in patients who continued on ixekizumab Q4W. Ixekizumab was efficacious in treating scalp psoriasis in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, with most patients achieving complete or near-complete resolution of scalp psoriasis and maintaining this response over 60 weeks.

Childhood and adulthood traumatic experiences in patients with psoriasis.

PubMed

Simonić, Edita; Kaštelan, Marija; Peternel, Sandra; Pernar, Mirjana; Brajac, Ines; Rončević-Gržeta, Ika; Kardum, Igor

2010-09-01

It is well known that several psychiatric disorders may be related to childhood psychological trauma. Recent studies have associated childhood exposure to trauma to some skin diseases. Our study aimed at exploring whether psoriasis is related to the reported positive and negative traumatic life events in different age intervals beginning from early childhood to adulthood. Furthermore, we investigated differences between psoriatics with early and late onset according to traumatic experiences in different age intervals. Also, we investigated the possible correlation of traumatic experiences with the disease severity. One hundred patients with psoriasis and 101 controls (patients with skin conditions considered to be "non-psychosomatic") were enrolled in the study. All participants completed a specific questionnaire measuring traumatic life experiences (Traumatic Antecedents Questionnaire, TAQ). The TAQ assesses positive personal experiences (competence and safety) and negative personal experiences (neglect, separation, secrets, emotional, physical and sexual abuse, trauma witnessing, other traumas and exposure to alcohol/drugs) from early childhood to adulthood. The severity of psoriasis was estimated according to the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), a standardized measuring instrument. The amount of positive experiences did not differ significantly among groups, except for safety scores that were higher in controls compared with both psoriatic groups (early and late onset). On the other side, negative traumatic experiences appeared more frequently in patients with psoriasis during all developmental periods. We found no correlation between severity of psoriasis and traumatic experiences. The present study demonstrates an increased history of childhood and adulthood negative traumatic experiences in patients with psoriasis compared to the control group. Our findings suggest a relationship between retrospectively reported negative traumatic experiences and

The use of intramedullary nails in tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis.

PubMed

Thomas, Ruth L; Sathe, Vinayak; Habib, Syed I

2012-01-01

Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis is a salvage procedure undertaken for hindfoot problems that affect both the ankle and subtalar joints (eg, two-joint arthritis, severe acute trauma, osteonecrosis of the talus, severe malalignment deformities, significant hindfoot bone loss). Methods of achieving fusion include Steinmann pins, screws, plates, external fixators, and retrograde intramedullary nailing. Retrograde intramedullary nailing provides a load-sharing fixation device with superior biomechanical properties and is an excellent choice for use in tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis. This technique can be performed through relatively small incisions. In addition, recent design modifications include the availability of dynamization and the choice of curved or straight nails. Contraindications to the technique include the presence of infection, severe vascular disease, and severe malalignment of the tibia.

Psoriasis Diet: Can Changing Your Diet Treat Psoriasis?

MedlinePlus

... my diet treat psoriasis? Answers from Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D. Although there's no special psoriasis diet, ... or rule out this condition. With Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D. Diet and nutrition. National Psoriasis Foundation. ...

Dietary Recommendations for Adults With Psoriasis or Psoriatic Arthritis From the Medical Board of the National Psoriasis Foundation: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Ford, Adam R; Siegel, Michael; Bagel, Jerry; Cordoro, Kelly M; Garg, Amit; Gottlieb, Alice; Green, Lawrence J; Gudjonsson, Johann E; Koo, John; Lebwohl, Mark; Liao, Wilson; Mandelin, Arthur M; Markenson, Joseph A; Mehta, Nehal; Merola, Joseph F; Prussick, Ronald; Ryan, Caitriona; Schwartzman, Sergio; Siegel, Evan L; Van Voorhees, Abby S; Wu, Jashin J; Armstrong, April W

2018-06-20

Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease and has significant associated morbidity and effect on quality of life. It is important to determine whether dietary interventions help reduce disease severity in patients with psoriatic diseases. To make evidence-based dietary recommendations for adults with psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis from the Medical Board of the National Psoriasis Foundation. We used literature from prior systematic reviews as well as additional primary literature from the MEDLINE database from January 1, 2014, to August 31, 2017, that evaluated the impact of diet on psoriasis. We included observational and interventional studies of patients with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for observational studies and the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for interventional studies. We made evidence-based dietary recommendations, which were voted on by the National Psoriasis Foundation Medical Board. We identified 55 studies meeting the inclusion criteria for this review. These studies represent 77 557 unique participants of which 4534 have psoriasis. Based on the literature, we strongly recommend dietary weight reduction with a hypocaloric diet in overweight and obese patients with psoriasis. We weakly recommend a gluten-free diet only in patients who test positive for serologic markers of gluten sensitivity. Based on low-quality data, select foods, nutrients, and dietary patterns may affect psoriasis. For patients with psoriatic arthritis, we weakly recommend vitamin D supplementation and dietary weight reduction with a hypocaloric diet in overweight and obese patients. Dietary interventions should always be used in conjunction with standard medical therapies for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Adults with psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis can supplement their standard medical therapies with dietary interventions to reduce disease severity. These dietary

Nationwide population-based study of cause-specific death rates in patients with psoriasis.

PubMed

Salahadeen, E; Torp-Pedersen, C; Gislason, G; Hansen, P R; Ahlehoff, O

2015-05-01

Psoriasis is a common chronic disease, mediated by type 1 and 17 helper T cell-driven inflammation. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated a wide range of comorbidities and increased mortality rates. However, the current evidence on psoriasis-related mortality is limited and nationwide data have not been presented previously. In a nationwide population-based cohort we evaluated all-cause and cause-specific death rates in patients with psoriasis as compared to the general population. The entire Danish population aged 18 and above, corresponding to a total of 5,458,627 individuals (50.7% female, 40.9 years ± 19.7), including 94,069 with mild psoriasis (53% female, 42.0 ± 17.0 years) and 28,253 with severe psoriasis (53.4% female, 43.0 ± 16.5 years), was included. A total of 884,661 deaths were recorded, including 10 916 in patients with mild psoriasis and 3699 in patients with severe psoriasis. The age at time of death varied by psoriasis status, i.e. 76.5 ± 14.0, 74.4 ± 12.8 and 72.0 ± 13.4 years, for the general population, mild psoriasis and severe psoriasis respectively. In general, the highest death rates were observed in patients with severe psoriasis. Overall death rates per 1000 patient years were 13.8 [confidence interval (CI) 13.8-13.8], 17.0 (CI 16.7-17.3) and 25.4 (CI 24.6-26.3) for the general population, patients with mild psoriasis and patients with severe psoriasis respectively. This nationwide population-based study of cause-specific death rates in patients with psoriasis demonstrated reduced lifespan and increased rates of all examined specific causes of death in patients with psoriasis compared to the general population. © 2014 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Psoriasis - resources

MedlinePlus

Resources - psoriasis ... The following organizations are good resources for information about psoriasis : American Academy of Dermatology -- www.aad.org/skin-conditions/dermatology-a-to-z/psoriasis National Institute of ...

Significant sE-Selectin levels reduction after 6 months of anti-TNF-α therapy in non-diabetic patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis.

PubMed

Genre, Fernanda; Armesto, Susana; Corrales, Alfonso; López-Mejías, Raquel; Remuzgo-Martínez, Sara; Pina, Trinitario; Ubilla, Begoña; Mijares, Verónica; Martín-Varillas, José Luis; Rueda-Gotor, Javier; Portilla, Virginia; Dierssen-Sotos, Trinidad; González-López, Marcos Antonio; González-Vela, María Del Carmen; Blanco, Ricardo; Llorca, Javier; Hernández, José Luis; González-Gay, Miguel Ángel

2017-12-01

Psoriasis patients have high risk of atherosclerosis, characterized by endothelial dysfunction. We aimed to study the association of the endothelial activation biomarkers monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), soluble (s) E-selectin and P-selectin with disease activity and severity in psoriasis patients treated with anti-TNF-α therapy. Also, to evaluate the relationship of metabolic syndrome features with these biomarkers and the effect of anti-TNF-α therapy on these molecules. Twenty-nine consecutive non-diabetic patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis who underwent 6 months of anti-TNF-α-adalimumab therapy were studied. Metabolic and clinical evaluation was performed prior to anti-TNF-α treatment (time 0) and 6 months later. MCP-1, sE-selectin and sP-selectin serum levels were determined by ELISA. Dyslipidemic and obese patients showed higher MCP-1 levels at month 6 from the onset of anti-TNF-α therapy (p = .05 and .01, respectively). sE-selectin positively correlated with pro-inflammatory molecules such as asymmetric dimethylarginine, sP-selectin and resistin at baseline and month 6 (p < .05). sE-selectin levels significantly reduced after 6 months of therapy (p = .0006). Metabolic syndrome features are associated with endothelial activation in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Adalimumab therapy led to a reduction in sE-selectin levels, supporting the beneficial effect of anti-TNF-α therapy on mechanisms associated with the development of atherosclerosis in psoriasis.

Update on nail cosmetics.

PubMed

Jefferson, Julie; Rich, Phoebe

2012-01-01

Nail cosmetics are used by millions of people worldwide who desire smooth, lustrous nails. The nail cosmetic industry continues to expand to meet increasing consumer demand. In 2011 alone, consumers spent $6.6 billion on nail salon services. Although nail cosmetics are relatively safe, poor application techniques can promote disease, deformity, and allergic and irritant contact dermatitis. The foundation for managing nail cosmetic problems is prevention through education. Familiarity with the procedures and materials used in the nail cosmetic industry is necessary in order to recommend safe nail care strategies. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Tofacitinib versus etanercept or placebo in patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis: patient-reported outcomes from a Phase 3 study.

PubMed

Valenzuela, F; Paul, C; Mallbris, L; Tan, H; Papacharalambous, J; Valdez, H; Mamolo, C

2016-10-01

Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor that is being investigated for psoriasis. Psoriasis impacts on physical and psychological well-being; improvements in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) with etanercept in psoriasis are well documented. To evaluate HRQoL with tofacitinib, vs. placebo or etanercept, in the Phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled, non-inferiority, Oral-treatment Psoriasis Trial (OPT) Compare Study (NCT01241591). Adults with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis were randomized 3:3:3:1 to tofacitinib 10 or 5 mg twice daily (BID), etanercept 50 mg twice weekly or placebo, for 12 weeks. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) included Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Itch Severity Item and Patient Global Assessment of psoriasis. At baseline, 83.4% (911/1092) of patients had a DLQI score ranging between 6 and 30, indicating a substantial burden of disease. By Week 12, 47.3%, 43.6% and 30.9% of patients in the tofacitinib 10 mg BID, etanercept and tofacitinib 5 mg BID groups, respectively, had a DLQI score of 0 or 1 (no effect of psoriasis on QoL) vs. 7.8% for placebo (all P < 0.0001). Tofacitinib significantly reduced itch vs. placebo (P < 0.05 both doses) and etanercept (P < 0.0001 both doses) within 1 day of starting treatment. Furthermore, reductions in itch were greater with tofacitinib 10 mg BID, vs. etanercept, at Weeks 2-12 (all time points P < 0.05). At Week 2, an Itch Severity Item score of 'little or no itch' was more frequent with tofacitinib 10 mg (68.6%) vs. etanercept (57.4%) and placebo (12.2%), and the PtGA response rate was significantly greater with tofacitinib 10 mg vs. placebo (P < 0.05). Oral tofacitinib provided significant improvements across multiple PROs by Week 12. Improvements with tofacitinib 10 mg BID were comparable to etanercept, and improvements in itch were greater and more rapid with tofacitinib 10 mg BID. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology published

Impact of training on concordance among rheumatologists and dermatologists in the assessment of patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

PubMed

Salvarani, Carlo; Girolomoni, Giampiero; Di Lernia, Vito; Gisondi, Paolo; Tripepi, Giovanni; Egan, Colin Gerard; Marchesoni, Antonio

2016-12-01

To evaluate the impact of training on the reliability among dermatologists and rheumatologists in the assessment of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients. Overall, 9 hospital-based rheumatologists and 8 hospital-based dermatologists met in Reggio Emilia, Italy on October 2015 to assess 17 PsA patients. After 1 month, physicians underwent a 3-h training session by 4 recognized experts and then assessed 19 different PsA patients according to a modified Latin square design. Measures included tender (TJC) and swollen joint count (SJC), dactylitis, enthesitis, Schober test, psoriasis body surface area (BSA), Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI), and static physician's global assessment of PsA disease activity (sPGA). Variance components analyses were performed to estimate the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). TJC and enthesitis-measured pre-training by dermatologists or rheumatologists revealed moderate-substantial agreement (ICC: 0.4-0.8). In contrast, SJC and Schober test showed fair (ICC: 0.2-0.4) and moderate agreement, respectively (ICC: 0.4-0.6), while poor agreement (ICC: 0-0.2) was represented by dactylitis. Moderate-substantial (ICC: 0.4-0.8) agreement was observed for most skin measures by dermatologists and rheumatologists, apart from BSA, where fair agreement (ICC: 0.2-0.4) was observed. Agreement levels were similar before and after training for arthritis measures. In contrast, levels of agreement after training for 3 of the 4 skin measures were increased for dermatologists and all 4 skin measures were increased for rheumatologists. Substantial to excellent agreement was observed for TJC, enthesitis, PASI, and sPGA. Rheumatologists benefited from training to a greater extent. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physics of nail conditions: why do ingrown nails always happen in the big toes?

PubMed

Rauch, Cyril; Cherkaoui-Rbati, Mohammed

2014-10-16

Although surgical treatment of nail conditions can be traced back centuries to the writings of Paul Aegineta (625-690 AC), little is known about the physical laws governing nail growth. Such a poor understanding together with the increasing number of nail salons in the high street should raise legitimate concerns regarding the different procedures applied to nails. An understanding of the physics of nail growth is therefore essential to engage with human medicine and to understand the aetiology of nail conditions. In this context, a theory of nail plate adhesion, including a physical description of nail growth can be used to determine the transverse and longitudinal curvatures of the nail plate that are so important in the physical diagnosis of some nail conditions. As a result physics sheds light on: (a) why/how nails/hooves adhere strongly, yet grow smoothly; (b) why hoof/claw/nail growth rates are similar across species; (c) potential nail damage incurred by poor trimming; (d) the connection between three previously unrelated nail conditions, i.e. spoon-shaped, pincer and ingrown nails and; last but not least, (e) why ingrown nails occur preferentially in the big toes.

Safety and Efficacy of a Halobetasol/Tazarotene Fixed Combination in the Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis: Results of two Phase 3 randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Gold, Linda Stein; Lebwohl, Mark G; Sugarman, Jeffrey L; Pariser, David M; Lin, Tina; Martin, Gina; Pillai, Radhakrishnan; Israel, Robert; Ramakrishna, Tage

2018-03-31

Topical corticosteroids are the mainstay of psoriasis treatment; long-term safety concerns limit use. Combination with tazarotene may optimize efficacy, minimizing safety/tolerability concerns, In patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis treated with HP/TAZ lotion, improvement is noted within 2 weeks with few adverse effects observed after 8 weeks., HP/TAZ lotion may provide a realistic topical option for psoriasis management. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Balneotherapy in Psoriasis Rehabilitation

PubMed Central

PÉTER, IVÁN; JAGICZA, ANNA; AJTAY, ZÉNÓ; BONCZ, IMRE; KISS, ISTVÁN; SZENDI, KATALIN; KUSTÁN, PÉTER; NÉMETH, BALÁZS

2017-01-01

Background/Aim: This study aimed to report a balneotherapy-based psoriasis rehabilitation protocol and assess its effectivity. Patients and Methods: Eighty psoriatic patients who underwent a 3-week-long inward balneotherapy-based rehabilitation were enrolled. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined on admission and before discharge. Results: The mean PASI score and CRP level –determined on admission and before discharge– decreased significantly after the 3-week-long rehabilitation 7.15±7.3 vs. 2.62±3.05 (p<0.001) and 4.1±3.8 vs. 3.5±3.1 (p=0.026). A negative correlation was found between PASI delta and the number of spa therapies received (r=–0.228). Conclusion: After completing the 3-week-long spa therapy based rehabilitation, both PASI score and CRP levels showed improvement of psoriasis. The complex spa therapy used during the rehabilitation is an effective tool to reduce the symptoms of psoriasis and improve the patient’s well-being. PMID:29102940

Balneotherapy in Psoriasis Rehabilitation.

PubMed

Péter, Iván; Jagicza, Anna; Ajtay, Zénó; Boncz, Imre; Kiss, István; Szendi, Katalin; Kustán, Péter; Németh, Balázs

2017-01-01

This study aimed to report a balneotherapy-based psoriasis rehabilitation protocol and assess its effectivity. Eighty psoriatic patients who underwent a 3-week-long inward balneotherapy-based rehabilitation were enrolled. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined on admission and before discharge. The mean PASI score and CRP level -determined on admission and before discharge-decreased significantly after the 3-week-long rehabilitation 7.15±7.3 vs. 2.62±3.05 (p<0.001) and 4.1±3.8 vs. 3.5±3.1 (p=0.026). A negative correlation was found between PASI delta and the number of spa therapies received (r=-0.228). After completing the 3-week-long spa therapy based rehabilitation, both PASI score and CRP levels showed improvement of psoriasis. The complex spa therapy used during the rehabilitation is an effective tool to reduce the symptoms of psoriasis and improve the patient's well-being. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

What is Psoriasis? | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

MedlinePlus

... Sometimes psoriasis will appear after a cut, scratch, sunburn, or an infection. How Does Psoriasis Affect Quality ... the skin may be a reaction to severe sunburn or to taking cortisone or other medicines. It ...

[A favourable outcome in yellow nail syndrome: role of respiratory physiotherapy].

PubMed

Fournier, C; Just, N; Leroy, S; Wallaert, B

2003-12-01

The yellow nail syndrome is a rare condition that is easily diagnosed but the nail manifestations are poorly understood. A 51 year old patient presented with a chronic cough. The diagnosis was based on the typical appearance of the nails. The patient had bilateral basal bronchiectasis. Daily physiotherapy with bronchial drainage lead to a progressive improvement in the respiratory symptoms without recourse to antibiotics. Surprisingly the abnormalities of the nails disappeared after 2 years treatment. This observation illustrates the possibility of spontaneous resolution of severe nail abnormalities during the course of the yellow nail syndrome.

Serum irisin levels in patients with psoriasis.

PubMed

Baran, Anna; Myśliwiec, Hanna; Kiluk, Paulina; Świderska, Magdalena; Flisiak, Iwona

2017-06-01

Irisin has been proposed to regulate metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes or metabolic syndrome which are common comorbidities in psoriasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum irisin level in psoriasis and elucidate possible associations with disease activity, inflammatory or metabolic parameters and topical treatment. Thirty-seven individuals with active plaque-type psoriasis and 15 healthy controls were enrolled. Blood samples were collected before and after two weeks of therapy. Serum irisin concentrations were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results were correlated with psoriasis area and severity index (PASI), body mass index (BMI), inflammatory and biochemical markers, lipid profile and effectiveness of topical treatment. Irisin serum levels were insignificantly increased in psoriatic patients in comparison to the controls (p = 0.38). No significant correlations between investigated adipokine and several indicators of metabolic disorders, nor BMI (p = 0.37) or PASI (p = 0.5) were found. Significant positive correlations with C-reactive protein (CRP) (0.009), lipocalin-2 (p = 0.02), age (p = 0.02) and disease duration (p = 0.008) were noted. After topical treatment, serum irisin level did not significantly change (p = 0.31), despite clinical improvement. Irisin might be a marker of inflammation in psoriatic patients, but may not be a reliable indicator of metabolic conditions, severity of psoriasis nor efficacy of antipsoriatic treatment.

Lasers for the treatment of psoriasis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piruzian, A.; Korsunskaya, I.; Goldenkova, I.; Hertsen, A.; Sarkisova, M.; Egorenkova, L.

2005-08-01

Psoriasis is a chronic, genetically-determined disease, characterized by an immuno-mediated pathogenesis. Treatment of psoriasis is often complicated and remains a challenge. Along with the many new immunomodulatory approaches, various laser systems have been employed for chronic plaque psoriasis treatment. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the light produced by xenon-chloride excimers (generated by sophisticated devices with peak emission of 308 nm) is effective in the treatment of several psoriasis forms. We treated patients, ranging in age from 35 to 55 years, affected by plaque-type psoriasis vulgaris with monochromatic excimer light (MEL). We used MEL in a complex with basic treatment. Therapy was administered three times a week. At the end of the 3th week of treatment all patients showed an improvement, as evidenced by flattening of plaques, decreased scaling and erythema, and decreased vesicle and pustule formation. Unwanted side effects such as pain, blistering was not observed. Minimal erythema and a hyperpigmentation were noted in some patients. It was concluded that the MEL therapy may be a valuable option for treatment of plaque-type psoriasis vulgaris in shorter time compare with traditional NB UVB, with exposure to lower cumulative doses

Systematic review of interleukin-12, interleukin-17, and interleukin-23 pathway inhibitors for the treatment of moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis: ustekinumab, briakinumab, tildrakizumab, guselkumab, secukinumab, ixekizumab, and brodalumab.

PubMed

Tausend, William; Downing, Christopher; Tyring, Stephen

2014-01-01

Monoclonal antibodies known as biologic agents specifically targeted against interleukin-12 (IL-12), interleukin-17A (IL-17), and interleukin-23 (IL-23) have been the focus of research for moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis in recent years. To discuss the immune-mediated model of psoriasis and to summarize current knowledge of the clinical efficacy and safety of new biologic agents for moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis. The PubMed database was searched for relevant articles on ustekinumab, briakinumab, tildrakizumab (MK-322), guselkumab, secukinumab, ixekizumab, and brodalumab published between January 2005 and July 2013. Fifty-five articles were identified. These studies suggest that the biologic agents specifically targeting IL-12, IL-17, and IL-23 are efficacious and safe in the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis in adults. Current data from clinical trials suggest that biologic agents targeting IL-12, IL-17, and IL-23 are safe and efficacious drugs for use in moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis. Long-term data still need to be established.

Green Nail Syndrome

MedlinePlus

... nail is detached from the nail bed, the waterproof seal formed by the skin on the nail ... should also be noted that wearing tight-fitting shoes for a prolonged time, especially while exercising, is ...

Cost-effectiveness of Secukinumab as First Biologic Treatment, Compared with Other Biologics, for Moderate to Severe Psoriasis in Germany.

PubMed

Augustin, Matthias; McBride, Doreen; Gilloteau, Isabelle; O'Neill, Caitriona; Neidhardt, Katja; Graham, Christopher N

2018-05-05

Secukinumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody that selectively neutralizes interleukin-17A, has demonstrated strong and sustained efficacy in adults with moderate to severe psoriasis in clinical trials. This analysis compared the cost per responder of secukinumab as first biologic treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis, with adalimumab, infliximab, etanercept, and ustekinumab in Germany. A 52-week decision-tree model was developed. Response to treatment was assessed based on the likelihood of achieving a predefined Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) response to separate the cohort into responders (PASI ≥75), partial responders (PASI 50 to 74), and non-responders (PASI <50). Responders at week 16 continued initial treatment, whereas partial responders and non-responders were switched to standard of care, which included methotrexate, cyclosporine, phototherapy, and topical corticosteroids. Sustained response was defined as 16-week response maintained at week 52. A German health care system perspective was adopted. Clinical efficacy data was obtained from a mixed-treatment comparison; 2016 resource unit costs from national sources; and adverse events and discontinuation rates from the literature. We calculated cost per PASI 90 responder over week 16 and week 52, as well as cost per sustained responder between weeks 16 and 52. Secukinumab had the lowest cost per PASI 90 responder over 16 weeks (€18,026) compared with ustekinumab (€18,080), adalimumab (€23,499), infliximab (€29,599), and etanercept (€34,037). Over 52 weeks, costs per PASI 90 responder ranged from €42,409 (secukinumab) to €70,363 (etanercept). Likewise, secukinumab had the lowest cost per sustained 52-week PASI 90 responder (€22,690) compared with other biologic treatments. Sensitivity analyses, excluding patient copayments, showed similar results. First biologic treatment with secukinumab for moderate to severe psoriasis is cost-effective, with lowest cost per responder

Darwinian medicine and psoriasis.

PubMed

Romaní de Gabriel, J

2015-04-01

Darwinian medicine, or evolutionary medicine, regards some pathological conditions as attempts by the organism to solve a problem or develop defense mechanisms. At certain stages of human evolution, some diseases may have conferred a selective advantage. Psoriasis is a high-penetrance multigenic disorder with prevalence among whites of up to 3%. Psoriatic lesions have been linked with enhanced wound-healing qualities and greater capacity to fight infection. Leprosy, tuberculosis, and infections caused by viruses similar to human immunodeficiency virus have been postulated as environmental stressors that may have selected for psoriasis-promoting genes in some human populations. The tendency of patients with severe psoriasis to develop metabolic syndrome may reflect the body's attempt to react to environmental stresses and warning signs by triggering insulin resistance and fat storage. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and AEDV. All rights reserved.

Psoriasis and Cardiovascular Risk: Strength in Numbers Part II

PubMed Central

Gelfand, Joel M.; Mehta, Nehal N.; Langan, Sinéad M.

2012-01-01

Summary The Psoralen plus Ultraviolet-A (PUVA) cohort study has been a tremendous success in determining how a novel treatment (i.e. PUVA) impacts the long-term risk of keratinocyte carcinoma. The ability to follow patients from the initial multi-center clinical trial for over three decades has been a remarkable achievement in dermatoepidemiology. In this issue, Stern and Huibregste report results from the PUVA follow-up study and conclude that only patients with exceptionally severe psoriasis have an increased overall mortality risk and that there is no significant risk of cardiovascular mortality associated with psoriasis. The results are in contrast to a large and growing body of literature that suggests patients with more severe psoriasis have a clinically significant increased risk of mortality in general, and cardiovascular disease in particular. In addition, the authors found no association between severe psoriasis and obesity or between obesity and cardiovascular mortality, despite extensive literature establishing these associations. Basic principles of epidemiological study design may explain these discrepancies. Ultimately, however, , randomized clinical trials will be necessary to determine whether severe psoriasis is in fact a “visible killer”, as four decades ago (after many years of controversy), hypertension was recognized to be a “silent killer”. PMID:21494241

Erectile Dysfunction in Male Adults With Atopic Dermatitis and Psoriasis.

PubMed

Egeberg, Alexander; Hansen, Peter R; Gislason, Gunnar H; Skov, Lone; Thyssen, Jacob P

2017-03-01

Patients with psoriasis have increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but data on atopic dermatitis (AD) are less clear-cut. However, it is well-established that erectile dysfunction (ED) can serve as a risk marker for coronary disease. To investigate the incidence, prevalence, and risk of ED in men with psoriasis and AD. The sample included all Danish men at least 30 years old. In patients with AD and psoriasis, we determined disease severity based on use of systemic therapy. We performed a cross-sectional study (January 1, 2008) using logistic regression to estimate the prevalence and odds ratio of ED. Moreover, in a cohort study design, patients were followed from January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2012, and Cox regression models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios of new-onset ED. Models were adjusted for potential confounding factors, including age, socioeconomic status, health care consumption, smoking, alcohol abuse, diabetes, and cholesterol-lowering drug use. The outcome was initiation of pharmacotherapy used for treatment of ED. The sample consisted of 1,756,679 Danish men (age range = 30-100 years), of which 2,373 and 26,536 had adult AD (mild = 1,072; severe = 1,301) and psoriasis (mild = 21,775; severe = 4,761), respectively. Mean ages (SDs) were 53.0 (14.6), 46.7 (12.0), and 56.3 (13.8) years for the general population, patients with AD, and patients with psoriasis, respectively. Prevalences of ED were 8.7%, 6.7%, and 12.8% for the general population, patients with AD, and patients with psoriasis, respectively. Adjusted odds ratios (logistic regression) of ED were decreased in patients with AD (0.68; 0.57-0.80) but increased in those with psoriasis (1.15; 1.11-1.20). Adjusted odds ratios for mild and severe AD were 0.63 (0.48-0.82) and 0.72 (0.58-0.88), respectively, and those for psoriasis these were 1.16 (1.11-1.21) and 1.13 (1.03-1.23). Adjusted hazard ratios (Cox regression) were 0.92 (0.76-1.11) for AD and 1.14 (1.08-1.20) for

Apremilast for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis: A Critique of the Evidence.

PubMed

Hinde, Sebastian; Wade, Ros; Palmer, Stephen; Woolacott, Nerys; Spackman, Eldon

2016-06-01

As part of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's (NICE) single technology appraisal (STA) process, apremilast was assessed to determine the clinical and cost effectiveness of its use in the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in two patient populations, differentiated by the severity of the patient's Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score. The Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) and the Centre for Health Economics (CHE) Technology Appraisal Group at the University of York was commissioned to act as the evidence review group (ERG). This article provides a summary of the company's submission, the ERG report and NICE's subsequent guidance. In the company's initial submission, a sequence of treatments including apremilast was found to be both more effective and cheaper than a comparator sequence without it in both populations considered. However, this result was found to be highly sensitive to a series of assumptions made by the company, primarily reflecting the costs of best supportive care once no further treatments are available, and the source of utility estimates. A re-estimation of the cost effectiveness of apremilast by the ERG suggested that the apremilast sequence in the two populations was more effective, but due to high additional costs was not indicative of a cost-effective use of NHS resources. As such, in the final appraisal decision NICE concluded that apremilast was not cost effective in either population.

Skin-infiltrating, interleukin-22-producing T cells differentiate pediatric psoriasis from adult psoriasis.

PubMed

Cordoro, Kelly M; Hitraya-Low, Maria; Taravati, Keyon; Sandoval, Priscila Munoz; Kim, Esther; Sugarman, Jeffrey; Pauli, Mariela L; Liao, Wilson; Rosenblum, Michael D

2017-09-01

Evidence from adult psoriasis studies implicates an imbalance between regulatory and effector T cells, particularly T H -17-producing T cells, in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Little is known about the immunopathology of psoriasis in children. We sought to functionally characterize the inflammatory cell profiles of psoriatic plaques from pediatric patients and compare them with healthy, age-matched controls and adult psoriasis patients. Skin samples from pediatric psoriasis patients and healthy controls were analyzed by multiparameter flow cytometry to determine the dominant immune cell subsets present and cytokines produced. Lesional tissue from pediatric psoriasis patients had significantly increased interleukin (IL) 22 derived from CD4 + and CD8 + cells compared with the tissues from healthy pediatric controls and adult psoriasis patients. Tissue from pediatric psoriasis patients had significantly less elevation of IL-17 derived from CD4 + and CD8 + cells compared with the tissue from adult psoriasis patients. In contrast with the lesions from adult patients, lesional skin in pediatric patients with psoriasis did not have increases in regulatory T cells. This is a pilot study, thus the sample size is small. Significant differences in IL-17 and IL-22 expression were observed in the pediatric psoriasis patients compared with pediatric healthy controls and adult psoriasis patients. IL-22 might be relevant in the pathogenesis of pediatric psoriasis and represents a potential treatment target unique to pediatric psoriasis. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Drug induced psoriasis.

PubMed

Milavec-Puretić, Višnja; Mance, Marko; Ceović, Romana; Lipozenčić, Jasna

2011-01-01

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder clinically characterized by erythematous, sharply demarcated papules and rounded plaques covered by silvery micaceous scale. While the exact causes of psoriasis have yet to be discovered, the immune system and genetics are known to play major roles in its development. Many external factors including infections, stress and medications may exacerbate psoriasis. Some of the most common medications know to trigger or worsen existing psoriasis include lithium, gold salts, beta blockers and antimalarials. Exacerbation of psoriasis due to the following medications has also been observed: adrenergic antagonists, interferon, gemfibrozil, iodine, digoxin and chlonidine. Having reviewed a variety of cases, we observed a relationship between certain medications and documented their involvement in exacerbating or inducing psoriasis.

Improvement of depressive symptoms in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis treated with ustekinumab: an open label trial validated using beck depression inventory, Hamilton depression rating scale measures and 18fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET).

PubMed

Kim, Seong-Jang; Park, Min-Young; Pak, Kyoungjune; Han, Junhee; Kim, Gun-Wook; Kim, Hoon-Soo; Ko, Hyun-Chang; Kim, Moon-Bum; Kim, Byung-Soo

2018-05-07

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease associated with psychiatric co-morbidities, especially depression. Early detection of psychological vulnerability in patients with psoriasis seems to be of great clinical importance and significantly impacts the quality of life of the patients. We sought to clarify the association between psoriasis and depressive symptoms in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, and to determine the risk factors for depressive symptoms and analyze the effect of ustekinumab on the symptoms. We also aimed to evaluate the changes in glucose metabolism using 18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). Fifteen patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis scheduled to be treated with ustekinumab were enrolled. At baseline and after achieving a 75% reduction in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score (PASI75), all patients underwent a psychiatric interview and FDG-PET. Fifteen healthy volunteers were enrolled for comparison. Patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis were more depressed than those in the control group were (p < .05). The severity of psoriasis at baseline did not correlate with the depression symptoms. Treatment with ustekinumab significantly reduced the depressive symptoms, as verified using Beck Depression Inventory and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale psychiatric interviews (p < .05). However, FDG-PET of the brain showed no significant difference before and after PASI75 achievement using ustekinumab injection. Patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis are at an increased risk for depressive symptoms, and treatment with ustekinumab may be beneficial. FDG-PET does not reflect the changes in depressive symptoms in such patients.

Oral Candida colonization and candidiasis in patients with psoriasis.

PubMed

Bedair, Ahmad A; Darwazeh, Azmi M G; Al-Aboosi, Mustafa M

2012-11-01

The objective of this study was to investigate oral Candida colonization and candidosis in a group of patients with psoriasis and controls. A total of 100 patients with psoriasis and matched controls underwent the concentrated oral rinse test for Candida isolation. Candida species were identified by the VITEK 2 Identification System. Categorical variables were evaluated using the χ(2) test. The median Candida count was compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. Oral candidiasis was diagnosed in 3% of the patients with psoriasis. The Candida count and prevalence were significantly higher in the patients with psoriasis compared with controls (69% vs 44%, P < .001), but with no relationship to the severity or treatment of psoriasis. Oral Candida was significantly higher in late-onset (at age ≥30 years) compared with early-onset psoriasis (at age <30 years). Patients with psoriasis have increased oral Candida colonization and candidiasis. Further studies are needed to clarify the predisposing factor(s) for oral Candida in patients with psoriasis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Serum VEGFR-3 as a potential biomarker in psoriasis.

PubMed

Hong, Xia; Jiang, Shan; Marmolejo, Nancy; Vangipuram, Ramya; Ramos-Rojas, Elmira; Yuan, Yulin; Lin, Zuan-Tao; Li, Yaxi; Qiu, Jingyi; Xing, Yikun; Haley, Christopher; Tyring, Stephen K; Wu, Tianfu

2018-06-29

To discover novel biomarkers of psoriasis, a target-specific antibody array screening of serum samples from psoriasis patients was initially performed. The results revealed that Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR-3) was significantly elevated in the sera of psoriasis patients, compared to healthy controls. Next, ELISA validation studies in a larger cohort of psoriasis patients (N=73) were conducted which confirmed that serum VEGFR-3 was indeed significantly increased in patients with psoriasis compared to healthy controls (P < 0.001). Furthermore, Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated that serum VEGFR-3 exhibited potential in distinguishing healthy controls from psoriasis patients: Area Under the Curve (AUC) = 0.85, P < 0.001. In addition, serum levels of VEGFR-3 were correlated with Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) scores (R = 0.32, P = 0.008) in psoriasis patients. Interestingly, serum VEGFR-3 levels were significantly elevated in psoriatic arthritis compared to non-psoriatic arthritis (P = 0.026). A pilot longitudinal study demonstrated that serum levels of VEGFR-3 could reflect disease progression in psoriasis. Collectively, serum VEGFR-3 may have a clinical value in monitoring disease activity of psoriasis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Association of Serum Uric Acid Levels in Psoriasis

PubMed Central

Li, Xin; Miao, Xiao; Wang, Hongshen; Wang, Yifei; Li, Fulun; Yang, Qiong; Cui, Rutao; Li, Bin

2016-01-01

Abstract High levels of serum uric acid (SUAC) are frequently detected in patients with psoriasis. However, the relationship between psoriasis and hyperuricemia remains unknown. Here we conducted a meta-analysis to identify the SUAC levels in subjects with psoriasis and to determine whether there is an associated risk between psoriasis and hyperuricemia. A comprehensive search of the literature from January 1980 to November 2014 across 7 databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register, and 4 Chinese databases) was conducted to determine whether there is an associated risk between psoriasis and hyperuricemia. Among the 170 identified reports, 14 observational studies were included in this meta-analysis. We found a significant higher SUAC level (MD 0.68, 95% CI 0.26–1.09; P = 0.002) in patients with psoriasis in Western Europe, but no significant differences were found between the East Asia and India subgroup (MD 1.22, 95% CI –0.13–2.56; P = 0.08) or the Middle East subgroup (MD 0.48, 95% CI –0.49–1.44; P = 0.33). Similar results were obtained from the meta-analysis of SUAC levels in subjects with severe psoriasis. Our meta-analysis showed that the correlation between psoriasis and hyperuricemia was either ethnicity- or region-dependent and that patients with psoriasis in Western Europe were more likely to have hyperuricemia. PMID:27175702

Quality of life and work productivity impairment among psoriasis patients: findings from the National Psoriasis Foundation survey data 2003-2011.

PubMed

Armstrong, April W; Schupp, Clayton; Wu, Julie; Bebo, Bruce

2012-01-01

To ascertain impairment in quality of life and work productivity among patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. From 2003 through 2011, the National Psoriasis Foundation collected survey data from patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis via email and telephone correspondences. Survey data were collected from psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis patients in the general community in the U.S. Quality of life focusing on emotional impact (anger, frustration, helplessness, etc.) and physical impact (pain, pruritus, physical irritation, etc.); employment status. The surveys were performed through random sampling of participants from a database of over 75,000 patients. From 2003 to 2011, 5,604 patients completed the surveys. Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis affected overall emotional wellbeing in 88% of patients, and they interfered with enjoyment of life in 82%. Most patients reported experiencing anger (89%), frustration (89%), helplessness (87%), embarrassment (87%), and self-consciousness (89%). Many patients also actively concealed physical manifestations of their diseases (83%), and experienced pain (83%) and pruritus (93%) regularly. Of note, 12% of patients were unemployed, and 11% worked part-time. Among unemployed patients, 92% cited psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis as the sole reasons for not working. Among working patients, 49% missed work days regularly due to psoriasis. Compared to patients with mild psoriasis, patients with severe psoriasis have 1.8 times greater odds to be unemployed after adjusting for age and gender (Adjusted OR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.4-2.3). Patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis continue to experience significant impairment of quality of life and work productivity.

Understanding the Formidable Nail Barrier: A Review of the Nail Microstructure, Composition and Diseases

PubMed Central

Baswan, Sudhir; Kasting, Gerald B.; Li, S. Kevin; Wickett, Randy; Adams, Brian; Eurich, Sean; Schamper, Ryan

2016-01-01

The topical treatment of nail fungal infections has been a focal point of nail research in the past few decades as it offers a much safer and focused alternative to conventional oral therapy. Although the current focus remains on exploring the ways of enhancing permeation through the formidable nail barrier, the understanding of the nail microstructure and composition is far from complete. This article reviews our current understanding of the nail microstructure, composition and diseases. A few of the parameters affecting the nail permeability and potential causes of the recurrence of fungal nail infection are also discussed. PMID:28098391

Understanding the formidable nail barrier: A review of the nail microstructure, composition and diseases.

PubMed

Baswan, Sudhir; Kasting, Gerald B; Li, S Kevin; Wickett, Randy; Adams, Brian; Eurich, Sean; Schamper, Ryan

2017-05-01

The topical treatment of nail fungal infections has been a focal point of nail research in the past few decades as it offers a much safer and focused alternative to conventional oral therapy. Although the current focus remains on exploring the ways of enhancing permeation through the formidable nail barrier, the understanding of the nail microstructure and composition is far from complete. This article reviews our current understanding of the nail microstructure, composition and diseases. A few of the parameters affecting the nail permeability and potential causes of the recurrence of fungal nail infection are also discussed. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

No association of psoriasis with autoimmune thyroiditis.

PubMed

Vassilatou, E; Papadavid, E; Papastamatakis, P; Alexakos, D; Koumaki, D; Katsimbri, P; Hadjidakis, D; Dimitriadis, G; Rigopoulos, D

2017-01-01

Common autoimmune diseases tend to coexist in the same patients. Few studies have examined the possible association between autoimmune thyroiditis and psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis (PsA), with inconsistent results. To investigate the prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis in psoriatic patients with or without PsA, living in an iodine-sufficient area. We studied prospectively, 114 psoriatic patients with disease duration of 5-38 years, 30 of them with PsA, and 286 age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched subjects without psoriasis or known thyroid disease or autoimmune disease. A detailed medical history was obtained from all participants and clinical examination and laboratory evaluation was performed. Psoriasis severity was assessed with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). Autoimmune thyroiditis was defined by the presence of positive autoantibodies to thyroid peroxidase and/or thyroglobulin. There was no difference in the prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis between psoriatic patients and controls (20.2% vs. 19.6%). The prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis in male and female psoriatic patients was similar (9.6% and 10.5% respectively), in contrast to the increased, as expected, prevalence in female vs. male controls (14.7% vs. 4.9%, P < 0.01). Detected cases with hypothyroidism due to autoimmune thyroiditis were similar in psoriatic patients and controls (7.9% and 7.0% respectively). Autoimmune thyroiditis in psoriatic patients was not related with age of psoriasis onset, psoriasis duration, PASI score, PsA and obesity. These data support that psoriatic patients with or without PsA do not have an increased risk for autoimmune thyroiditis. © 2016 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Heterogeneity in the treatment of moderately severe scalp psoriasis in Scotland - results of a survey of Scottish health professionals.

PubMed

Smith, Douglas R W; Bottomley, Julia M; Auland, Merran; Jackson, Peter; Sharp, Judith

2011-01-01

Scalp psoriasis is a chronic recalcitrant condition. An aging literature for topical treatments used in clinical practice and no treatment guidelines means there is no current gold standard for its management in Scotland. There are no Scottish data on the resources and costs of treatment of the scalp psoriasis patient. Conduct a survey of Scottish healthcare professionals to understand how patients are typically managed to support the development of a model estimating the cost-effectiveness of a new treatment for moderately severe scalp psoriasis in Scotland. Experts from primary and secondary care were invited to participate in an interview programme to collect information on the management of scalp psoriasis in Scotland. This was further informed by Scottish prescribing statistics. Simple descriptive statistics were performed. Forty-three healthcare professionals (33 from primary care and ten in secondary care) completed the survey which illuminated national prescribing statistics. While an overall 72% response rate was achieved, representation from five of 14 Health Boards was not available. There was significant variation in stated patient pathways but some common themes. Most patients were treated initially with coal tar preparations and shampoos, then often progressing to topical potent corticosteroids. There was no consensus on the order patients might receive topicals thereafter although if referred for specialist review they would typically have been treated with three topicals in primary care first. Treatment in secondary care comprised application of topicals available in primary care or alternative preparations with nurse assistance to improve compliance. Phototherapy and systemic agents were not given to patients with scalp psoriasis alone. Study limitations are not considered to impact on the study observations. There was a large variety in first-, second- and third-line agents in primary care in scalp psoriasis although our interview programme and

Metabolic syndrome in patients with psoriasis: A comparative study.

PubMed

Lakshmi, Sristi; Nath, Amiya Kumar; Udayashankar, Carounanidy

2014-04-01

Psoriasis patients are at increased risk of developing the metabolic syndrome (MS). Proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 that are increased in the psoriatic plaques are known to contribute to features of MS such as hypertension, dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. (1) To establish the frequency of MS in patients with psoriasis. (2) To study the risk factors associated with MS in psoriasis. A hospital based comparative study was conducted involving 40 adult patients with psoriasis and 40 age- and sex-matched controls. All participants were evaluated for components of MS. Both groups included 31 males and 9 females. The mean age of the cases and controls were 49.95 years and 49.35 years, respectively. Psoriasis patients with MS had a statistically significant higher mean age (56.31 ± 11.36 years) compared with those without MS (46.89 ± 11.51 years). MS was present in 13 out of 40 (32.5%) patients with psoriasis and 12 out of 40 (30%) controls; this difference was not statistically significant. Higher age and female gender correlated with the presence of MS in psoriasis patients. The presence of MS in psoriasis patients was statistically independent of psoriasis area severity index score, body surface area involvement or psoriatic arthropathy. Our results suggest that there is no close correlation between psoriasis and MS in South Indian patients.

Management of Biologic Therapy in Moderate to Severe Psoriasis in Surgical Patients: Data From the Spanish Biobadaderm Registry.

PubMed

Galiano Mejías, S; Carretero, G; Ferrandiz, C; Vanaclocha, F; Daudén, E; Gómez-García, F J; Herrera-Ceballos, E; Belinchón-Romero, I; Sánchez-Carazo, J L; López-Estebaranz, J L; Alsina, M; Ferrán, M; Torrado, R; Carrascosa, J M; Rivera, R; Llamas-Velasco, M; Jiménez-Puya, R; Mendiola, Mª V; Ruiz-Genao, D; Descalzo, M A; de la Cueva Dobao, P

We now have considerable experience in the use of biologic agents to treat psoriasis, but doubts about management arise in certain clinical settings. Surgery is one of them. Although treatment guidelines advise that biologics be suspended before major surgery, data about actual clinical practices and associated complications are lacking. We aimed to analyze current practice in the clinical management of these cases. Retrospective study of cases in the Biobadaderm database. We analyzed the management of biologic therapy in patients with psoriasis who underwent surgical procedures. Forty-eight of the 2113 patients registered in Biobadaderm underwent surgery. The largest percentage of procedures (31%) involved skin lesions. Biologic treatment was interrupted in 42% of the cases. No postsurgical complications were significantly related to treatment interruption. Likewise we detected no associations between treatment interruption and other variables, such as sex, age, or duration or severity of psoriasis. Continuity of biologic treatment and the risk of postsurgical complications were not associated in this study, although conclusions are limited by the small sample size. Copyright © 2016 AEDV. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Pseudoelastic intramedullary nailing for tibio-talo-calcaneal arthrodesis.

PubMed

Yakacki, Christopher M; Gall, Ken; Dirschl, Douglas R; Pacaccio, Douglas J

2011-03-01

Tibio-talo-calcaneal (TTC) arthrodesis is a procedure to treat severe ankle arthropathy by providing a pain-free and stable fusion. Intramedullary (IM) nails offer a method of internal fixation for TTC arthrodesis by providing compressive stability, as well as shear and torsional rigidity. IM nails have been developed to apply compression to the TTC complex during installation; however, current designs are highly susceptible to a loss of compression when exposed to small amounts of bone resorption and cyclic loading. Nickel titanium (NiTi) is a shape-memory alloy capable of recovering large amounts of deformation via shape-memory or pseudoelasticity. Currently, the next generation of IM nails is being developed to utilize the adaptive, pseudoelastic properties of NiTi and provide a fusion nail that is resistant to loss of compression or loosening. Specifically, the pseudoelastic IM nail contains an internal NiTi compression element that applies sustained compression during the course of fusion, analogous to external fixators. © 2011 Expert Reviews Ltd

The association between psoriasis and health-related quality of life, work productivity, and healthcare resource use in Brazil.

PubMed

DiBonaventura, Marco; Carvalho, André Vicente Esteves de; Souza, Cacilda da Silva; Squiassi, Haline Bianca; Ferreira, Cristina Nunes

2018-03-01

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune mediated inflammatory condition that affects a significant amount of the global population. Yet geographic variability in the consequences of psoriasis warrants region-level analyses. The current study contributes to the psoriasis outcomes literature by offering a comprehensive assessment of the humanistic and economic burden in Brazil. The 2012 Brazil National Health and Wellness Survey (N=12,000) was used to assess health-related quality of life (Short Form-12, version 2), work productivity, and healthcare resource use associated with experiencing psoriasis vs. no psoriasis, along with varying levels of psoriasis severity. A total of 210 respondents reported diagnosis of psoriasis (N=157, 42, and 11 reporting mild, moderate, and severe psoriasis, respectively). Compared with controls, respondents with psoriasis reported diminished mental component summary scores and health utilities, as well as increased presenteeism, activity impairment, and physician visits over the past six months, adjusting for covariates. Among those with psoriasis, physical health decreased as psoriasis severity increased. Although work productivity and healthcare resource utilization did not differ with psoriasis severity, the high rates of productivity loss (e.g. 45.5% presenteeism in the severe psoriasis group) suggest an economic burden. Cost analyses were not performed, and cross-sectional patient-reported data limit causal conclusions and may reflect reporting biases. Nevertheless, these results suggest a significant burden to patients with psoriasis across both humanistic and economic outcomes. The association between psoriasis and mental health aspects and health utilities were particularly strong and exceeded what would be considered clinically meaningful.

In vitro psoriasis models with focus on reconstructed skin models as promising tools in psoriasis research

PubMed Central

Desmet, Eline; Ramadhas, Anesh; Lambert, Jo

2017-01-01

skin or the disease pathology. This work provides a complete overview of the different available in vitro psoriasis models and suggests improvements for future models. Moreover, a focus was given to psoriatic skin equivalent models, as they offer several advantages over the other models, including commercial availability and validity. The potential and reported applicability of these models in psoriasis pre-clinical research is extensively discussed. As such, this work offers a guide to researchers in their choice of pre-clinical psoriasis model depending on their type of research question. PMID:28585891

In vitro psoriasis models with focus on reconstructed skin models as promising tools in psoriasis research.

PubMed

Desmet, Eline; Ramadhas, Anesh; Lambert, Jo; Van Gele, Mireille

2017-06-01

skin or the disease pathology. This work provides a complete overview of the different available in vitro psoriasis models and suggests improvements for future models. Moreover, a focus was given to psoriatic skin equivalent models, as they offer several advantages over the other models, including commercial availability and validity. The potential and reported applicability of these models in psoriasis pre-clinical research is extensively discussed. As such, this work offers a guide to researchers in their choice of pre-clinical psoriasis model depending on their type of research question.

Ixekizumab for Treating Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis: An Evidence Review Group Perspective of a NICE Single Technology Appraisal.

PubMed

Ramaekers, Bram L T; Wolff, Robert F; Pouwels, Xavier; Oosterhoff, Marije; Van Giessen, Anoukh; Worthy, Gill; Noake, Caro; Armstrong, Nigel; Kleijnen, Jos; Joore, Manuela A

2018-02-26

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence invited Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, the company manufacturing ixekizumab (tradename Taltz ® ), to submit evidence for the clinical and cost effectiveness of ixekizumab. Ixekizumab was compared with tumour necrosis factor-α inhibitors (etanercept, infliximab, adalimumab), ustekinumab, secukinumab, best supportive care and, if non-biological treatment or phototherapy is suitable, also compared with systemic non-biological therapies and phototherapy with ultraviolet B radiation for adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Kleijnen Systematic Reviews Ltd, in collaboration with Maastricht University Medical Center, was commissioned as the independent Evidence Review Group. This article presents a summary of the company submission, the Evidence Review Group report and the development of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance for the use of this drug in England and Wales by the Appraisal Committee. The Evidence Review Group produced a critical review of the clinical and cost effectiveness of ixekizumab based on the company submission. The company submission presented three randomised controlled trials identified in a systematic review. All randomised controlled trials were phase III, multicentre placebo-controlled trials including 3866 participants with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Two trials also included an active comparator (etanercept). All randomised controlled trials showed statistically significant increases in two primary outcomes, static Physician Global Assessment (0,1) and improvement of 75% from baseline in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index. Ixekizumab was generally well tolerated in the randomised controlled trials, with similar discontinuation rates because of adverse events as placebo or etanercept. The most frequent adverse events of special interest were infections and injection-site reactions. The company submission also included a network meta-analysis of

A Case-control Study to Evaluate the Prevalence of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Among Patients with Moderate-to-severe Psoriasis.

PubMed

Awosika, Olabola; Eleryan, Misty G; Rengifo-Pardo, Monica; Doherty, Lindsay; Martin, Lisa W; Ehrlich, Alison

2018-06-01

Objective: International case-control studies have demonstrated that psoriasis is associated with an increased prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The purpose of the present study was to establish an association of psoriasis and NAFLD in patients attending a dermatology clinic center in the United States. Design: This was an observational, case-control study. Setting: The study setting was an outpatient dermatology clinic of the George Washington Medical Faculty Associates in Washington DC. Participants: One hundred fifty-one adult patients with psoriasis and 51 control subjects were recruited. Measurements: NAFLD was diagnosed by ultrasonography after excluding secondary causes of liver disease. Regression analysis was used to assess the associations between: 1) NAFLD and psoriasis and 2) metabolic syndrome components and NAFLD among psoriasis patients. Results: NAFLD was more prevalent in patients with psoriasis (21.2% vs. 7.8%, p <0.04). However, psoriasis was not associated with NAFLD when matching for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) (odds ratio: 2.63, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.51-13.6; p =0.25). As compared to patients with psoriasis but without NAFLD, those with NAFLD were more likely to have obesity (BMI: 34.9 vs. 27.2, 95% CI: 32.4-37.5 vs. 25.9-28.5; p <0.01). NAFLD in patients with psoriasis was also associated with select components of metabolic syndrome, including hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. Conclusion: Our findings show there is an association of psoriasis with NAFLD. Our findings also suggest an increased presence of metabolic syndrome components in patients with psoriasis and NAFLD. Trial registry: NCT00930384.

G-231A and G+70C Polymorphisms of Endothelin Receptor Type-A Gene could Affect the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index Score and Endothelin 1 Levels.

PubMed

Okan, Gökhan; Yıldız, Zeynep; Gökdemir, Gonca; Yorulmaz, Eda; Vural, Pervin; Doğru-Abbasoğlu, Semra; Uysal, Müjdat

2015-01-01

The etiopathogenesis of psoriasis has not been clearly elucidated although the role of chronic inflammation, imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and many immunological events have been established. Endothelin 1 (EDN1) and endothelin receptor type-A (EDNRA) are implicated in the inflammatory process. The relationships between EDN1 and EDNRA polymorphisms with several diseases have been found. This study examined the possible association of EDN1 (G5665T and T-1370G) and EDNRA (G-231A and G + 70C) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with the occurence of psoriasis, and evaluated the relationship between genotypes and clinical/laboratory manifestation of psoriasis. We analyzed genotype and allele distributions of the above-mentioned polymorphisms in 151 patients with psoriasis and 152 healthy controls by real-time PCR combined with melting curve analysis. We did not find significant differences in the genotype and allele distributions of EDN1 T-1370G, EDNRA G-231A, and EDNRA G+70C polymorphisms between patients with psoriasis and healthy controls. Psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score of EDNRA -231 polymorphic A allele carrying subjects (AA and AA + AG) was higher than that of wild homozygotes (P = 0.044 and P = 0.027, respectively). In addition, EDN1 levels in EDNRA+70 polymorphic C allele carriers (CC + CG) were elevated when compared with GG genotype; however, the difference was at borderline significance (P = 0.05). Although there were no associations between studied polymorphisms and psoriasis susceptibility, the PASI score and EDN1 levels seem to be affected by EDNRA G-231A and G + 70C polymorphisms.

Quality of Life and Work Productivity Impairment among Psoriasis Patients: Findings from the National Psoriasis Foundation Survey Data 2003–2011

PubMed Central

Armstrong, April W.; Schupp, Clayton; Wu, Julie; Bebo, Bruce

2012-01-01

Objective To ascertain impairment in quality of life and work productivity among patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Design From 2003 through 2011, the National Psoriasis Foundation collected survey data from patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis via email and telephone correspondences. Setting Survey data were collected from psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis patients in the general community in the U.S. Main Outcome Measures Quality of life focusing on emotional impact (anger, frustration, helplessness, etc.) and physical impact (pain, pruritus, physical irritation, etc.); employment status. Patients The surveys were performed through random sampling of participants from a database of over 75,000 patients. Results From 2003 to 2011, 5,604 patients completed the surveys. Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis affected overall emotional wellbeing in 88% of patients, and they interfered with enjoyment of life in 82%. Most patients reported experiencing anger (89%), frustration (89%), helplessness (87%), embarrassment (87%), and self-consciousness (89%). Many patients also actively concealed physical manifestations of their diseases (83%), and experienced pain (83%) and pruritus (93%) regularly. Of note, 12% of patients were unemployed, and 11% worked part-time. Among unemployed patients, 92% cited psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis as the sole reasons for not working. Among working patients, 49% missed work days regularly due to psoriasis. Compared to patients with mild psoriasis, patients with severe psoriasis have 1.8 times greater odds to be unemployed after adjusting for age and gender (Adjusted OR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.4–2.3). Conclusion Patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis continue to experience significant impairment of quality of life and work productivity. PMID:23285231

Optimizing topical therapies for treating psoriasis: a consensus conference.

PubMed

Zeichner, Joshua A; Lebwohl, Mark G; Menter, Alan; Bagel, Jerry; Del Rosso, James Q; Elewski, Boni E; Feldman, Steven R; Kircik, Leon H; Koo, John; Gold, Linda Stein; Tanghetti, Emil

2010-09-01

In 2010, an expert committee of physicians and researchers in the field of dermatology working together as the Psoriasis Process of Care Consensus Panel developed consensus guidelines for the treatment of psoriasis. As much as possible, the guidelines were evidence based but also included the extensive clinical experience of the dermatologists. Psoriasis is a lifelong disease that requires long-term treatment and 80% of psoriasis patients have mild to moderate disease. Topical therapies play an important role in the treatment of psoriasis, especially in patients with mild to moderate disease. Patients usually start with monotherapy; however, in more severe cases (> 10% body surface area [BSA], severely impaired quality of life [QOL], or recalcitrant psoriatic lesions), multiple treatment modalities may be used as part of combination, sequential, or rotational therapeutic regimens. Main treatment options include topical steroids, systemic therapies, topical vitamin D treatments such as vitamin D3 ointment, retinoids, phototherapy, and biologic therapies. Other topical therapies include the following steroid-sparing agents: coal tar, anthralin, calcineurin inhibitors, keratolytics, and emollients. Therapeutic considerations also should focus on adherence, improving QOL, and promoting a good patient-physician relationship.

Psoriasis and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

PubMed

Carrascosa, J M; Bonanad, C; Dauden, E; Botella, R; Olveira-Martín, A

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent liver condition in the West. The prevalence and severity of NAFLD is higher and the prognosis worse in patients with psoriasis. The pathogenic link between psoriasis and NAFLD is chronic inflammation and peripheral insulin resistance, a common finding in diseases associated with psoriasis. NAFLD should therefore be ruled out during the initial evaluation of patients with psoriasis, in particular if they show signs of metabolic syndrome and require systemic treatment. Concomitant psoriasis and NAFLD and the likelihood of synergy between them place limitations on general recommendations and treatment for these patients given the potential for liver toxicity. As hepatotoxic risk is associated with some of the conventional drugs used in this setting (e.g., acitretin, methotrexate, and ciclosporin), patients prescribed these treatments should be monitored as appropriate. Anti-tumor necrosis factor agents hold the promise of potential benefits based on their effects on the inflammatory process and improving peripheral insulin resistance. However, cases of liver toxicity have also been reported in relation to these biologics. No evidence has emerged to suggest that anti-p40 or anti-interleukin 17 agents provide benefits or have adverse effects. Copyright © 2017 AEDV. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

TNF-alpha inhibition could reduce biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis: A 52-week echo-Doppler based quasi-experimental study.

PubMed

Molina-Leyva, Alejandro; Garrido-Pareja, Fermín; Ruiz-Carrascosa, José Carlos; Ruiz-Villaverde, Ricardo

2018-06-22

Psoriasis is associated to endothelial dysfunction, which causes impaired vascular functioning. TNF-α blockers have shown the ability to improve vascular functioning in psoriasis. The nailfold vessel resistance index (NVRI) assesses microvascular functioning at nailfold. The objectives of the study is to assess the effect of the TNF-α inhibition with adalimumab on NVRI. Quasi-experimental study. Fifteen patients with moderate-severe psoriasis received adalimumab 40mg sc according to label information. Participants were assessed at baseline and at 12, 24 and 52 weeks after study intervention. A reduction of -0.09±0.02 (P<.01) in NVRI and a -11.2±2,41ng/ml (P<.001) in E-selectin was observed at week 52. Adalimumab could produce a progressive and sustained reduction of vessel resistance at nailfold and E-selectin in patients with psoriasis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Taxane-induced nail changes: Predictors and efficacy of the use of frozen gloves and socks in the prevention of nail toxicity.

PubMed

Can, Gulbeyaz; Aydiner, Adnan; Cavdar, Ikbal

2012-07-01

The primary endpoint of this study was to determine predictors of taxane-related nail toxicity. The secondary endpoint was to evaluate the efficacy of the use of frozen gloves and socks in the prevention of taxane-related nail toxicity. This descriptive, interventional, cross-sectional study was conducted with 200 patients. The patients were assigned to the frozen gloves/socks intervention group or control group. Frozen gloves/socks were applied only in hourly taxane-based treatments. The Patients Record Forms of the clinic were used in data collection. Nail changes were graded using the NCI Common Toxicity Criteria for each patient and treatment. Logistic regression analysis was performed to predict the factors that affect nail changes. The majority of the patients enrolled in the study were women diagnosed with breast cancer. The two groups were statistically similar for the cancer diagnosis, type and number of taxane cycles administered. Grade 1 nail toxicity was found in 34%, grade 2 in 11%, and grade 3 in 5.5% patients. Taxane-related nail toxicity was higher in patients who were female, had a history of diabetes, received capecitabine in conjunction with docetaxel and had breast or gynecological cancer diagnosis. Nail changes increased with an increase in the number of taxane cycles administered, BMI and severity of treatment-related neuropathy. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that BMI, breast or ovarian cancer diagnosis and the number of taxane cycles administered were the independent factors for this toxicity. No statistically significant difference in nail toxicity incidence and time to occurrence of nail changes was found between the intervention and the control groups. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Highlighting Interleukin-36 Signalling in Plaque Psoriasis and Pustular Psoriasis.

PubMed

Furue, Kazuhisa; Yamamura, Kazuhiko; Tsuji, Gaku; Mitoma, Chikage; Uchi, Hiroshi; Nakahara, Takeshi; Kido-Nakahara, Makiko; Kadono, Takafumi; Furue, Masutaka

2018-01-12

Plaque psoriasis and pustular psoriasis are overlapping, but distinct, disorders. The therapeutic response to biologics supports the pivotal role of the tumour necrosis alpha (TNF-?)/ interleukin (IL)-23/IL-17/IL-22 axis in the pathogenesis of these disorders. Recently, functional activation of the IL-36 receptor (IL-36R) was discovered to be another driving force in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. This was first highlighted by the discovery that a loss-of-function mutation of the IL-36R antagonist (IL-36Ra) causes pustular psoriasis. Although the TNF-?/IL-23/IL-17/IL-22 axis and the functional activation of IL-36R are fundamentally involved in plaque psoriasis and pustular psoriasis, respectively, the 2 pathways are closely related and mutually reinforced, resulting in full-blown clinical manifestations. This review summarizes current topics on how IL-36 agonists (IL-36?, IL-36?, IL-36?) signal IL-36R, the pathological expression of IL-36 agonists and IL-36Ra in plaque and pustular psoriatic lesions, and the cross-talk between the TNF-?/IL-23/IL-17/IL-22 axis and the functional activation of IL-36R in the epidermal milieu.

Experience and challenges for biologic use in the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis in Africa and the Middle East region.

PubMed

Al Hammadi, Anwar; Al-Sheikh, Afaf; Ammoury, Alfred; Ghosn, Samer; Gisondi, Paolo; Hamadah, Issam; Kibbi, Abdul-Ghani; Shirazy, Khalid

2017-03-01

The incidence of psoriasis in Africa and the Middle East (AfME) is high as in other regions and represents a significant problem for both dermatologists and patients. Psoriasis co-morbidities such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are also particularly common in these regions and may be under-recognized and under-treated. Despite this, regional guidelines to aid physicians on the appropriate use of biologic agents in their clinical practice are limited. A group of expert dermatologists from across the AfME region were surveyed to help establish best practice across the region, alongside supporting data from the literature. Although biologics have significantly improved patient outcomes since their introduction, the results of this survey identified several unmet needs, including the lack of consensus regarding their use in clinical practice. Discrepancy also exists among AfME physicians concerning the clinical relevance of immunogenicity to biologics, despite increasing data across inflammatory diseases. Significant treatment and management of challenges for psoriasis patients remain, and a move towards individualized, tailored care may help to address these issues. The development of specific local guidelines for the treatment of both psoriasis and PsA could also be a step towards understanding the distinct patient profiles in these regions.

Custom-made micro applicators for high-dose-rate brachytherapy treatment of chronic psoriasis.

PubMed

Buzurovic, Ivan M; O'Farrell, Desmond A; Bhagwat, Mandar S; Hansen, Jorgen L; Harris, Thomas C; Friesen, Scott; Cormack, Robert A; Devlin, Phillip M

2017-06-01

In this study, we present the treatment of the psoriatic nail beds of patients refractory to standard therapies using high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy. The custom-made micro applicators (CMMA) were designed and constructed for radiation dose delivery to small curvy targets with complicated topology. The role of the HDR brachytherapy treatment was to stimulate the T cells for an increased immune response. The patient diagnosed with psoriatic nail beds refractory to standard therapies received monthly subunguinal injections that caused significant pain and discomfort in both hands. The clinical target was defined as the length from the fingertip to the distal interphalangeal joint. For the accurate and reproducible setup in the multi-fractional treatment delivery, the CMMAs were designed. Five needles were embedded into the dense plastic mesh and covered with 5 mm bolus material for each micro applicator. Five CMMAs were designed, resulting in the usage of 25 catheters in total. The prescription dose was planned to the depth of the anterior surface of the distal phalanx, allowing for the sparing of the surrounding tissue. The total number of the active dwell positions was 145 with step size of 5 mm. The total treatment time was 115 seconds with a 7.36 Ci activity of the 192 Ir source. The treatment resulted in good pain control. The patient did not require further injections to the nail bed. After this initial treatment, additional two patients with similar symptoms received HDR brachytherapy. The treatment outcome was favorable in all cases. The first HDR brachytherapy treatment of psoriasis of the nail bed is presented. The initial experience revealed that brachytherapy treatment was well-tolerated and resulted in adequate control of the disease. A larger cohort of patients will be required for additional conclusions related to the long-term clinical benefits.

Immune response to pneumococcus and tetanus toxoid in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis following long-term ustekinumab use.

PubMed

Brodmerkel, Carrie; Wadman, Eric; Langley, Richard G; Papp, Kim A A; Bourcier, Marc; Poulin, Yves; Ho, Vincent; Guenther, Lyn; Kunynetz, Rod; Nigen, Simon; Vender, Ronald; Wasel, Norman; Hsu, Ming-Chun; Szapary, Philippe

2013-10-01

Little is known about the impact of long-term use of immunosuppressive agents on immune response. Assess the impact of continuous maintenance ustekinumab treatment on patients' ability to mount immune responses to pneumococcal (T-cell-independent) and tetanus toxoid (T-cell-dependent) vaccines. Ustekinumab-treated patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis treated in the long-term extension of the Phase 3 PHOENIX 2 trial (n=60) were compared with control psoriasis patients not receiving systemic therapy (n=56). Patients were vaccinated with both 23-valent pneumococcal and tetanus toxoid vaccines. Serum samples collected pre-vaccination and 4 weeks post-vaccination were assessed for antibody responses. No differences in the ability of ustekinumab-treated patients to respond to pneumococcal or tetanus toxoid vaccinations were observed compared with controls. A ≥2-fold increase in antibody levels in ≥7 of 14 serotypes of the pneumococcal vaccine was observed in ustekinumab-treated (96.6%) and untreated control (92.6%) patients following vaccination. Ustekinumab-treated patients achieved a ≥4-fold increase (84.7%) in anti-tetanus antibody vs. 77.8% in the control group. No differences were detected in ex-vivo responses to anti-CD3/CD28 or tetanus toxoid between ustekinumab-treated and control groups. Long-term treatment (≥3 years) with ustekinumab does not compromise the immune response to T-cell-dependent/-independent vaccines in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis.

Streptococcal throat infections and exacerbation of chronic plaque psoriasis: a prospective study.

PubMed

Gudjonsson, J E; Thorarinsson, A M; Sigurgeirsson, B; Kristinsson, K G; Valdimarsson, H

2003-09-01

Guttate psoriasis has a well-known association with streptococcal throat infections but the effects of these infections in patients with chronic psoriasis remains to be evaluated in a prospective study. To determine whether streptococcal throat infections are more common in and can cause exacerbation in patients with chronic psoriasis. Two hundred and eight patients with chronic plaque psoriasis and 116 unrelated age-matched household controls were followed for 1 year. At recruitment all patients were examined, their disease severity scored and throat swabs taken. Patients and corresponding controls were then re-examined and tested for streptococcal colonization whenever they reported sore throat or exacerbation of their psoriasis during the study period. The psoriasis patients reported sore throat significantly more often than controls (61 of 208 vs. three of 116, P < 0.0001), and beta-haemolytic streptococci of Lancefield groups A, C and G (M protein-positive streptococci) were more often cultured from the patients than the controls (19 of 208 vs. one of 116, P = 0.003). A significant exacerbation of psoriasis (P = 0.004) was observed only if streptococci were isolated and the patients were assessed 4 days or later after the onset of sore throat. No difference was observed between groups A, C or G streptococci in this respect. This study confirms anecdotal and retrospective reports that streptococcal throat infections can cause exacerbation of chronic plaque psoriasis. It is concluded that psoriasis patients should be encouraged to report sore throat to their physician and that early treatment of streptococcal throat infections might be beneficial in psoriasis. A controlled trial for assessing potential benefits of tonsillectomy in patients with severe psoriasis should also be considered.

Psoriasis and polycystic ovary syndrome: a new link in different phenotypes.

PubMed

Moro, Francesca; Tropea, Anna; Scarinci, Elisa; Federico, Alex; De Simone, Clara; Caldarola, Giacomo; Leoncini, Emanuele; Boccia, Stefania; Lanzone, Antonio; Apa, Rosanna

2015-08-01

Women affected by PCOS and psoriasis are more likely to have insulin-resistance, hyperinsulinemia, reduced HDL cholesterol levels and a more severe degree of skin disease than those with psoriasis alone. The mechanism underlying this association between PCOS and psoriasis is currently unknown. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the features of psoriasis and the psoriasis severity scores in the different PCOS phenotypes and in age and body mass index (BMI)-matched psoriatic control patients. A cross-sectional study was performed on 150 psoriatic patients: 94 PCOS and 56 age- and BMI-matched controls. PCOS patients were diagnosed and divided into four phenotypes according to Rotterdam criteria: A - patients with complete phenotype with hyperandrogenism (H) plus oligoamenorrhea (O) plus polycystic ovary (PCO) on ultrasound examination; B - patients with H plus O (without PCO); C - patients with H plus PCO (ovulatory phenotype); D - patients with O plus PCO (without H). The patient's Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) as well as the Physician's Global Assessment (PGA) were calculated. A PASI score ≥10 was correlated with common indicator of severe disease. A PGA ≥4 was considered as a condition of moderate to severe disease. Among the four phenotypes investigated, the group with complete phenotype (H plus O plus PCO) had a higher prevalence of patients with patient's PASI ≥10 compared to controls (Odds Ratio (OR) 4.71, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.59-13.95). The group with O plus PCO had a higher prevalence of patients with PGA ≥4 compared to controls (OR 26.79, 95% CI 3.40-211.02) while the ovulatory group had a lower prevalence of patients with PGA ≥4 (OR 0.06, 95% CI 0.01-0.51). The ovulatory phenotype displays a milder psoriasis form than other phenotypes while the phenotypes with oligoamenorrhea presented higher severity scores of disease than other phenotypes and control group. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights

Drug-induced psoriasis: clinical perspectives.

PubMed

Balak, Deepak Mw; Hajdarbegovic, Enes

2017-01-01

Exposure to certain drugs can elicit an induction or exacerbation of psoriasis. Although well-conducted systematic studies on drug-related psoriasis are mostly lacking, traditionally strong associations have been documented for beta-blockers, lithium, antimalarial drugs such as (hydroxy)chloroquine, interferons, imiquimod, and terbinafine. More recently, new associations have been reported for monoclonal antibody- and small-molecule-based targeted therapies used for oncological and immunological indications, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha antagonists and anti-programmed cell death protein 1 immune checkpoint inhibitors. Recognizing potential drug-related psoriasis is of clinical relevance to allow an optimal management of psoriasis. However, in clinical practice, identifying medication-related exacerbations and induction of psoriasis can be challenging. The clinical and histopathological features of drug-provoked psoriasis may differ little from that of "classical" nondrug-related forms of psoriasis. In addition, the latency period between start of the medication and onset of psoriasis can be significantly long for some drugs. Assessment of the Naranjo adverse drug reaction probability scale could be used as a practical tool to better differentiate drug-related psoriasis. The first step in the management of drug-related psoriasis is cessation and replacement of the offending drug when deemed clinically possible. However, the induced psoriasis skin lesions may persist after treatment withdrawal. Additional skin-directed treatment options for drug-related psoriasis follows the conventional psoriasis treatment guidelines and includes topical steroids and vitamin D analogs, ultraviolet phototherapy, systemic treatments, such as acitretin, methotrexate, and fumaric acid esters, and biological treatments.

Itchy, Scaly Skin? Living with Psoriasis

MedlinePlus

... treatment—medicines taken by pill or injection. Combination Therapy. Combining different treatments can prove more effective. Psychological Support. People with moderate to severe psoriasis may ...

Environmental Risk Factors in Psoriasis: The Point of View of the Nutritionist

PubMed Central

Barrea, Luigi; Nappi, Francesca; Di Somma, Carolina; Savanelli, Maria Cristina; Falco, Andrea; Balato, Anna; Balato, Nicola; Savastano, Silvia

2016-01-01

Psoriasis is a common, chronic, immune-mediated skin disease with systemic pro-inflammatory activation, where both environmental and genetic factors contribute to its pathogenesis. Among the risk factors for psoriasis, evidence is accumulating that nutrition plays a major role, per se, in psoriasis pathogenesis. In particular, body weight, nutrition, and diet may exacerbate the clinical manifestations, or even trigger the disease. Understanding the epidemiological relationship between obesity and psoriasis is also important for delineating the risk profile for the obesity-related comorbidities commonly found among psoriatic patients. Moreover, obesity can affect both drug’s pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Additionally, the overall beneficial effects on the obesity-associated comorbidities, clinical recommendations to reduce weight and to adopt a healthy lifestyle could improve the psoriasis severity, particularly in those patients with moderate to severe disease, thus exerting additional therapeutic effects in the conventional treatment in obese patients with psoriasis. Education regarding modifiable environmental factors is essential in the treatment of this disease and represents one of the primary interventions that can affect the prognosis of patients with psoriasis. The goal is to make psoriatic patients and health care providers aware of beneficial dietary interventions. The aim of this review is to assess the relevance of the environmental factors as modifiable risk factors in psoriasis pathogenesis, with particular regard to the involvement of obesity and nutrition in the management of psoriasis, providing also specific nutrition recommendations. PMID:27455297

Risk of psoriasis in patients with childhood asthma: a Danish nationwide cohort study.

PubMed

Egeberg, A; Khalid, U; Gislason, G H; Mallbris, L; Skov, L; Hansen, P R

2015-07-01

Psoriasis and asthma are disorders driven by inflammation. Psoriasis may carry an increased risk of asthma, but the reverse relationship has not been investigated. To investigate the risk of psoriasis in subjects with childhood asthma in a nationwide Danish cohort. Data on all Danish individuals aged 6-14 years at study entry between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2011 (n = 1,478,110) were linked at an individual level in nationwide registers. Incidence rates per 10,000 person-years were calculated, and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) adjusted for age, sex, concomitant medication and comorbidity were estimated by Poisson regression models. There were 21,725 cases of childhood asthma and 6586 incident cases of psoriasis. There were 5697 and 889 incident cases of mild and severe psoriasis, respectively. The incidence rates of overall, mild and severe psoriasis were 4.49, 3.88 and 0.61 for the reference population, and 5.95, 5.18 and 0.83 for subjects with childhood asthma, respectively. The IRRs for overall, mild and severe psoriasis were 3.94 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.16-7.17], 5.03 (95% CI 2.48-10.21) and 2.27 (95% CI 0.61-8.42) for patients with childhood asthma. Childhood asthma was associated with a significantly increased risk of psoriasis. Further studies are warranted to determine the clinical significance and effects of therapeutic interventions on this association. © 2015 British Association of Dermatologists.

Genetic Epidemiology of Psoriasis

PubMed Central

Gupta, Rashmi; Debbaneh, Maya G.; Liao, Wilson

2014-01-01

Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory, immune-mediated skin condition with a prevalence of 0-11.8% across the world. It is associated with a number of cardiovascular, metabolic, and autoimmune disease co-morbidities. Psoriasis is a multifactorial disorder, influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Its genetic basis has long been established through twin studies and familial clustering. The association of psoriasis with the HLA-Cw6 allele has been shown in many studies. Recent genome-wide association studies have identified a large number of other genes associated with psoriasis. Many of these genes regulate the innate and adaptive immune system. These findings indicate that a dysregulated immune system may play a major role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. In this article, we review the clinical and genetic epidemiology of psoriasis with a brief description of the pathogenesis of disease. PMID:25580373

Psoriasis and cardiometabolic traits: modest association but distinct genetic architectures

PubMed Central

Koch, Manja; Baurecht, Hansjörg; Ried, Janina S.; Rodriguez, Elke; Schlesinger, Sabrina; Volks, Natalie; Gieger, Christian; Rückert, Ina-Maria; Heinrich, Luise; Willenborg, Christina; Smith, Catherine; Peters, Annette; Thorand, Barbara; Koenig, Wolfgang; Lamina, Claudia; Jansen, Henning; Kronenberg, Florian; Seissler, Jochen; Thiery, Joachim; Rathmann, Wolfgang; Schunkert, Heribert; Erdmann, Jeanette; Barker, Jonathan; Nair, Rajan P; Tsoi, Lam C; Elder, James T; Mrowietz, Ulrich; Weichenthal, Michael; Mucha, Sören; Schreiber, Stefan; Franke, Andre; Schmitt, Jochen; Lieb, Wolfgang; Weidinger, Stephan

2015-01-01

Psoriasis has been linked to cardiometabolic diseases, but epidemiological findings are inconsistent. We investigated the association between psoriasis and cardiometabolic outcomes in a German cross-sectional study (n=4.185) and a prospective cohort of German Health Insurance beneficiaries (n=1.811.098). A potential genetic overlap was explored using genome-wide data from >22.000 coronary artery disease (CAD) and >4.000 psoriasis cases, and with a dense genotyping study of cardiometabolic risk loci on 927 psoriasis cases and 3.717 controls. Controlling for major confounders, in the cross-sectional analysis psoriasis was significantly associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D, adjusted odd’s ratio OR=2.36; 95% confidence interval CI=1.26–4.41) and myocardial infarction (MI, OR=2.26, 95% CI=1.03–4.96). In the longitudinal study, psoriasis slightly increased the risk for incident T2D (adjusted relative risk RR=1.11; 95%CI=1.08–1.14) and MI (RR=1.14; 95%CI=1.06–1.22), with highest risk increments in systemically treated psoriasis, which accounted for 11 and 17 excess cases of T2D and MI per 10,000 person-years. Except for weak signals from within the MHC, there was no evidence for genetic risk loci shared between psoriasis and cardiometabolic traits. Our findings suggest that psoriasis, in particular severe psoriasis, increases risk for T2D and MI, and that the genetic architecture of psoriasis and cardiometabolic traits is largely distinct. PMID:25599394

Brodalumab: the first anti-IL-17 receptor agent for psoriasis.

PubMed

Puig, L

2017-05-01

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease in which the alteration of the interleukin-23 (IL-23)/IL-17 cytokine axis appears to be crucial from a pathogenetic perspective. This has been confirmed by the efficacy of monoclonal antibodies blocking IL-17A, such as secukinumab and ixekizumab. Brodalumab is a human anti-IL-17 receptor A (IL-17RA) monoclonal antibody that inhibits the biological activity of IL-17A, IL-17F and other IL-17 isoforms, and has been approved (210 mg s.c. at weeks 0, 1, 2 and every 2 weeks thereafter) for the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris, psoriatic arthritis, pustular psoriasis and psoriatic erythroderma in Japan (Lumicef). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has also recently approved brodalumab (Siliq) for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adult patients who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy and have failed to respond or have lost response to other systemic therapies. Regulatory applications are under review in the E.U. and Canada. The phase III clinical trials in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis met their primary endpoints after 12 weeks' treatment, with PASI 75 (75% improvement in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index) response rates ranging between 83% and 86% (210 mg) and PASI 100 response rates ranging between 37% and 44%, significantly higher than those achieved with ustekinumab in the head-to-head trials AMAGINE-1 and AMAGINE-2. The most frequently reported adverse events in brodalumab clinical trials consisted of nasopharyngitis, headache, upper respiratory tract infection and arthralgia. In the head-to-head trials, rates of neutropenia were higher with both active drugs than with placebo, and mild or moderate Candida infections were more frequent with brodalumab than with ustekinumab or placebo. Clinical development was terminated by Amgen after adverse events of suicidal ideation and behavior were observed ls involving several indications, but data are

Dermoscopy in the Evaluation of Nail Disorders

PubMed Central

Alessandrini, Aurora; Starace, Michela; Piraccini, Bianca Maria

2017-01-01

Nail dermoscopy was initially used only in the assessment of nail pigmentation, but now it is widely utilized for the evaluation of many nail disorders. In daily practice, dermoscopy may confirm clinical diagnoses and guides in the management of nail diseases and treatments, permitting a better visualization of symptoms. Dry dermoscopy is required for evaluation of the nail plate surface, while gel as an interface is necessary for assessment of nail pigmentation and onycholysis, as well as for the evaluation of the distal nail margin. In this review, we describe the dermoscopic features of the most important nail disorders, looking at the different areas of the nail. Dermatoscopic changes that usually accompany specific nail diseases are also reviewed. PMID:28560217

Stem cells in psoriasis.

PubMed

Hou, Ruixia; Li, Junqin; Niu, Xuping; Liu, Ruifeng; Chang, Wenjuan; Zhao, Xincheng; Wang, Qiang; Li, Xinhua; Yin, Guohua; Zhang, Kaiming

2017-06-01

Psoriasis is a complex chronic relapsing inflammatory disease. Although the exact mechanism remains unknown, it is commonly accepted that the development of psoriasis is a result of multi-system interactions among the epidermis, dermis, blood vessels, immune system, neuroendocrine system, metabolic system, and hematopoietic system. Many cell types have been confirmed to participate in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Here, we review the stem cell abnormalities related to psoriasis that have been investigated recently. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Number needed to treat and costs per responder among biologic treatments for moderate-to-severe psoriasis: a network meta-analysis.

PubMed

Armstrong, April W; Betts, Keith A; Signorovitch, James E; Sundaram, Murali; Li, Junlong; Ganguli, Arijit X; Wu, Eric Q

2018-04-23

The clinical benefits of biologic therapies for moderate-to-severe psoriasis are well established, but wide variations exist in patient response. To determine the number needed to treat (NNT) to achieve a 75% and 90% reduction in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI-75/90) with FDA-approved agents and evaluate the incremental cost per PASI-75 or PASI-90 responder. The relative probabilities of achieving PASI-75 and PASI-90, as well as NNTs, were estimated using a network meta-analysis. Costs (2017 USD) included drug acquisition and administration. The incremental cost per PASI-75 or PASI-90 responder for each treatment was estimated for the clinical trial period, and annually. Compared with supportive care, the NNT to achieve PASI-75 was 1.18 for ixekizumab, 1.29 for secukinumab 300 mg, 1.37 for infliximab, 1.48 for adalimumab, 1.53 for secukinumab 150 mg, 1.58 for ustekinumab, 2.25 for etanercept, and 3.71 for apremilast. The one-year incremental cost per PASI-75 responder relative to supportive care was $59,830 for infliximab, $88,775 for secukinumab 300 mg, $91,837 for adalimumab, $95,898 for ixekizumab, $97,363 for ustekinumab, $105,131 for secukinumab 150 mg, $129,665 for apremilast, and $159,328 for etanercept. Results were similar for PASI-90. The NNT and incremental cost per responder are meaningful ways to assess comparative effectiveness and cost effectiveness among psoriasis treatments.

Medical nutrition therapy as a potential complementary treatment for psoriasis--five case reports.

PubMed

Brown, Amy C; Hairfield, Michelle; Richards, Douglas G; McMillin, David L; Mein, Eric A; Nelson, Carl D

2004-09-01

This research evaluated five case studies of patients with psoriasis following a dietary regimen. There is no cure for psoriasis and the multiple treatments currently available only attempt to reduce the severity of symptoms. Treatments range from topical applications, systemic therapies, and phototherapy; while some are effective, many are associated with significant adverse effects. There is a need for effective, affordable therapies with fewer side effects that address the causes of the disorder. Evaluation consisted of a study group of five patients diagnosed with chronic plaque psoriasis (two men and three women, average age 52 years; range 40-68 years) attending a 10-day, live-in program during which a physician assessed psoriasis symptoms and bowel permeability. Subjects were then instructed on continuing the therapy protocol at home for six months. The dietary protocol, based on Edgar Cayce readings, included a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, small amounts of protein from fish and fowl, fiber supplements, olive oil, and avoidance of red meat, processed foods, and refined carbohydrates. Saffron tea and slippery elm bark water were consumed daily. The five psoriasis cases, ranging from mild to severe at the study onset, improved on all measured outcomes over a six-month period when measured by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) (average pre- and post-test scores were 18.2 and 8.7, respectively), the Psoriasis Severity Scale (PSS) (average pre- and post-test scores were 14.6 and 5.4, respectively), and the lactulose/mannitol test of intestinal permeability (average pre- and post-test scores were 0.066 to 0.026, respectively). These results suggest a dietary regimen based on Edgar Cayce's readings may be an effective medical nutrition therapy for the complementary treatment of psoriasis; however, further research is warranted to confirm these results.

Mechanisms of Action of Topical Corticosteroids in Psoriasis

PubMed Central

Uva, Luís; Miguel, Diana; Pinheiro, Catarina; Antunes, Joana; Cruz, Diogo; Ferreira, João; Filipe, Paulo

2012-01-01

Psoriasis is a lifelong, chronic, and immune-mediated systemic disease, which affects approximately 1–3% of the Caucasian population. The different presentations of psoriasis require different approaches to treatment and appropriate prescriptions according to disease severity. The use of topical therapy remains a key component of the management of almost all psoriasis patients, and while mild disease is commonly treated only with topical agents, the use of topical therapy as adjuvant therapy in moderate-to-severe disease may also be helpful. This paper focuses on the cutaneous mechanisms of action of corticosteroids and on the currently available topical treatments, taking into account adverse effects, bioavailability, new combination treatments, and strategies to improve the safety of corticosteroids. It is established that the treatment choice should be tailored to match the individual patient's needs and his/her expectations, prescribing to each patient the most suitable vehicle. PMID:23213332

The Challenge of Managing Psoriasis: Unmet Medical Needs and Stakeholder Perspectives.

PubMed

Feldman, Steven R; Goffe, Bernard; Rice, Gary; Mitchell, Matthew; Kaur, Mandeep; Robertson, Debbie; Sierka, Debra; Bourret, Jeffrey A; Evans, Tamara S; Gottlieb, Alice

2016-12-01

Psoriasis is a debilitating chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease affecting approximately 7.4 million adults in the United States. Plaque psoriasis is the most common form, affecting 80% to 90% of patients. To describe the impact and challenges that psoriasis presents for various stakeholders, and to provide nondermatologist healthcare decision makers with information to enhance their contributions to drug and pharmacy benefit design discussions. Psoriasis carries an increased risk for early mortality and an increased prevalence of comorbidities, including psoriatic arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. It is also associated with anxiety, depression, and social isolation, and can negatively impact patients' relationships, productivity, and careers. The physical, psychologic, social, and economic impact of psoriasis, plus the associated stigma, result in cumulative impairment over a patient's lifetime. The current treatments for moderate-to-severe psoriasis include topical therapy, phototherapy, and systemic drugs (nonbiologic and biologic); however, patient satisfaction remains low, combination therapy and treatment switching are common, and many patients remain untreated or undertreated. Clinicians should consider the patient holistically, and should select treatment based on a range of factors, including disease severity (with physical and psychosocial manifestations), susceptibility to cumulative life-course impairment (considering personality, behavior, and cognition), comorbidities, concomitant medication, and patient preference. It is estimated that the total annual direct cost of treating psoriasis in the United States in 2015 exceeded $12.2 billion. Psoriasis is a complex disease, and appropriate management is correspondingly complex. Newer psoriasis treatments provide improved efficacy and safety versus traditional treatments, but challenges remain in ensuring patients access to these medications. An improved understanding of the barriers to

The Challenge of Managing Psoriasis: Unmet Medical Needs and Stakeholder Perspectives

PubMed Central

Feldman, Steven R.; Goffe, Bernard; Rice, Gary; Mitchell, Matthew; Kaur, Mandeep; Robertson, Debbie; Sierka, Debra; Bourret, Jeffrey A.; Evans, Tamara S.; Gottlieb, Alice

2016-01-01

Background Psoriasis is a debilitating chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease affecting approximately 7.4 million adults in the United States. Plaque psoriasis is the most common form, affecting 80% to 90% of patients. Objectives To describe the impact and challenges that psoriasis presents for various stakeholders, and to provide nondermatologist healthcare decision makers with information to enhance their contributions to drug and pharmacy benefit design discussions. Discussion Psoriasis carries an increased risk for early mortality and an increased prevalence of comorbidities, including psoriatic arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. It is also associated with anxiety, depression, and social isolation, and can negatively impact patients' relationships, productivity, and careers. The physical, psychologic, social, and economic impact of psoriasis, plus the associated stigma, result in cumulative impairment over a patient's lifetime. The current treatments for moderate-to-severe psoriasis include topical therapy, phototherapy, and systemic drugs (nonbiologic and biologic); however, patient satisfaction remains low, combination therapy and treatment switching are common, and many patients remain untreated or undertreated. Clinicians should consider the patient holistically, and should select treatment based on a range of factors, including disease severity (with physical and psychosocial manifestations), susceptibility to cumulative life-course impairment (considering personality, behavior, and cognition), comorbidities, concomitant medication, and patient preference. It is estimated that the total annual direct cost of treating psoriasis in the United States in 2015 exceeded $12.2 billion. Conclusion Psoriasis is a complex disease, and appropriate management is correspondingly complex. Newer psoriasis treatments provide improved efficacy and safety versus traditional treatments, but challenges remain in ensuring patients access to these medications. An

The effect of nail polish and acrylic nails on pulse oximetry reading using the Lifebox oximeter in Nigeria.

PubMed

Desalu, I; Diakparomre, O I; Salami, A O; Abiola, A O

2013-12-01

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES - Pulse oximetry is mandatory during anaesthesia, sedation and transfer of critically ill patients. The effect of nail polish and acrylic nails on the accuracy of saturation reading is inconsistent. The Lifebox pulse oximeter is reliable and recommended for low and middle income countries. We investigated its accuracy in the presence of 4 nail colours and acrylic nails SUBJECTS AND METHODS Fifty non-smoking volunteers had their fingers numbered from right to left (little finger of right hand =1 and little finger of left hand =10). Alternate fingers were nails painted with clear, red, brown and black nail polish and the 5th finger had acrylic nail applied. The corresponding finger on the other hand acted as control. The oxygen saturation was determined using the Lifebox pulse oximeter. Results All fingers (100%) with clear nail polish, red nail polish and acrylic nails recorded a saturation value. Each of the mean saturation value for clear nail polish, red nail polish and acrylic nails was not significantly different from the control mean (p= 0.378, 0.427 and 0.921). Only 12% and 64% of nails polished black and brown respectively recorded a saturation value. The mean SpO- for black and brown polish were significantly different from their control mean (p<0.001). CONCLUSION Black and brown polish resulted in a significant decrease in SpO with the Lifebox oximeter. Dark coloured nail polish should be removed prior to SpO2 determination to ensure that accurate readings can be obtained.

Influence of psoriasis on work.

PubMed

Mattila, Kalle; Leino, Mauri; Mustonen, Anssi; Koulu, Leena; Tuominen, Risto

2013-04-01

Previous research indicates that psoriasis has an impact on early retirement, sick leave days and reduced work performance. To evaluate the disadvantages at work caused by psoriasis. The sample was based on patients visiting the dermatology outpatient clinic in Turku University Hospital. 262 returned a mailed questionnaire. The subjects were asked how many hours they were on a sick leave (absenteeism) and working while sick (presenteeism) due to psoriasis and other health reasons. Of the retired, 17.0% felt they were retired due to psoriasis. Those in the active work force reported on average 4.5 hours absenteeism and 8.3 hours of presenteeism due to psoriasis during the last 4 weeks. Psoriasis caused 27.0% of the total absenteeism and 39.0% of presenteeism. More than a quarter (28.9%) had been forced to modify their work due to psoriasis, most frequently to make the work less irritating for the skin. Psoriasis has a negative effect on patients' work in many ways, causing early retirement from work, sick leave days, change of occupation and work modifications.

The concept of psoriasis as a systemic inflammation: implications for disease management.

PubMed

Reich, K

2012-03-01

Psoriasis is a systemic, immune-mediated disorder, characterized by inflammatory skin and joint manifestations. A range of co-morbidities is associated with psoriasis, including metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, and psychological disorders. Although the systemic nature of psoriasis often remains unrecognized, the inflammatory processes involved may be associated with the development of co-morbidities, which, themselves, have a significant impact on the patient's health and quality of life. The relative risks of myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke are increased in patients with psoriasis compared with the general population. These are especially seen in younger patients with more severe disease, and are believed to contribute to the 3- to 4-year reduction in life expectancy among patients with severe psoriasis. The recent results of large studies indicate that the increased cardiovascular (CV) risk is at least partially attributable to psoriasis and independent of the presence of metabolic co-morbidities. The possible interplay between psoriasis and CV disease is complex. Metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes have overlapping genetic predispositions with psoriasis. Both conditions are likely to also interact at a functional level because obesity and the up-regulation of pro-inflammatory mediators in psoriasis appear to influence adipocyte homoeostasis, inducing non-professional immune functions. This may perpetuate psoriatic inflammation, displaying similarities to the immunopathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Finally, the disturbed adipokine profile and inflammation associated with psoriasis enhances insulin resistance, causing subsequent endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis and eventual coronary events. The differential contribution of psoriasis and uncontrolled classical CV risk factors to the increased CV risk seen in psoriasis patients is not clear. Successful treatment with methotrexate appears to lower the rates of MI in patients with

Objective assessment of psoriasis erythema for PASI scoring.

PubMed

Ahmad Fadzil, M H; Ihtatho, Dani; Mohd Affandi, Azura; Hussein, S H

2009-01-01

Skin colour is vital information in dermatological diagnosis as it reflects the pathological condition beneath the skin. It is commonly used to indicate the extent of diseases such as psoriasis, which is indicated by the appearance of red plaques. Although there is no cure for psoriasis, there are many treatment modalities to help control the disease. To evaluate treatment efficacy, the current gold standard method, PASI (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index), is used to determine severity of psoriasis lesion. Erythema (redness) is one parameter in PASI and this condition is assessed visually, thus leading to subjective and inconsistent results. Current methods or instruments that assess erythema have limitations, such as being able to measure erythema well for low pigmented skin (fair skin) but not for highly pigmented skin (dark skin) or vice versa. In this work, we proposed an objective assessment of psoriasis erythema for PASI scoring for different (low to highly pigmented) skin types. The colour of psoriasis lesions are initially obtained by using a chromameter giving the values L*, a*, and b* of CIELAB colour space. The L* value is used to classify skin into three categories: low, medium and highly pigmented skin. The lightness difference (DeltaL*), hue difference (Deltah(ab)), chroma (DeltaC*(ab)) between lesions and the surrounding normal skin are calculated and analysed. It is found that the erythema score of a lesion can be distinguished by their Deltah(ab) value within a particular skin type group. References of lesion with different scores are obtained from the selected lesions by two dermatologists. Results based on 38 lesions from 22 patients with various level of skin pigmentation show that PASI erythema score for different skin types i.e. low (fair skin) to highly pigmented (dark skin) skin types can be determined objectively and consistent with dermatology scoring.

Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis with a retrograde intramedullary nail: a biomechanical analysis of the effect of nail length.

PubMed

Noonan, Timothy; Pinzur, Michael; Paxinos, Odysseas; Havey, Robert; Patwardhin, Avinash

2005-04-01

Fatigue fractures of the tibia have been observed at the level of the proximal end of the nail after successful tibiocalcaneal arthrodesis with a retrograde intramedullary device. To study the effect of nail length, five matched pairs of cadaver tibiae were instrumented with strain gauges and potted in methylmethacrylate from a level 3 cm proximal to the distal medial malleolus to simulate a successful tibiocalcaneal arthrodesis. A standard length (15 cm) ankle arthrodesis nail and an identical longer device terminating in the proximal tibial metaphysis were inserted in each paired tibia using appropriate technique. The strain of the posterior cortex of the tibia was recorded under bending moments of up to 50 Nm for each intact specimen after nail insertion and after proximal locking of the nail. The nails were then exchanged between the specimens of the same pairs and the experiment was repeated to insure uniformity. The standard length locked nail increased the principal strain of the posterior cortex of the tibia at the level of the proximal screw holes 5.3 times more than the locked long nail (353 and 67 microstrains), respectively. This stress concentration was not observed when the proximal extent of the nail terminated within the proximal tibial metaphysis. A successful tibiocalcaneal arthrodesis with a standard length locked intramedullary nail creates stress concentration around the proximal screw holes that may be responsible for the fractures observed clinically. This study supports the use of a "long" retrograde locked intramedullary nail for tibiocalcaneal arthrodesis in patients with systemic or localized osteopenia.

Budget impact model in moderate-to-severe psoriasis vulgaris assessing effects of calcipotriene and betamethasone dipropionate foam on per-patient standard of care costs.

PubMed

Asche, Carl V; Kim, Minchul; Feldman, Steven R; Zografos, Panagiotis; Lu, Minyi

2017-09-01

To develop a budget impact model (BIM) for estimating the financial impact of formulary adoption and uptake of calcipotriene and betamethasone dipropionate (C/BD) foam (0.005%/0.064%) on the costs of biologics for treating moderate-to-severe psoriasis vulgaris in a hypothetical US healthcare plan with 1 million members. This BIM incorporated epidemiologic data, market uptake assumptions, and drug utilization costs, simulating the treatment mix for patients who are candidates for biologics before (Scenario #1) and after (Scenario #2) the introduction of C/BD foam. Predicted outcomes were expressed in terms of the annual cost of treatment (COT) and the COT per member per month (PMPM). At year 1, C/BD foam had the lowest per-patient cost ($9,913) necessary to achieve a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI)-75 response compared with etanercept ($73,773), adalimumab ($92,871), infliximab ($34,048), ustekinumab ($83,975), secukinumab ($113,858), apremilast ($47,960), and ixekizumab ($62,707). Following addition of C/BD foam to the formulary, the annual COT for moderate-to-severe psoriasis would decrease by $36,112,572 (17.91%, from $201,621,219 to $165,508,647). The COT PMPM is expected to decrease by $3.00 (17.86%, from $16.80 to $13.80). Drug costs were based on Medi-Span reference pricing (January 21, 2016); differences in treatment costs for drug administration, laboratory monitoring, or adverse events were not accounted for. Potentially confounding were the definition of "moderate-to-severe" and the heterogeneous efficacy data. The per-patient cost for PASI-75 response at year 1 was estimated from short-term efficacy data for C/BD foam and apremilast only. The introduction of C/BD foam is expected to decrease the annual COT for moderate-to-severe psoriasis treatable with biologics by $36,112,572 for a hypothetical US healthcare plan with 1 million plan members, and to lower the COT PMPM by $3.00.

Itch, disease coping strategies and quality of life in psoriasis patients

PubMed Central

Miniszewska, Joanna; Kępska, Anna; Zalewska-Janowska, Anna

2014-01-01

Introduction Psoriasis is a psychodermatological condition, so psychological factors can trigger and/or exacerbate skin lesions. Additionally, disease can be a source of stress and can worsen patients’ quality of life (QoL). Aim To evaluate the relationship between medical (disease severity, itch) and psychological variables (disease coping strategies, QoL) in the psoriasis patients group. Material and methods The study comprises 60 in-patients of the dermatological ward (30 females and 30 males) with the diagnosis of psoriasis. Methods used: Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), Itch Severity Evaluation Questionnaire, Coping with Skin Disease Scale-SRS-DER, SKINDEX-29 questionnaire. Results The study demonstrated significant correlations between disease coping strategies, itch and quality of life. Women presented worse QoL (generally and in physical functioning). The older patients with a longer disease duration revealed QoL impairment. Conclusions The obtained results could help in identifying patients risk groups which are in the highest danger of decreased QoL. Our data indicate the need for psychological interventions. PMID:25395926

Body Image, Self-esteem, and Quality of Life in Patients with Psoriasis.

PubMed

Nazik, Hulya; Nazik, Selcuk; Gul, Feride C

2017-01-01

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin that may affect the visible areas of body. Hence, the quality of life, self-esteem, and body image can be affected in psoriasis patients. We aimed in the present study to assess the effects of psoriasis on the quality of life, self-esteem, and body image. The study included 92 patients with psoriasis, along with 98 control participants. The sociodemographic characteristics of the patients were assessed, their Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) scores were calculated to determine the clinical severity of the psoriasis, and the values were recorded. In addition, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Body Image Scale, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale results were evaluated. When the control and psoriasis groups were evaluated regarding the DLQI, self-esteem, and body image, quality of life was found to be more negatively affected in the psoriasis group than the controls, which was statistically significant ( P < 0.001), and self-esteem ( P < 0.001) and body image ( P < 0.001) were found to be significantly lower. Educational status significantly affected self-esteem ( P < 0.001) and body image ( P = 0.021), however, quality of life was not significantly affected by this parameter ( P = 0.345). PASI was positively correlated with the quality of life ( r = 0.703) and self-esteem ( r = 0.448), however, it was negatively correlated with the body image ( r = -0.423). Psoriasis may negatively affect quality of life, self-esteem, and body image, and may also cause psychosocial problems. An assessment of new approaches on this issue may contribute to developments in the treatment of and rehabilitation from this disease.

[Side effects of biologic therapies in psoriasis].

PubMed

Altenburg, A; Augustin, M; Zouboulis, C C

2018-04-01

The introduction of biologics has revolutionized the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Due to the continuous expansion of biological therapies for psoriasis, it is particularly important to acknowledge efficacy and safety of the compounds not only in clinical trials but also in long-term registry-based observational studies. Typical side effects and significant risks of antipsoriatic biologic therapies considering psoriatic control groups are presented. A selective literature search was conducted in PubMed and long-term safety studies of the psoriasis registries PsoBest, PSOLAR and BADBIR were evaluated. To assess the long-term safety of biologics, the evaluation of the course of large patient cohorts in long-term registries is of particular medical importance. Newer biologic drugs seem to exhibit a better safety profile than older ones.

Ciclopirox delivery into the human nail plate using novel lipid diffusion enhancers.

PubMed

Hafeez, Farhaan; Hui, Xiaoying; Selner, Marc; Rosenthal, Bert; Maibach, Howard

2014-06-01

Onychomycosis is a common fungal infection of the nail plate and bed that affects up to 14% of the population and can have a substantial impact on the quality of life of those affected. This study compared the onychopharmacokinetics, nail absorption, nail distribution, and nail penetration of [(14)C]-ciclopirox dissolved in novel lipid diffusion enhancers with that of a commercial ciclopirox nail lacquer using the in vitro finite dose model. The penetration rate of ciclopirox was determined by applying doses of topical formulation twice daily to human nail plates for 11 d. Drug absorption was then measured by monitoring its rate of appearance in each nail layer and in the cotton pad/nail supporting bed. After a multiple day treatment, cumulative concentrations of ciclopirox formulated with lipid enhancers in the deep nail layer and the nail bed were significantly greater than cumulative concentrations of the commercial ciclopirox lacquer (p < 0.001) as well as several orders of magnitude greater than the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) deemed necessary to inhibit the growth of the causative dermatophyte species. When formulated with lipid enhancers, the amount of ciclopirox in the ventral/intermediate layer and supporting bed dramatically exceed the inhibitory concentration of ciclopirox for the most common onychomycosis organisms. These results suggest that topical ciclopirox with lipid enhancers has the potential to be an effective topical treatment for onychomycosis, and the lipidic pathway of the nail can be utilized as a means of effective transungual delivery.

New treatments for psoriasis: which biologic is best?

PubMed

Nelson, Andrew A; Pearce, Daniel J; Fleischer, Alan B; Balkrishnan, Rajesh; Feldman, Steven R

2006-01-01

Psoriasis is a chronic, debilitating disease affecting not only the skin, but also having a significant impact on a patient's quality of life. The treatment of severe psoriasis is quite challenging due to the chronic, relapsing nature of the disease and the difficulties inherent in treatment planning. Though the biologics are perhaps the most promising of available psoriasis treatments, the decision to institute a given therapy may be fraught with complexity for the clinician. Patients now hear of these promising new treatments for psoriasis via print, television and radio advertising; they frequently come to their physician asking if they are eligible for any of these agents and, if so, 'which biologic is best?'. This paper attempts to determine the ideal biologic agent based upon several parameters: FDA- and EU-approved indications, therapeutic efficacy, impact on quality of life, cost-effectiveness, and safety profile. Certainly the physician is central to medical decision-making, though ultimately patient preference may play the largest role in determining the 'best' biologic agent. There is no single ideal biologic for all patients and a physician's job is to educate patients on the relative advantages and disadvantages of each agent. Through informed discussion, the clinician can help each individual patient decide which biologic agent is ideal for them.

Psychometric validation of the Psoriasis Symptom Diary using Phase III study data from patients with chronic plaque psoriasis.

PubMed

Strober, Bruce; Zhao, Yang; Tran, Mary Helen; Gnanasakthy, Ari; Nyirady, Judit; Papavassilis, Charis; Nelson, Lauren M; McLeod, Lori D; Mordin, Margaret; Gottlieb, Alice B; Elewski, Boni E; Lebwohl, Mark

2016-03-01

This analysis aimed to confirm the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the Psoriasis Symptom Diary (PSD) using data from two Phase III studies in patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis. Data from two randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, multicenter Phase III studies (n = 820) assessing the efficacy and safety of secukinumab were used. The PSD (24-h recall; 0-10 numeric rating scale) was electronically administered each evening. Test-retest reliability was determined using intraclass correlations. Construct validity hypotheses were evaluated via correlations with the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), EuroQoL 5-Dimension Health Status Questionnaire, and Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC). Discriminating ability and responsiveness were evaluated by estimating mean differences and effect sizes between known groups (using the PASI and IGA). Phase II-derived, anchor-based PGIC thresholds and cumulative distribution function (CDF) plots described meaningful change. Items on the PSD yielded high intraclass coefficients (>0.90). Correlations were in the anticipated direction and by week 12 were moderate to strong (0.41-0.73) in magnitude, demonstrating construct validity. Average PSD item scores differed predictably and significantly between known groups. Responsiveness effect size estimates were moderate to large (0.6-1.5), and CDF plots showed the percentage of responders to be consistently higher in treatment than in placebo arms across the range of change in PSD scores. The PSD is reliable, valid, and responsive, and represents a valid tool to enhance treatment decisions in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. © 2015 The International Society of Dermatology.

Clinical similarity of biosimilar ABP 501 to adalimumab in the treatment of patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis: A randomized, double-blind, multicenter, phase III study.

PubMed

Papp, Kim; Bachelez, Herve; Costanzo, Antonio; Foley, Peter; Gooderham, Melinda; Kaur, Primal; Narbutt, Joanna; Philipp, Sandra; Spelman, Lynda; Weglowska, Jolanta; Zhang, Nan; Strober, Bruce

2017-06-01

ABP 501 is a biosimilar of adalimumab. We sought to compare the efficacy and safety of ABP 501 with adalimumab. This 52-week, double-blind study randomized patients with moderate to severe psoriasis to ABP 501 or adalimumab. At week 16, those with 50% or more improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score from baseline on ABP 501 continued the same treatment, whereas adalimumab-treated patients were rerandomized to adalimumab or ABP 501. Clinical similarity in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index percent improvement from baseline to week 16 (primary end point) was established if the point estimate of treatment difference and its 2-sided 95% confidence interval between groups was within equivalence margin of ±15. Patients, including those undergoing a single transition at week 16, were evaluated for safety and immunogenicity. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index percent improvement at week 16 was 80.9 for ABP 501 and 83.1 for adalimumab (least-square mean difference -2.18 [95% confidence interval -7.39 to 3.02]). Adverse events (67.2% [117/174] vs 63.6% [110/173]) and antidrug antibody incidence (55.2% [96/174] vs 63.6% [110/173]) for ABP 501 vs adalimumab were similar. Safety, including immunogenicity, was similar among groups after single transition (week 20). The 52-week data are not reported here. ABP 501 was shown to be clinically similar to adalimumab. Safety and immunogenicity were not impacted immediately after single transition (adalimumab to ABP 501). Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psoriasis

PubMed Central

Di Meglio, Paola; Villanova, Federica; Nestle, Frank O.

2014-01-01

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease with a spectrum of clinical phenotypes and results from the interplay of genetic, environmental, and immunological factors. Four decades of clinical and basic research on psoriasis have elucidated many of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying disease and paved the way to effective targeted therapies. Here, we review this progress and identify future directions of study that are supported by a more integrative research approach and aim at further improving the patients' life. PMID:25085957

Effect of mechanical forces on finger nail curvature: an analysis of the effect of occupation on finger nails.

PubMed

Sano, Hitomi; Shionoya, Kaori; Ogawa, Rei

2014-04-01

We studied the relationship between mechanical force and nail curvature. The effect of different frequencies and strengths of mechanical force on nail curvature was assessed. In Study 1, 63 carpenters and 63 office workers were enrolled, and the configurations of their thumb nails were assessed by measuring the curve index (defined as nail height/width) and pinch strength. In Study 2, nail curvature and pinch strength of jazz bassists, who characteristically do not use the right fourth and fifth fingers but use the left fifth finger a lot, were compared. In Study 3, the thumb nail curvature and pinch strength of the dominant and nondominant sides of the 126 participants from Study 1 were compared. Study 1: Carpenters had a significantly lower mean thumb nail curve index and higher mean pinch strength. Study 2: The nails of the unused right fourth and fifth fingers were much more curved than the nails of the frequently used left fourth and fifth fingers. The pinch strength of the right fifth finger was much weaker than the pinch strength of the left fifth finger. Study 3: The dominant side had a significantly lower nail curve index and higher pinch strength. The frequency and strength of mechanical forces on finger nails significantly affect nail appearance. © 2014 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Revisiting Pneumatic Nail Gun Trigger Recommendations

PubMed Central

Albers, James; Lipscomb, Hester; Hudock, Stephen; Dement, John; Evanoff, Bradley; Fullen, Mark; Gillen, Matt; Kaskutas, Vicki; Nolan, James; Patterson, Dennis; Platner, James; Pompeii, Lisa; Schoenfisch, Ashley

2015-01-01

Summary Use of a pneumatic nail gun with a sequential actuation trigger (SAT) significantly diminishes the risk for acute traumatic injury compared to use of a contact actuation trigger (CAT) nail gun. A theoretically-based increased risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders from use of a SAT nail gun, relative to CAT, appears unlikely and remains unproven. Based on current knowledge, the use of CAT nail guns cannot be justified as a safe alternative to SAT nail guns. This letter provides a perspective of ergonomists and occupational safety researchers recommending the use of the sequential actuation trigger for all nail gun tasks in the construction industry. PMID:26366020

Revisiting Pneumatic Nail Gun Trigger Recommendations.

PubMed

Albers, James; Lowe, Brian; Lipscomb, Hester; Hudock, Stephen; Dement, John; Evanoff, Bradley; Fullen, Mark; Gillen, Matt; Kaskutas, Vicki; Nolan, James; Patterson, Dennis; Platner, James; Pompeii, Lisa; Schoenfisch, Ashley

2015-03-01

Use of a pneumatic nail gun with a sequential actuation trigger (SAT) significantly diminishes the risk for acute traumatic injury compared to use of a contact actuation trigger (CAT) nail gun. A theoretically-based increased risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders from use of a SAT nail gun, relative to CAT, appears unlikely and remains unproven. Based on current knowledge, the use of CAT nail guns cannot be justified as a safe alternative to SAT nail guns. This letter provides a perspective of ergonomists and occupational safety researchers recommending the use of the sequential actuation trigger for all nail gun tasks in the construction industry.

Acute Generalized Erythrodermic Pustular Psoriasis Associated with Bupropion/Naltrexone (Contrave®).

PubMed

Singh, Priyanka A; Cassel, Kerry P; Moscati, Ronald M; Eckersley, David

2017-04-01

We report a case of erythrodermic pustular psoriasis associated with initiation of bupropion/naltrexone (Contrave®; Orexigen Therapeutics, La Jolla, CA) in a patient with no history of psoriasis. A 55-year-old woman was transferred to our tertiary medical center from a community hospital for possible Stevens-Johnson syndrome 3 weeks after initiation of bupropion/naltrexone. The patient was admitted to the burn unit for wound treatment and hydration. She received intravenous cyclosporine during the admission that resulted in acute kidney injury and the therapy was discontinued. The skin biopsy ruled out Stevens-Johnson syndrome and was more consistent with generalized pustular psoriasis. After discharge, the patient followed up with her dermatologist. She was diagnosed with acute generalized and erythrodermic psoriasis and the patient was restarted on cyclosporine 100 mg twice a day. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Few case reports of bupropion-induced generalized pustular psoriasis and erythrodermic psoriasis in patients with a history of psoriasis have been reported. To our knowledge, acute generalized erythrodermic pustular psoriasis associated with bupropion/naltrexone has not been reported in a patient without history of psoriasis. Due to increases in obesity and increases in prescribing of bupropion/naltrexone SR, health care providers should be aware of this possible severe adverse reaction. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Impact of a healthy nails program on nail-biting in Turkish schoolchildren: a controlled pretest-posttest study.

PubMed

Ergun, Ayse; Toprak, Rumeysa; Sisman, Fatma Nevin

2013-12-01

This study was conducted to examine the effect of a healthy nails program on nail-biting in Turkish schoolchildren. This quasi-experimental study was of pretest-posttest control group design. A total of 50 students of a primary school formed the intervention group, while 53 students from the same school formed the control group. Data were collected with a demographic form, a nail-biting follow-up form, and photographs of the fingernails. It was found that 68.9% of students were biting seven or more of their nails; 46.6% had damaged nail beds. In the intervention group, the rate of the children who were not biting their nails (baseline = 0%, 4th week = 56.0%, 8th week = 64.0%) increased significantly compared to the control group (baseline = 0%, 4th week = 15.1%, 8th week = 18.9%). Outcomes indicate the efficacy of the healthy nails program in reducing the nail-biting problem in schoolchildren.

Serum YKL-40 as a potential biomarker of inflammation in psoriasis.

PubMed

Baran, Anna; Myśliwiec, Hanna; Szterling-Jaworowska, Malgorzata; Kiluk, Paulina; Świderska, Magdalena; Flisiak, Iwona

2018-02-01

YKL-40 is an inflammatory glycoprotein associated with atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes or metabolic syndrome which are common comorbidities in psoriasis. The aim of the study was to assess serum YKL-40 level in psoriasis and elucidate possible associations with disease activity, inflammatory or metabolic parameters and treatment. A total of 37 individuals with active plaque-type psoriasis and 15 healthy controls were enrolled. Blood samples were collected before and after 2 weeks of therapy. Serum YKL-40 concentrations were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results were correlated with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), body mass index (BMI), inflammatory and biochemical markers, lipid profile and topical therapy. Median YKL-40 serum levels were significantly increased in psoriatic patients in comparison to the controls (p < .0001). No significant correlations between investigated protein and metabolic parameters as BMI (p = .19), glucose (p = .32) nor lipids levels were found. Significant positive relation with CRP (p = .003) or alanine aminotransferase (p = .04) and no correlation with PASI (p = .2) were noted. Serum YKL-40 level remained unchanged (p = .5) after topical treatment, despite clinical improvement. YKL-40 might be a biomarker of psoriasis and inflammation in psoriatic patients, but not a reliable indicator of metabolic conditions, severity of psoriasis nor efficacy of the treatment.

Leptin deficiency in mice counteracts imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like skin inflammation while leptin stimulation induces inflammation in human keratinocytes.

PubMed

Stjernholm, Theresa; Ommen, Pernille; Langkilde, Ane; Johansen, Claus; Iversen, Lars; Rosada, Cecilia; Stenderup, Karin

2017-04-01

Leptin is an adipocyte-derived cytokine secreted mostly by adipose tissue. Serum leptin levels are elevated in obese individuals and correlate positively with body mass index (BMI). Interestingly, serum leptin levels are also elevated in patients with psoriasis and correlate positively with disease severity. Psoriasis is associated with obesity; patients with psoriasis have a higher incidence of obesity, and obese individuals have a higher risk of developing psoriasis. Additionally, obese patients with psoriasis experience a more severe degree of psoriasis. In this study, we hypothesised that leptin may link psoriasis and obesity and plays an aggravating role in psoriasis. To investigate leptin's role in psoriasis, we applied the widely accepted imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like skin inflammation mouse model on leptin-deficient (ob/ob) mice and evaluated psoriasis severity. Moreover, we stimulated human keratinocytes with leptin and investigated the effect on proliferation and expression of pro-inflammatory proteins. In ob/ob mice, clinical signs of erythema, infiltration and scales in dorsal skin and inflammation in ear skin, as measured by ear thickness, were attenuated and compared with wt mice. Moreover, IL-17A and IL-22 mRNA expression levels, as well as increased epidermal thickness, were significantly less induced. In vitro, the effect of leptin stimulation on human keratinocytes demonstrated increased proliferation and induced secretion of several pro-inflammatory proteins; two hallmarks of psoriasis. In conclusion, leptin deficiency attenuated IMQ-induced psoriasis-like skin inflammation in a mouse model, and leptin stimulation induced a pro-inflammatory phenotype in human keratinocytes, thus, supporting an aggravating role of leptin in psoriasis. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Nail disorders in infants and children.

PubMed

Piraccini, Bianca Maria; Starace, Michela

2014-08-01

Nail diseases in infants and children are an uncommon cause of consultation and are often difficult to diagnose and to manage. This review will cover nail diseases that are most commonly seen in clinical practice, including congenital and hereditary disorders and inflammatory, infective, and neoplastic nail diseases. The purpose of the review is to help the reader to recognize nail disorders at an early age and to manage them appropriately. Two recent large studies have reported the clinical findings of genetic disorders involving the nails, that is, pachyonychia congenita and epidermolysis bullosa. Only a few articles gave a comprehensive review of a disease, as occurred for onychomycosis, while the majority of the reports published in the recent literature involve single cases. Nail diseases in children and neonates are not easy to diagnose by nonexperts. Basic knowledge of the anatomy and biology of the nail facilitates their diagnosis as the understanding of their pathophysiology. This review gives hints at the most common nail diseases that affect infants and children.

Compounds of psoriasis with obesity and overweight.

PubMed

Owczarczyk-Saczonek, Agnieszka; Placek, Waldemar

2017-08-24

Many epidemiological studies have confirmed the relationship of obesity and psoriasis, and it is believed that obesity is an independent risk factor for its development and is associated with a worse prognosis. Furthermore, the reduction of body weight, using low-calorie diet combined with exercise, reduces the severity of psoriasis.Visceral adipose tissue is the largest endocrine organ, producing proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17) and adipokines (adiponectin, omentin, chemerin). They participate in the development of dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, diabetes, and consequently of the cardiovascular diseases. Macrophages of visceral adipose tissue have a special role and they increase significantly in obesity. They are responsible for the development of inflammation in adipose tissue and produce inflammatory cytokines (TNF alpha, IL-6, Il-8, Il-17, Il-18, MCP-1) and other adipokines: resistin, visfatin, retinol-binding protein 4. This explains the concept of «psoriatic march «and observations of the frequent coexistence of psoriasis with obesity. Inflammation associated with systemic disease, fanned by pro-inflammatory cytokines and adipokines produced by the visceral adipose tissue lead to the development of insulin resistance, endothelial cell damage. Endothelial dysfunction predisposes to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques and faster development of cardiovascular events. Complication of obesity is the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which states twice as likely in patients with plaque psoriasis and is associated with the severity of the disease. Another consequence is the development of depression. Probably the proinflammatory cytokines can interact with metabolism of neurotransmitters. Obesity also has a significant impact on the treatment of psoriasis, increasing the risk of adverse effects of systemic drugs, reducing the efficacy of biological agents which dose should be adjusted to the weight of the patient. It

A Clinician's Guide to the Diagnosis and Treatment of Candidiasis in Patients with Psoriasis.

PubMed

Armstrong, April W; Bukhalo, Michael; Blauvelt, Andrew

2016-08-01

Many of the molecular pathways associated with psoriasis pathogenesis are also involved in host defense mechanisms that protect against common pathogens. Candida can stimulate the production of cytokines that trigger or exacerbate psoriasis, and many systemic psoriasis treatments may put patients at increased risk for developing oral, cutaneous, and genitourinary candidiasis. Therefore, dermatologists should regularly screen patients with psoriasis for signs of Candida infection, and take steps to effectively treat these infections to prevent worsening of psoriasis symptoms. This review provides an overview of candidiasis epidemiology in patients with psoriasis, followed by a primer on the diagnosis and treatment of superficial Candida infections, with specific guidance for patients with psoriasis. Candidiasis in patients with psoriasis typically responds to topical or oral antifungal therapy. While biologic agents used to treat moderate-to-severe psoriasis, such as tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors and interleukin-17 inhibitors, are known to increase patients' risk of developing localized candidiasis, the overall risk of infection is low, and candidiasis can be effectively managed in most patients while receiving systemic psoriasis therapies. Thus, the development of candidiasis does not usually necessitate changes to psoriasis treatment regimens.

HLA-C and guttate psoriasis.

PubMed

Mallon, E; Bunce, M; Savoie, H; Rowe, A; Newson, R; Gotch, F; Bunker, C B

2000-12-01

Psoriasis is a heterogeneous disease in its clinical expression. Both genetic and environmental factors are thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of the inflammatory and hyperproliferative components of the typical skin lesions. Predisposing genetic influences include associations with human leucocyte antigens (HLA) of which that with HLA-Cw6 is the strongest. Guttate psoriasis is a specific clinical manifestation of psoriasis frequently associated with group A beta-haemolytic streptococcal throat infection. We set out to determine whether further clinical subdivision of psoriasis is associated with tighter correlation with HLA-C alleles. We determined the HLA-C locus genotype of 29 caucasian patients with guttate psoriasis presenting consecutively with guttate psoriasis associated with a history of a sore throat and/or an antistreptolysin O titre > 200 IU mL-1. Polymerase chain reaction typing using sequence-specific primers was used to detect all known HLA-C alleles. These data were compared with a control population of 604 random caucasian cadaver donors. All patients (100%) with guttate psoriasis carried the Cw*0602 allele compared with 20% of the control population (odds ratio = infinity; 95% confidence limits 25.00-infinity; Pcorrected < 0.0000002). This result is consistent with HLA-Cw*0602 playing a part directly in the pathogenesis of guttate psoriasis.

Secukinumab long-term safety experience: A pooled analysis of 10 phase II and III clinical studies in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

PubMed

van de Kerkhof, Peter C M; Griffiths, Christopher E M; Reich, Kristian; Leonardi, Craig L; Blauvelt, Andrew; Tsai, Tsen-Fang; Gong, Yankun; Huang, Jiaqing; Papavassilis, Charis; Fox, Todd

2016-07-01

Secukinumab, a fully human anti-interleukin-17A monoclonal antibody, has demonstrated efficacy and safety in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. We reviewed safety data from the secukinumab psoriasis phase II/III program. Data were pooled from 10 phase II/III secukinumab psoriasis studies. Analysis included 3993 subjects; 3430 received secukinumab, representing 2725 subject-years (SYs) of exposure. Over 52 weeks, for secukinumab 300 mg, 150 mg, and etanercept, respectively, exposure-adjusted incidence rates (IRs) per 100 SYs were comparable across treatments for total adverse events (AEs; 236.1, 239.9, and 243.4, respectively); infections (91.1, 85.3, and 93.7, respectively); serious AEs (7.4, 6.8, and 7.0, respectively); serious infections (1.4, 1.1, and 1.4, respectively); malignant or unspecified tumors (0.77, 0.97, and 0.68, respectively); and adjudicated major adverse cardiovascular events (0.42, 0.35, and 0.34, respectively). AEs were not dose-related except for nonserious, mild/moderate, skin/mucosal candidiasis (IRs 3.55, 1.85, and 1.37 for secukinumab 300 mg, 150 mg, and etanercept, respectively). There was a limited number of patients in comparator groups and the exposure to placebo was short. Secukinumab had a favorable safety profile, had no meaningful difference between the 300- and 150-mg doses and, in terms of safety, was comparable to etanercept over 52 weeks in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Novel methotrexate soft nanocarrier/fractional erbium YAG laser combination for clinical treatment of plaque psoriasis.

PubMed

Ramez, Shahenda A; Soliman, Mona M; Fadel, Maha; Nour El-Deen, Faisal; Nasr, Maha; Youness, Eman R; Aboel-Fadl, Dalea M

2018-02-15

Psoriasis is a commonly encountered chronic dermatological disease, presenting with inflammatory symptoms in patients. Systemic treatment of psoriasis is associated with several adverse effects, therefore the development of a customized topical treatment modality for psoriasis would be an interesting alternative to systemic delivery. The therapeutic modality explored in this article was the comparative treatment of psoriatic patients using nanoparticulated methotrexate in the form of jojoba oil-based microemulsion with or without fractional erbium YAG laser. Assessment parameters included follow-up photography for up to 8 weeks of treatment, estimation of the psoriasis severity [TES (thickness, erythema, scales)] score, and histopathological skin evaluation. The prepared methotrexate microemulsion was clinically beneficial and safe in treatment of psoriasis vulgaris. The concomitant use of the fractional laser provided improvement in the psoriatic plaques within shorter time duration (3 weeks compared to 8 weeks of treatment), presenting an alternative topical treatment modality for psoriasis vulgaris.

Molecular Phenotyping Small (Asian) versus Large (Western) Plaque Psoriasis Shows Common Activation of IL-17 Pathway Genes, but Different Regulatory Gene Sets

PubMed Central

Kim, Jaehwan; Oh, Chil-Hwan; Jeon, Jiehyun; Baek, Yoosang; Ahn, Jaewoo; Kim, Dong Joo; Lee, Hyun-Soo; da Rosa, Joel Correa; Suárez-Fariñas, Mayte; Lowes, Michelle A.; Krueger, James G.

2015-01-01

Psoriasis is present in all racial groups, but in varying frequencies and severity. Considering that small plaque psoriasis is specific to the Asian population and severe psoriasis is more predominant in the Western population, we defined Asian small and intermediate plaque psoriasis as psoriasis subtypes, and compared their molecular signatures with classic subtype of Western large plaque psoriasis. Two different characteristics of psoriatic spreading—vertical growth and radial expansion—were contrasted between subtypes, and genomic data were correlated to histologic and clinical measurements. Compared to Western large plaque psoriasis, Asian small plaque psoriasis revealed limited psoriasis spreading, but IL-17A and IL-17-regulated pro-inflammatory cytokines were highly expressed. Paradoxically, IL-17A and IL-17-regulated pro-inflammatory cytokines were lower in Western large plaque psoriasis, while T cells and dendritic cells in total psoriatic skin area were exponentially increased. Negative immune regulators, such as CD69 and FAS, were decreased in both Western large plaque psoriasis and psoriasis with accompanying arthritis or obesity, and their expression was correlated with psoriasis severity index. Based on the disease subtype comparisons, we propose that dysregulation of T cell expansion enabled by downregulation of immune negative regulators is the main mechanism for development of large plaque psoriasis subtypes. PMID:26763436

Lipidomics profiling reveals the role of glycerophospholipid metabolism in psoriasis.

PubMed

Zeng, Chunwei; Wen, Bo; Hou, Guixue; Lei, Li; Mei, Zhanlong; Jia, Xuekun; Chen, Xiaomin; Zhu, Wu; Li, Jie; Kuang, Yehong; Zeng, Weiqi; Su, Juan; Liu, Siqi; Peng, Cong; Chen, Xiang

2017-10-01

Psoriasis is a common and chronic inflammatory skin disease that is complicated by gene-environment interactions. Although genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses have been performed to investigate the pathogenesis of psoriasis, the role of metabolites in psoriasis, particularly of lipids, remains unclear. Lipids not only comprise the bulk of the cellular membrane bilayers but also regulate a variety of biological processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, immunity, angiogenesis, and inflammation. In this study, an untargeted lipidomics approach was used to study the lipid profiles in psoriasis and to identify lipid metabolite signatures for psoriasis through ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry. Plasma samples from 90 participants (45 healthy and 45 psoriasis patients) were collected and analyzed. Statistical analysis was applied to find different metabolites between the disease and healthy groups. In addition, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to validate differentially expressed lipids in psoriatic patient plasma. Finally, we identified differential expression of several lipids including lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylcholine (PC), and phosphatidic acid (PA); among these metabolites, LPA, LysoPC, and PA were significantly increased, while PC and PI were down-regulated in psoriasis patients. We found that elements of glycerophospholipid metabolism such as LPA, LysoPC, PA, PI, and PC were significantly altered in the plasma of psoriatic patients; this study characterizes the circulating lipids in psoriatic patients and provides novel insight into the role of lipids in psoriasis. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

Prevalence and comorbidities in adults with psoriasis compared to atopic eczema.

PubMed

Radtke, M A; Schäfer, I; Glaeske, G; Jacobi, A; Augustin, M

2017-01-01

Most data suggesting an association between psoriasis and cardiovascular disease (CVD) have come from specialized populations at either low or high risk of CVD. Atopic dermatitis (AD) has been associated with a number of modifiable risk factors, particularly obesity. There has been a recent controversy on the suggestion that associations with comorbidities in psoriasis may be due to overreporting or biased by disease severity and therefore not necessarily representative of the general psoriasis population. To evaluate the prevalence of AD and psoriasis and to compare the prevalence rates of comorbidities based on a large sample of health insurance data. Data were collected from a database of non-selected individuals from a German statutory health insurance organization that covers all geographic regions. Individuals identified by International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes applied to all outpatient and inpatient visits in the year 2009. Comorbidities were evaluated by ICD-10 diagnoses. The database consisted of 1 642 852 members of a German statutory health insurance. Of 1 349 671 data sets analyzed, 37 456 patients ≥18 years were diagnosed with psoriasis (prevalence 2.78%), and 48 140 patients ≥18 years of age were diagnosed with AD, equivalent to a prevalence of 3.67%. Patients with psoriasis showed increased rates of comorbidities in all age groups. Comorbidities related to the metabolic syndrome including arterial hypertension [prevalence ratio (PR), 1.94; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.90-1.98], hyperlipidaemia (PR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.73-1.81), obesity (PR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.69-1.79) and diabetes mellitus (PR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.83-1.94) were significantly more common among patients with psoriasis compared to AD. Diseases forming part of the metabolic syndrome showed significant lower prevalence rates in patients with AD than in patients with psoriasis. Within the limitations of secondary healthcare data, our study disproves the suggestion that

Serum lipocalin-2 levels are increased in patients with psoriasis.

PubMed

Kamata, M; Tada, Y; Tatsuta, A; Kawashima, T; Shibata, S; Mitsui, H; Asano, Y; Sugaya, M; Kadono, T; Kanda, N; Watanabe, S; Sato, S

2012-04-01

The protein lipocalin (LCN)-2 is known to be related to insulin resistance, obesity and atherosclerotic diseases. Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease related to metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between serum LCN2 levels and indicators for metabolic syndrome and inflammatory cytokine levels in patients with psoriasis. Serum LCN2 levels were measured in patients with psoriasis, atopic dermatitis (AD) or bullous pemphigoid (BP), and compared with those of healthy controls. Serum LCN2 levels were also compared with several indicators for metabolic syndrome, and with serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, two markers of inflammation. Serum LCN2 levels in patients with psoriasis were significantly higher than those of healthy controls, but there was no significant correlation between serum LCN2 and body mass index. Serum LCN2 levels also correlated with serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels in patients with psoriasis. Serum LCN2 levels are a general indicator for increased inflammation in the patients with psoriasis. © The Author(s). CED © 2012 British Association of Dermatologists.

Single-center, noninterventional clinical trial to assess the safety, efficacy, and tolerability of a dimeticone-based medical device in facilitating the removal of scales after topical application in patients with psoriasis corporis or psoriasis capitis.

PubMed

Hengge, Ulrich R; Röschmann, Kristina; Candler, Henning

2017-01-01

Psoriasis is a frequent inflammatory skin disease affecting ~2%-3% of the population in western countries. Scaling of the psoriatic lesions is the most impairing symptom in patients with psoriasis. In contrast to conventional keratolytic treatment concepts containing salicylic acid or urea, a dimeticone-based medical device (Loyon ® ) removes scales in a physical way without any pharmacological effect. To assess the efficacy and tolerability of a dimeticone-based medical device in removal of scales in patients with psoriasis corporis/capitis under real-life conditions. Forty patients with psoriasis capitis or corporis were included and received once-daily treatments for 7 days. Clinical assessment of the psoriasis area severity index score (psoriasis corporis) and the psoriasis scalp severity index score (psoriasis capitis) was performed and evaluated at baseline, after 3 and 7 days of treatment. Baseline scaling scores and redness scores were calculated for two target lesions of the scalp or the body on a 5-point scale each. For the primary efficacy variable scaling score, a statistically significant decrease was observed after treatment, with a relative reduction in scaling of 36.8% after 7 days of treatment within patients affected by psoriasis capitis. Treatment success was achieved in 76.8% of patients with psoriasis capitis, and time to treatment success was evaluated to be 4.14 days for these patients and 4.33 days for patients suffering from psoriasis corporis. In conclusion, this trial demonstrated that the dimeticone-based medical device is a safe, well-tolerated, practicable, and efficient keratolytic compound, which can be well implemented in and recommended for standard therapy of psoriasis.

Single-center, noninterventional clinical trial to assess the safety, efficacy, and tolerability of a dimeticone-based medical device in facilitating the removal of scales after topical application in patients with psoriasis corporis or psoriasis capitis

PubMed Central

Hengge, Ulrich R; Röschmann, Kristina; Candler, Henning

2017-01-01

Introduction Psoriasis is a frequent inflammatory skin disease affecting ~2%–3% of the population in western countries. Scaling of the psoriatic lesions is the most impairing symptom in patients with psoriasis. In contrast to conventional keratolytic treatment concepts containing salicylic acid or urea, a dimeticone-based medical device (Loyon®) removes scales in a physical way without any pharmacological effect. Objective To assess the efficacy and tolerability of a dimeticone-based medical device in removal of scales in patients with psoriasis corporis/capitis under real-life conditions. Methods Forty patients with psoriasis capitis or corporis were included and received once-daily treatments for 7 days. Clinical assessment of the psoriasis area severity index score (psoriasis corporis) and the psoriasis scalp severity index score (psoriasis capitis) was performed and evaluated at baseline, after 3 and 7 days of treatment. Baseline scaling scores and redness scores were calculated for two target lesions of the scalp or the body on a 5-point scale each. Results For the primary efficacy variable scaling score, a statistically significant decrease was observed after treatment, with a relative reduction in scaling of 36.8% after 7 days of treatment within patients affected by psoriasis capitis. Treatment success was achieved in 76.8% of patients with psoriasis capitis, and time to treatment success was evaluated to be 4.14 days for these patients and 4.33 days for patients suffering from psoriasis corporis. Conclusion In conclusion, this trial demonstrated that the dimeticone-based medical device is a safe, well-tolerated, practicable, and efficient keratolytic compound, which can be well implemented in and recommended for standard therapy of psoriasis. PMID:29387607

Cure of Psoriasis and Arthritis when Addison's Disease Was Detected

PubMed Central

Lind, Marcus

2010-01-01

Introduction Corticoid therapy is well-known to improve the symptoms of psoriasis. Addison's disease is an autoimmune disease which leads to a loss of cortisol production in the adrenal glands. This case report describes a patient with wide-spread psoriasis for 34 years who was cured when Addison's disease was detected and substitution to reach normal biological cortisol levels was introduced. Case Report A 59-year-old man was diagnosed with Addison's disease. He had been tired for several years and had had difficulties in continuing his work. His brother had Addison's disease and recommended him to make a screen for the disease. Synacthen test diagnosed Addison's disease with a clear deficiency of cortisol production. After substitution with hydrocortisone the patient's constitution improved rapidly and he felt no longer tired during work. At the same time, all skin lesions of psoriasis disappeared as well as aches in several joints, both symptoms having been present for a couple of decades. Previously, salves of cortisol had been used to reduce the symptoms of psoriasis, but now, 1–2 years later, after the treatment of Addison's disease, no symptoms in the skin or joints have reoccurred. Conclusions This report illustrates that Addison's disease, although a rare condition, should be kept in mind before treatment of psoriasis is started. Especially if other symptoms such as fatigue are present, a screening test of serum cortisol in the morning should be liberally made. The report also illustrates a need of examining corticoid levels in patients with psoriasis compared to the general population. PMID:21103194

Cure of Psoriasis and Arthritis when Addison's Disease Was Detected.

PubMed

Lind, Marcus

2010-06-01

INTRODUCTION: Corticoid therapy is well-known to improve the symptoms of psoriasis. Addison's disease is an autoimmune disease which leads to a loss of cortisol production in the adrenal glands. This case report describes a patient with wide-spread psoriasis for 34 years who was cured when Addison's disease was detected and substitution to reach normal biological cortisol levels was introduced. CASE REPORT: A 59-year-old man was diagnosed with Addison's disease. He had been tired for several years and had had difficulties in continuing his work. His brother had Addison's disease and recommended him to make a screen for the disease. Synacthen test diagnosed Addison's disease with a clear deficiency of cortisol production. After substitution with hydrocortisone the patient's constitution improved rapidly and he felt no longer tired during work. At the same time, all skin lesions of psoriasis disappeared as well as aches in several joints, both symptoms having been present for a couple of decades. Previously, salves of cortisol had been used to reduce the symptoms of psoriasis, but now, 1-2 years later, after the treatment of Addison's disease, no symptoms in the skin or joints have reoccurred. CONCLUSIONS: This report illustrates that Addison's disease, although a rare condition, should be kept in mind before treatment of psoriasis is started. Especially if other symptoms such as fatigue are present, a screening test of serum cortisol in the morning should be liberally made. The report also illustrates a need of examining corticoid levels in patients with psoriasis compared to the general population.

Psoriasis as a cardiovascular risk factor: updates and algorithmic approach.

PubMed

Cozzani, Emanuele; Rosa, Gianmarco; Burlando, Martina; Parodi, Aurora

2018-04-19

Although psoriasis is predominantly a chronic inflammatory skin disorder, it has been known to be associated with cardiovascular disease. Patients with psoriasis, particularly with moderate to severe forms, present an increased rate of cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction and stroke. However the pathophysiology of the relationship between psoriasis and cardiovascular risk and comorbidities has not yet completely known. Chronic inflammation may be considered a solid link between psoriasis and related cardiovascular events. Several cytokines and inflammatory cells play a pivotal role in the development of psoriatic lesions, resulting in angiogenesis and endothelial dysfunction. Furthermore, the imbalance between oxidative stress and anti-oxidant mechanisms in psoriatic patients may contribute to explain the pathogenesis of increased reactive oxygen species and the formation of atherosclerotic plaque. Other mechanistic pathways which may be involved in this relationship include cardiovascular effects of medications, a common genetic background and a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, which are often under-diagnosed and under-treated in psoriatic patients. Indeed, the early detection of specific markers of cardiovascular impairment, such as N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide, homocysteine and YKL-40, may enable psoriatic patients at higher cardiovascular risk to be identified as soon as possible. This review examines the increased cardiovascular risk profile and high prevalence of cardiovascular disease associated with psoriasis, focusing on pathogenic links between psoriasis and atherosclerosis, serological markers of cardiovascular involvement and the implications of anti-psoriatic therapies on cardiovascular risk and proposes a flow chart, that every dermatologist should follow to screen psoriatic patients.

Throat infections are associated with exacerbation in a substantial proportion of patients with chronic plaque psoriasis

PubMed Central

Thorleifsdottir, Ragna H.; Eysteinsdottir, Jenna H.; Olafsson, Jon H.; Sigurdsson, Martin I.; Johnston, Andrew; Valdimarsson, Helgi; Sigurgeirsson, Bardur

2016-01-01

Streptococcal throat infections are known to trigger or exacerbate psoriasis, and several studies support the benefit of tonsillectomy. To evaluate the potential of tonsillectomy as a treatment, we used a retrospective study-specific questionnaire to assess the proportion of psoriasis patients with sore throat-associated psoriasis exacerbations. Our survey sampled 275 psoriasis patients. 42% of patients with plaque psoriasis reported sore throat-associated psoriasis exacerbations, and 72% of patients with confirmed streptococcal infections reported aggravation. Notably, women and early onset psoriasis patients were more likely to report psoriasis exacerbation after a sore throat (p<0.001, p=0.046 respectively). Other psoriasis aggravation factors were more common in patients with sore throat-associated exacerbations (p<0.01). 49% of tonsillectomized patients reported subsequent improvement and had more frequent sore throat-associated aggravation of psoriasis than patients who did not improve after tonsillectomy (p=0.015). These findings suggest a closer association between sore throats, streptococcal throat infections and plaque psoriasis than previously reported. PMID:26984718

Throat Infections are Associated with Exacerbation in a Substantial Proportion of Patients with Chronic Plaque Psoriasis.

PubMed

Thorleifsdottir, Ragna H; Eysteinsdóttir, Jenna H; Olafsson, Jón H; Sigurdsson, Martin I; Johnston, Andrew; Valdimarsson, Helgi; Sigurgeirsson, Bardur

2016-08-23

Streptococcal throat infections are known to trigger or exacerbate psoriasis, and several studies support the benefit of tonsillectomy. To evaluate the potential of tonsillectomy as a treatment, we used a retrospective study-specific questionnaire to assess the proportion of psoriasis patients with sore throat-associated psoriasis exacerbations. Our survey sampled 275 psoriasis patients. Of patients with plaque psoriasis, 42% reported sore throat-associated psoriasis exacerbations, and of patients with confirmed streptococcal infections, 72% reported aggravation. Notably, women and patients with early onset psoriasis were more likely to report psoriasis exacerbation after a sore throat (p < 0.001, p = 0.046, respectively). Other psoriasis aggravation factors were more common in patients with sore throat-associated exacerbations (p < 0.01). Of tonsillectomized patients, 49% reported subsequent improvement and had more frequent sore throat-associated aggravation of psoriasis than patients who did not improve after tonsillectomy (p = 0.015). These findings suggest a closer association between sore throats, streptococcal throat infections and plaque psoriasis than reported previously.

Psoriasis.

PubMed

Nestle, Frank O

2008-01-01

Psoriasis is one of the most common chronic inflammatory disorders with a strong genetic background. Recent progress in the understanding of both the immunological as well as the genetic basis has provided an unprecedented opportunity to move scientific insights from the bench to bedside. Based on insights from laboratory research, targeted immunotherapies are now available for the benefit of patients suffering from psoriasis. The success of these therapies has validated insights into disease pathogenesis and also provides the opportunity to increase our understanding about the pathways underpinning autoimmune-type inflammation in the skin.

Psoriasis.

PubMed

Di Meglio, Paola; Villanova, Federica; Nestle, Frank O

2014-08-01

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease with a spectrum of clinical phenotypes and results from the interplay of genetic, environmental, and immunological factors. Four decades of clinical and basic research on psoriasis have elucidated many of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying disease and paved the way to effective targeted therapies. Here, we review this progress and identify future directions of study that are supported by a more integrative research approach and aim at further improving the patients' life. Copyright © 2014 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.

Pharmacokinetic Characteristics of Tofacitinib in Adult Patients With Moderate to Severe Chronic Plaque Psoriasis.

PubMed

Ma, Guangli; Xie, Rujia; Strober, Bruce; Langley, Richard; Ito, Kaori; Krishnaswami, Sriram; Wolk, Robert; Valdez, Hernan; Rottinghaus, Scott; Tallman, Anna; Gupta, Pankaj

2018-06-01

Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor. This study characterized the pharmacokinetics of tofacitinib in patients with psoriasis and evaluated the impact of patient factors on disposition. Pooled phase 2/3 data (2981 patients: 9735 concentrations, dose range: 2-15 mg twice daily) up to 56 weeks were used for modeling. A one-compartment model parameterized in terms of apparent oral clearance (CL/F), apparent volume of distribution, zero-order absorption (duration, D), with interindividual variability and inter-occasion variability terms, described tofacitinib pharmacokinetics. A full covariate model incorporated effects for age, sex, race, ethnicity, and baseline variables (body weight, Psoriasis Area Severity Index [PASI], C-reactive protein [CRP], creatinine clearance [CrCl]). The parameter estimates (95%CI) for CL/F, Vd/F, and D in a typical individual (white, male, 86 kg, 46 years, CrCl 121 mL/min, PASI 19.8, and CRP 0.267 mg/dL) were 26.7 (25.9, 27.5) L/h, 125 (120.8, 128.3) liters, and 0.69 (0.646, 0.735) hours, respectively. Only CrCl led to clinically relevant changes in exposure. The analysis suggested no dosing modifications for age, body weight, sex, race, ethnicity, baseline PASI, or CRP based on the magnitude of exposure change. Dosing adjustments for renal impairment were derived from a separate phase 1 study. © 2018, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

Biomechanical investigation of a novel ratcheting arthrodesis nail.

PubMed

McCormick, Jeremy J; Li, Xinning; Weiss, Douglas R; Billiar, Kristen L; Wixted, John J

2010-10-14

Knee or tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis is a salvage procedure, often with unacceptable rates of nonunion. Basic science of fracture healing suggests that compression across a fusion site may decrease nonunion. A novel ratcheting arthrodesis nail designed to improve dynamic compression is mechanically tested in comparison to existing nails. A novel ratcheting nail was designed and mechanically tested in comparison to a solid nail and a threaded nail using sawbones models (Pacific Research Laboratories, Inc.). Intramedullary nails (IM) were implanted with a load cell (Futek LTH 500) between fusion surfaces. Constructs were then placed into a servo-hydraulic test frame (Model 858 Mini-bionix, MTS Systems) for application of 3 mm and 6 mm dynamic axial displacement (n = 3/group). Load to failure was also measured. Mean percent of initial load after 3-mm and 6-mm displacement was 190.4% and 186.0% for the solid nail, 80.7% and 63.0% for the threaded nail, and 286.4% and 829.0% for the ratcheting nail, respectively. Stress-shielding (as percentage of maximum load per test) after 3-mm and 6-mm displacement averaged 34.8% and 28.7% (solid nail), 40.3% and 40.9% (threaded nail), and 18.5% and 11.5% (ratcheting nail), respectively. In the 6-mm trials, statistically significant increase in initial load and decrease in stress-shielding for the ratcheting vs. solid nail (p = 0.029, p = 0.001) and vs. threaded nail (p = 0.012, p = 0.002) was observed. Load to failure for the ratcheting nail; 599.0 lbs, threaded nail; 508.8 lbs, and solid nail; 688.1 lbs. With significantly increase of compressive load while decreasing stress-shielding at 6-mm of dynamic displacement, the ratcheting mechanism in IM nails may clinically improve rates of fusion.

Biomechanical investigation of a novel ratcheting arthrodesis nail

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Knee or tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis is a salvage procedure, often with unacceptable rates of nonunion. Basic science of fracture healing suggests that compression across a fusion site may decrease nonunion. A novel ratcheting arthrodesis nail designed to improve dynamic compression is mechanically tested in comparison to existing nails. Methods A novel ratcheting nail was designed and mechanically tested in comparison to a solid nail and a threaded nail using sawbones models (Pacific Research Laboratories, Inc.). Intramedullary nails (IM) were implanted with a load cell (Futek LTH 500) between fusion surfaces. Constructs were then placed into a servo-hydraulic test frame (Model 858 Mini-bionix, MTS Systems) for application of 3 mm and 6 mm dynamic axial displacement (n = 3/group). Load to failure was also measured. Results Mean percent of initial load after 3-mm and 6-mm displacement was 190.4% and 186.0% for the solid nail, 80.7% and 63.0% for the threaded nail, and 286.4% and 829.0% for the ratcheting nail, respectively. Stress-shielding (as percentage of maximum load per test) after 3-mm and 6-mm displacement averaged 34.8% and 28.7% (solid nail), 40.3% and 40.9% (threaded nail), and 18.5% and 11.5% (ratcheting nail), respectively. In the 6-mm trials, statistically significant increase in initial load and decrease in stress-shielding for the ratcheting vs. solid nail (p = 0.029, p = 0.001) and vs. threaded nail (p = 0.012, p = 0.002) was observed. Load to failure for the ratcheting nail; 599.0 lbs, threaded nail; 508.8 lbs, and solid nail; 688.1 lbs. Conclusion With significantly increase of compressive load while decreasing stress-shielding at 6-mm of dynamic displacement, the ratcheting mechanism in IM nails may clinically improve rates of fusion. PMID:20942976

IMO-8400, a toll-like receptor 7, 8, and 9 antagonist, demonstrates clinical activity in a phase 2a, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

PubMed

Balak, Deepak M W; van Doorn, Martijn B A; Arbeit, Robert D; Rijneveld, Rianne; Klaassen, Erica; Sullivan, Tim; Brevard, Julie; Thio, Hok Bing; Prens, Errol P; Burggraaf, Jacobus; Rissmann, Robert

2017-01-01

Aberrant toll-like receptors (TLRs) 7, 8, and 9 activation by self-nucleic acids is implicated in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) such as psoriasis. In preclinical IMID models, blocking TLR-activation reduced disease severity. IMO-8400 is a first-in-class, oligonucleotide-based antagonist of TLRs 7, 8, and 9. We evaluated the short-term safety and proof-of-concept for efficacy of IMO-8400 in a first-in-patient phase 2 trial. Forty-six psoriasis patients were randomly assigned to IMO-8400 in four dose levels or placebo for 12weeks. Post-treatment follow-up was seven weeks. Primary outcome was incidence of adverse events. Secondary, exploratory outcomes included changes in psoriasis area and severity index (PASI). IMO-8400 across all dose levels did not cause any serious or severe adverse events. The most common treatment-related adverse events were dose-dependent injection-site reactions. All IMO-8400 groups showed clinical improvement, but a clear dose-response relationship and statistically significant differences with placebo were not observed (P=0.26). Eleven (38%) of 29 subjects on IMO-8400 achieved ≥50% PASI-reduction, compared to 1 (11%) of 9 subjects on placebo. Five (17%) and 2 (7%) IMO-8400-treated subjects achieved PASI-75 and PASI-90, respectively, compared to none on placebo. Short-term IMO-8400-treatment was well tolerated and reduced psoriasis severity. These findings warrant further investigation of endosomal TLR-antagonism as a therapeutic approach in psoriasis and other TLR-mediated IMIDs. EudraCT 2013-000164-28 and Clinicaltrials.govNCT01899729. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Patients' perspectives in the management of psoriasis: the Italian results of the Multinational Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (MAPP) survey.

PubMed

Gisondi, Paolo; Girolomoni, Giampiero

2017-08-01

The perspective of patients with psoriasis about medical care treatment goals and strategies is receiving increasing attention. Here, we performed a country-based analysis of the Multinational Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (MAPP) survey, in order to provide specific information on patients' perspective of treatment of psoriasis in Italy. This was a systematic household telephone survey recruiting subjects by random digit dialing. Household members ≥18 years were included if they had ever been diagnosed with psoriasis. About 12,785 households were screened in Italy. 132 patients were ineligible for the analysis, including patients with psoriatic arthritis. 359 patients were surveyed. About half of the patients had very mild disease with less than 1 palm skin involvement, and 38% had 1-10 palm skin disease. It is noteworthy that 48% of patients with widespread disease were not taking any medication. Patients indicated the relief of symptoms, including itching (54.9%), as the main goal for their current therapy, whereas 14.2% reported no specific expectation from their medication. Overall, 70% of patients declared to be satisfied by their therapy, in terms of primary goal reached. Our findings suggest that most psoriasis patients have mild/moderate disease in Italy, and that a portion of patients with severe disease does not receive an adequate treatment.

Retrograde nail for tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis as a limb salvage procedure for open distal tibia and talus fractures with severe bone loss.

PubMed

Ochman, Sabine; Evers, Julia; Raschke, Michael J; Vordemvenne, Thomas

2012-01-01

The treatment of complex fractures of the distal tibia, ankle, and talus with soft tissue damage, bone loss, and nonreconstructable joints for which the optimal timing for reduction and fixation has been missed is challenging. In such cases primary arthrodesis might be a treatment option. We report a series of multi-injured patients with severe soft tissue damage and bone loss, who were treated with a retrograde tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis nail as a minimally invasive treatment option for limb salvage. After a median follow-up of 5.4 years, all patients returned to their former profession. The ankle and bone fusion was complete, with moderate functional results and quality of life. Calcaneotibial arthrodesis using a retrograde nail is a good treatment option for nonreconstructable fractures of the ankle joint with severe bone loss and poor soft tissue quality in selected patients with multiple injuries, in particular, those involving both lower extremities, as a salvage procedure. Copyright © 2012 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimated cost efficacy of systemic treatments that are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis.

PubMed

D'Souza, Logan S; Payette, Michael J

2015-04-01

Newer psoriasis treatments tout higher efficacy but are generally more expensive. We sought to estimate the cost efficacy of systemic psoriasis treatments that have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A literature review of systemic psoriasis treatments that have been approved by the FDA was performed for the primary end point of a 75% reduction in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score (PASI 75). Medication cost was referenced by wholesale acquisition cost (WAC), laboratory fees were obtained from the American Medical Association, and office visit fees are standard at our university. Total expenses were standardized by calculating cost per month of treatment considering the number needed to treat (NNT) to achieve PASI 75. Methotrexate ($794.05-1502.51) and cyclosporine ($1410.14-1843.55) had the lowest monthly costs per NNT to achieve PASI 75. The most costly therapies were infliximab ($8704.68-15,235.52) and ustekinumab 90 mg ($12,505.26-14,256.75). Monthly costs per NNT to achieve PASI 75 for other therapies were as follows: narrowband ultraviolet B light phototherapy ($2924.73), adalimumab ($3974.61-7678.78), acitretin ($4137.71-14,148.53), ustekinumab 45 mg ($7177.89-7263.99), psoralen plus ultraviolet A light phototherapy ($7499.46-8834.98), and etanercept ($8284.71-10,674.89). Drug rebates and incentives, potential adverse effects, comorbidity risk reduction, ambassador programs, and combination therapies were excluded. Our study provides meaningful cost efficacy data that may influence psoriasis treatment selection. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigating the potential of Oxymatrine as a psoriasis therapy.

PubMed

Chen, Qian; Zhou, Hui; Yang, Yinxue; Chi, Mingwei; Xie, Nan; Zhang, Hong; Deng, Xingwang; Leavesley, David; Shi, Huijuan; Xie, Yan

2017-06-01

Psoriasis vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, stubbornly intractable, with substantial consequences for patient physical and mental welfare. Approaches currently available to treat psoriasis are not satisfactory due to undesirable side-effects or expense. Psoriasis is characterized by hyperproliferation and inflammation. Oxymatrine, an active component extracted from Sophora flavescens, has been demonstrated to possess anti-proliferation, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumorigenic, immune regulation and pro-apoptotic properties. This investigation presents a detailed retrospective review examining the effect of Oxymatrine on psoriasis and investigates the mechanisms underlying patient responses to Oxymatrine. We confirm that Oxymatrine administration significantly reduced the Psoriasis Area Severity Index score, with high efficacy compared to the control group. In addition, we have found that Oxymatrine significantly inhibits the viability, proliferation and differentiation of human keratinocyte in vitro. Immunohistochemical analysis indicates Oxymatrine significantly suppresses the expression of Pan-Cytokeratin, p63 and keratin 10. The results indicate that the suppression of p63 expression may lead to the anti-proliferation effect of Oxymatrine on human skin keratinocytes. Oxymatrine does not affect the formation of basement membrane, which is very important to maintain the normal function of human skin keratinocytes. In summary, Oxymatrine offers an effective, economical, and safe treatment for patients presenting with intractable psoriasis vulgaris. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of depressive symptoms on oxidative stress in patients with psoriasis.

PubMed

Karababa, Fatih; Yesilova, Yavuz; Turan, Enver; Selek, Salih; Altun, Hacer; Selek, Sahabettin

2013-01-01

Depression and anxiety disorders often accompany psoriasis. Increased reactive oxygen radicals and impaired antioxidant systems are considered to play a role both in psoriasis and depression and anxiety disorders. Accordingly, in this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of depressive and anxiety symptoms on oxidative stress in patients with psoriasis. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) forms were completed by 39 psoriasis patients and 25 volunteer controls. Serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidant capacity (TOC) parameters were analysed in serum samples, after which oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated in whole study population. Laboratory data were analysed with a Kruskal-Wallis test to determine the severity of HADS and the presence of psoriasis among four groups. The psoriasis patients had higher HADS scores, higher OSI and TOC levels, and lower TAC levels compared with the control group. Comparison among four groups with/without psoriasis and higher/lower HADS scores revealed statistically significant differences with regard to TAC (Kruskal-Wallis P = 0.0047) and TOC (Kruskal-Wallis P < 0.001) levels and OSI (Kruskal-Wallis P < 0.001); the difference was mainly based on the difference between cases with and without psoriasis and on HADS scores in control subjects (P < 0.05 for post hoc comparisons). TAC, TOC, and OSI levels did not differ significantly in psoriasis patients with regard to higher or lower HADS scores. Based on the findings of this study, the presence of either psoriasis or higher HADS scores in the control subjects was associated with increased oxidative stress, whereas presence of higher HADS scores did not lead to further increase in oxidative stress in psoriatic patients.

Effect of psoriasis activity and topical treatment on serum lipocalin-2 levels.

PubMed

Baran, A; Świderska, M; Myśliwiec, H; Flisiak, I

2017-03-01

Psoriasis has been considered as systemic disorder. Lipocalin-2 might be a link between psoriasis and its comorbidities. Aim of the study was to investigate the associations between serum lipocalin-2 levels and the disease activity, markers of inflammation or metabolic disturbances and changes after topical treatment in psoriatic patients. Thirty-seven individuals with active plaque-type psoriasis and 15 healthy controls were recruited. Blood samples were collected before and after 14 days of therapy. Serum lipocalin-2 concentrations were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results were correlated with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), body mass index (BMI), inflammatory and biochemical markers, lipid profile and with effectiveness of topical treatment. Lipocalin-2 serum levels were significantly increased in psoriatic patients in comparison to the controls (p = 0.023). No significant correlations with indicators of inflammation, nor BMI or PASI were noted. A statistical association between lipocalin-2 and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol was shown. After topical treatment serum lipocalin-2 level did not significantly change (p = 0.9), still remaining higher than in the controls, despite clinical improvement. Lipocalin-2 might be a marker of psoriasis and convey cardiovascular or metabolic risk in psoriatic patients, but may not be a reliable indicator of inflammation, severity of psoriasis nor efficacy of antipsoriatic treatment.

German evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of Psoriasis vulgaris (short version)

PubMed Central

Kopp, I.; Augustin, M.; Banditt, K. B.; Boehncke, W. H.; Follmann, M.; Friedrich, M.; Huber, M.; Kahl, C.; Klaus, J.; Koza, J.; Kreiselmaier, I.; Mohr, J.; Mrowietz, U.; Ockenfels, H. M.; Orzechowski, H. D.; Prinz, J.; Reich, K.; Rosenbach, T.; Rosumeck, S.; Schlaeger, M.; Schmid-Ott, G.; Sebastian, M.; Streit, V.; Weberschock, T.; Rzany, B.

2007-01-01

Psoriasis vulgaris is a common and chronic inflammatory skin disease which has the potential to significantly reduce the quality of life in severely affected patients. The incidence of psoriasis in Western industrialized countries ranges from 1.5 to 2%. Despite the large variety of treatment options available, patient surveys have revealed insufficient satisfaction with the efficacy of available treatments and a high rate of medication non-compliance. To optimize the treatment of psoriasis in Germany, the Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft and the Berufsverband Deutscher Dermatologen (BVDD) have initiated a project to develop evidence-based guidelines for the management of psoriasis. The guidelines focus on induction therapy in cases of mild, moderate, and severe plaque-type psoriasis in adults. The short version of the guidelines reported here consist of a series of therapeutic recommendations that are based on a systematic literature search and subsequent discussion with experts in the field; they have been approved by a team of dermatology experts. In addition to the therapeutic recommendations provided in this short version, the full version of the guidelines includes information on contraindications, adverse events, drug interactions, practicality, and costs as well as detailed information on how best to apply the treatments described (for full version, please see Nast et al., JDDG, Suppl 2:S1–S126, 2006; or http://www.psoriasis-leitlinie.de). PMID:17497162

Anatomic structures at risk: curved hindfoot arthrodesis nail--a cadaveric approach.

PubMed

Knight, Timothy; Rosenfeld, Peter; Jones, Ioan Tudur; Clark, Callum; Savva, Nick

2014-01-01

Retrograde intramedullary nailing of the hindfoot and ankle is an established procedure for salvage of severe foot and ankle deformity, arthritis, tumor, and instability. In the present study, retrograde hindfoot (tibiotalocalcaneal) arthrodesis nailing was performed using a standardized technique on 7 cadaver specimens by trained senior surgeons. The specimens were then dissected to determine the distance of the subcalcaneal structures at risk from the insertion point of the nail. The findings showed that the distance of the lateral neurovascular bundle from the edge of the nail was 6.5 (range 3.5 to 8, 95% confidence interval 5.9 to 7.1) mm. No neurovascular bundle was compromised, and all were within a previously described "safe window." Copyright © 2014 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Human papilloma virus infection and psoriasis: Did human papilloma virus infection trigger psoriasis?

PubMed

Jain, Sonia P; Gulhane, Sachin; Pandey, Neha; Bisne, Esha

2015-01-01

Psoriasis is an autoimmune chronic inflammatory skin disease known to be triggered by streptococcal and HIV infections. However, human papilloma virus infection (HPV) as a triggering factor for the development of psoriasis has not been reported yet. We, hereby report a case of plaque type with inverse psoriasis which probably could have been triggered by genital warts (HPV infection) and discuss the possible pathomechanisms for their coexistence and its management.

Deciphering psoriasis. A bioinformatic approach.

PubMed

Melero, Juan L; Andrades, Sergi; Arola, Lluís; Romeu, Antoni

2018-02-01

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated, inflammatory and hyperproliferative disease of the skin and joints. The cause of psoriasis is still unknown. The fundamental feature of the disease is the hyperproliferation of keratinocytes and the recruitment of cells from the immune system in the region of the affected skin, which leads to deregulation of many well-known gene expressions. Based on data mining and bioinformatic scripting, here we show a new dimension of the effect of psoriasis at the genomic level. Using our own pipeline of scripts in Perl and MySql and based on the freely available NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database: DataSet Record GDS4602 (Series GSE13355), we explore the extent of the effect of psoriasis on gene expression in the affected tissue. We give greater insight into the effects of psoriasis on the up-regulation of some genes in the cell cycle (CCNB1, CCNA2, CCNE2, CDK1) or the dynamin system (GBPs, MXs, MFN1), as well as the down-regulation of typical antioxidant genes (catalase, CAT; superoxide dismutases, SOD1-3; and glutathione reductase, GSR). We also provide a complete list of the human genes and how they respond in a state of psoriasis. Our results show that psoriasis affects all chromosomes and many biological functions. If we further consider the stable and mitotically inheritable character of the psoriasis phenotype, and the influence of environmental factors, then it seems that psoriasis has an epigenetic origin. This fit well with the strong hereditary character of the disease as well as its complex genetic background. Copyright © 2017 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Real-world outcomes in 2646 psoriasis patients: one in five has PASI ≥10 and/or DLQI ≥10 under ongoing systemic therapy.

PubMed

Norlin, J M; Calara, P S; Persson, U; Schmitt-Egenolf, M

2017-09-01

Although biologics introduced a new era in psoriasis care when available a decade ago, it is unclear to what extent the available systemic treatments treat patients adequately. To analyse the clinical severity and quality of life of the psoriasis population in Sweden treated with systemics. Data included 2646 patients from the Swedish Registry for Systemic Treatment of Psoriasis. Average Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and EQ-5D were reported. A subgroup of persisting moderate-to-severe psoriasis as defined by PASI ≥10 and/or DLQI ≥10 after >12 weeks treatment was analysed. Mean (SD) PASI, DLQI and EQ-5D were 4.12 (4.57), 4.11 (5.24) and 0.79 (0.22). Eighteen percent had persisting moderate-to-severe psoriasis (n = 472). These patients were younger, had higher BMI, had psoriasis arthritis and were smoking to a larger extent (p < 0.01) compared with lower-severity patients (n = 2174). Mean (SD) EQ-5D was also considerably lower 0.63 (0.29) vs. 0.82 (0.19) (p < 0.01). Almost one in every five patients had persisting moderate-to-severe psoriasis, despite ongoing systemic treatment. Both comorbidities and life style factors were associated with persisting moderate-to-severe psoriasis. The considerably lower generic quality of life in these patients demonstrates an unmet need. Subsequently, improved access to biologics and continuous drug development is needed in psoriasis.

Comparison of the efficacy of biologics versus conventional systemic therapies in the treatment of psoriasis at a comprehensive psoriasis care center.

PubMed

Au, Shiu-Chung; Madani, Abdulaziz; Alhaddad, Marwan; Alkofide, Maha; Gottlieb, Alice B

2013-08-01

The efficacy of biologic treatment for psoriasis has not been compared to that of conventional systemic therapies and phototherapy outside of clinical trial settings. Retrospective, cross-sectional. All patient visits with a code for psoriasis (ICD-9 696.1) in the clinical practice of two dermatologists with a high percentage (over 70% of chief complaints) of psoriasis patients from Jan 1, 2008 to Jan 4, 2012 inclusive were included in this retrospective data analysis. Patients were excluded if the baseline Physician's Global Assessment (PGA) at start of treatment was unknown, or less than 3 (moderate). The practice is a comprehensive psoriasis care center in the Northeastern United States serving a metropolitan population of over 4 million people. Patients were divided by treatment type (biologic, conventional systemic or both) and history of previous treatments. Patients were evaluated by Body Surface Area (BSA), PGA, Simple-Measure for Assessing Psoriasis Activity (S-MAPA, calculated by BSA multiplied by PGA). Patients were evaluated at baseline, 8, 12, 16, and 24 weeks after start of treatment. Patients must have completed at least 8 weeks on a single treatment in order to be included. 46 courses of biologics, 12 courses of conventional systemic therapies, and 18 courses of both together were identified with PGA 3 or greater at baseline. Baseline S-MAPA for biologics was 74, for non-biologic systemics was 62.25. At week 24, S-MAPA improved 70.2% over baseline in patients treated with biologics, patients treated with non-biologic systemics improved by only 40.4% (P<0.05). The average number of prior treatments for patients on biologics was 1.87 versus 1.25 for patients on conventional systemic therapies (P=0.169). Biologics show superior results to conventional systemic therapies (70% improvement versus 40% improvement) for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe psoriasis, as measured by decrease in S-MAPA (PGA multiplied by BSA) at week 24. These

Biological therapies (immunomodulatory drugs), worsening of psoriasis and rebound effect: new evidence of similitude.

PubMed

Teixeira, Marcus Zulian

2016-11-01

Employing the secondary action or adaptative reaction of the organism as therapeutic response, homeopathy uses the treatment by similitude (similia similibus curentur) administering to sick individuals the medicines that caused similar symptoms in healthy individuals. Such homeostatic or paradoxical reaction of the organism is scientifically explained through the rebound effect of drugs, which cause worsening of symptoms after withdrawal of several palliative treatments. Despite promoting an improvement in psoriasis at the beginning of the treatment, modern biological therapies provoke worsening of the psoriasis (rebound psoriasis) after discontinuation of drugs. Exploratory qualitative review of the literature on the occurrence of the rebound effect with the use of immunomodulatory drugs [T-cell modulating agents and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors drugs] in the treatment of psoriasis. Several researches indicate the rebound effect as the mechanism of worsening of psoriasis with the use of efalizumab causing the suspension of its marketing authorization in 2009, in view of some severe cases. Other studies also have demonstrated the occurrence of rebound psoriasis with the use of alefacept, etanercept and infliximab. As well as studied in other classes of drugs, the rebound effect of biologic agents supports the principle of similitude (primary action of the drugs followed by secondary action and opposite of the organism). Copyright © 2016 The Faculty of Homeopathy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of Methotrexate in patients with plaque type psoriasis

PubMed Central

Haider, Sabiqa; Wahid, Zarnaz; Najam-us-Saher; Riaz, Farzana

2014-01-01

Objective: To assess the efficacy of Methotrexate in patients with plaque type psoriasis. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in the department of Dermatology, Civil Hospital Karachi from September 2009 to March 2010. Seventy three patients between 18 to 50 years of age suffering from plaque type psoriasis with PASI score of >10 were included in the study after taking the informed consent. Oral methotrexate in a dose of 7.5 mg/week was given for 8 weeks. The data collected included demographic profile (age and gender), duration of disease, site of involvement, size of plaque, severity of plaque measured by Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score before starting the treatment and at the end of treatment. Efficacy was labeled with a PASI score of ≤5 at the end of 8 weeks. Results: Out of 73 patients there were 45 (61.6%) males and 28 (38.4%) females. The mean ±SD age was 40.0±12.6 years. The mean baseline PASI score showed clear and comparable improvement from a mean ± SD PASI score of 14.8±4.2 to 4.9±4.3.Twenty nine (40%) patients had an almost complete remission during the 8 weeks of treatment. Partial remission was achieved in 44 (60%) patients. The clearance time for psoriasis ranged from 5-7 weeks (mean 6±0.89 weeks). Conclusion: Treatment with methotrexate for chronic plaque psoriasis brings satisfactory disease control and improved quality of life. PMID:25225524

Influence of the intramedullary nail preparation method on nail's mechanical properties and degradation rate.

PubMed

Morawska-Chochół, Anna; Chłopek, Jan; Szaraniec, Barbara; Domalik-Pyzik, Patrycja; Balacha, Ewa; Boguń, Maciej; Kucharski, Rafael

2015-06-01

When it comes to the treatment of long bone fractures, scientists are still investigating new materials for intramedullary nails and different manufacturing methods. Some of the most promising materials used in the field are resorbable polymers and their composites, especially since there is a wide range of potential manufacturing and processing methods. The aim of this work was to select the best manufacturing method and technological parameters to obtain multiphase, and multifunctional, biodegradable intramedullary nails. All composites were based on a poly(l-lactide) matrix. Either magnesium alloy wires or carbon and alginate fibres were introduced in order to reinforce the nails. The polylactide matrix was also modified with tricalcium phosphate and gentamicin sulfate. The composite nails were manufactured using three different methods: forming from solution, injection moulding and hot pressing. The effect of each method of manufacturing on mechanical properties and degradation rate of the nails was evaluated. The study showed that injection moulding provides higher uniformity and homogeneity of the particle-modified polylactide matrix, whereas hot pressing favours applying higher volume fractions of fibres and their better impregnation with the polymer matrix. Thus, it was concluded that the fabrication method should be individually selected dependently on the nail's desired phase composition. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A randomized, investigator-masked clinical evaluation of the efficacy and safety of clobetasol propionate 0.05% shampoo and tar blend 1% shampoo in the treatment of moderate to severe scalp psoriasis.

PubMed

Griffiths, Christopher E M; Finlay, Andrew Y; Fleming, Colin J; Barker, Jonathan N W N; Mizzi, Fabienne; Arsonnaud, Stéphanie

2006-01-01

The clinical benefit of currently available tar blend shampoos for the treatment of scalp psoriasis is restricted due to their limited efficacy, low cosmetic appeal and potential for carcinogenicity. This 4-week multicentre, randomized, parallel-group, investigator-masked study included 162 subjects and aimed to compare the efficacy, safety and cosmetic acceptability of clobetasol propionate 0.05% shampoo versus a currently marketed tar blend 1% shampoo in subjects with moderate to severe scalp psoriasis. Clobetasol propionate shampoo was superior to tar blend shampoo with respect to all efficacy variables tested (p<0.001): Total and Global Severity Score; erythema; plaque thickening; desquamation; pruritus; total scalp area involved; and the subject's global assessment of clinical improvement. Both treatments were safe and well-tolerated. Furthermore, more subjects indicated that clobetasol propionate shampoo was more cosmetically acceptable than tar blend shampoo. Clobetasol propionate 0.05% shampoo is a good alternative to tar blend shampoo in the treatment of moderate to severe scalp psoriasis.

Adalimumab for treating childhood plaque psoriasis: a clinical trial evaluation.

PubMed

Di Lernia, Vito

2017-12-01

Most systemic therapies have not been systematically investigated in moderate to severe childhood plaque psoriasis. Evidence on the efficacy and safety of systemic treatments is limited and therapeutic guidelines are lacking. Recently adalimumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody that binds tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- alpha, was investigated in childhood psoriasis. Adalimumab is licensed for many inflammatory conditions including chronic plaque psoriasis in adults. Areas covered: A randomized phase III study published provided favourable efficacy and safety data of adalimumab in childhood psoriasis. The active comparator was methotrexate. After 16 weeks of treatment, a PASI 75 score was achieved in 58% of patients within the adalimumab 0.8 mg/kg group compared with 32% of patients within the methotrexate group. Safety data gave no evidence of drug-related serious adverse events and no organ toxicity. This is the first randomised controlled study of either adalimumab or methotrexate in children and adolescents with psoriasis. Expert opinion: The aforementioned trial was the first to provide clinical data on adalimumab's efficacy and safety in the short term when treating children and adolescents with psoriasis. Through the use of an active comparator, this study has opened the way for the future assessment of systemic therapies in children and adolescent with this condition.

Genetics Home Reference: nonsyndromic congenital nail disorder 10

MedlinePlus

... Nails MalaCards: nail disorder, nonsyndromic congenital, 10 Merck Manual Consumer Version: Deformities, Dystrophies, and Discoloration of the Nails Orphanet: Autosomal recessive nail dysplasia Patient Support ...

Neutrophil extracellular trap formation is increased in psoriasis and induces human β-defensin-2 production in epidermal keratinocytes

PubMed Central

Hu, Stephen Chu-Sung; Yu, Hsin-Su; Yen, Feng-Lin; Lin, Chi-Ling; Chen, Gwo-Shing; Lan, Cheng-Che E.

2016-01-01

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have been implicated in the development of certain immune-mediated diseases, but their role in psoriasis has not been clearly defined. Human β-defensin-2 (HBD-2) is an important antimicrobial peptide overexpressed in psoriasis epidermis. We evaluated whether the amount of NETs is increased in psoriasis and determined the effect of NETs on HBD-2 production in epidermal keratinocytes. Using fluorescent microscopy, we found that patients with psoriasis (n = 48) had higher amount of NETotic cells in their peripheral blood compared to healthy controls (n = 48) and patients with eczema (n = 35). Psoriasis sera showed increased ability to induce NET formation in control neutrophils but normal NET degradation ability. The amount of NETs in the peripheral blood correlated with psoriasis disease severity. NETosis was also observed in the majority (18 of 20) of psoriasis skin specimens. Furthermore, NETs induced HBD-2 mRNA and protein production in keratinocytes, and immunohistochemical analysis confirmed strong expression of HBD-2 in psoriasis lesional skin. In summary, NET formation is increased in peripheral blood and lesional skin of psoriasis patients and correlates with disease severity. Additionally, NET-induced HBD-2 production may provide a novel mechanism for the decreased susceptibility of psoriasis plaques to microbial infections. PMID:27493143

Epidemiological determinants of psoriasis.

PubMed

Islam, M T; Paul, H K; Zakaria, S M; Islam, M M; Shafiquzzaman, M

2011-01-01

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 102 cases having clinical manifestation of psoriasis with a view to evaluate the epidemiological determinants of psoriasis. Psoriasis constituted 1.49% of the total dermatological disorder. Seventy patients (68.6%) were males and thirty two (31.4%) were females with a male to female ratio of 2.18:1. The mean age was 30.76±13.17 years in male and 26.94±14.94 years in female. Sixteen (15.7%) patients had one or more family member having psoriasis with male and female in equal frequency. Regarding precipitating factors, psoriasis was developed after trauma in 4.9%, infection 3.9%, stressful life events 6.9% and drugs 2.9%; and was exacerbated after trauma in 5.9%, infection 5.9%, stressful life events 35.3% and drugs 12.7%. The disease showed improvement in summer (27.5%) and found deteriorated in winter (47.1%). Sunlight had beneficial effect in 33.3% of cases. During pregnancy improvement was observed in 50% but flare up in 22.2% of cases. Fifty percent of patients were smokers, 41.2% were non-smokers and 13.7% were ex-smokers. Forty percent had Body Mass Index (BMI) between 22 to 26 Kg/m², 40.2% had less than 22 Kg/m² and 15.7% had above 26 Kg/m². It was concluded that the prevalence of psoriasis among dermatological patients was similar to results reported in Turkey and in Northern India. The precipitating factors, such as smoking, stressful life events, infection, trauma, sunlight, pregnancy, drugs, and seasonal variations could influence the development of psoriasis and affect its clinical expression.

Switching of biologics in psoriasis: Reasons and results.

PubMed

Honda, Hiromi; Umezawa, Yoshinori; Kikuchi, Sota; Yanaba, Koichi; Fukuchi, Osamu; Ito, Toshihiro; Nobeyama, Yoshimasa; Asahina, Akihiko; Nakagawa, Hidemi

2017-09-01

Efficacy and safety profiles of biologics have been established for moderate to severe psoriasis. However, inefficacy or adverse events sometimes require changing the treatment to other biologics. Here, we examine the effectiveness of this strategy. We retrospectively investigated cases requiring switching biologics. We enrolled 275 psoriatic patients treated with biologics between January 2010 and December 2014 in our hospital. Of these, 51 required a switch to another biologic. First-line therapies were infliximab (IFX, n = 26), adalimumab (ADA, n = 18) and ustekinumab (UST, n = 7), and second-line therapies were IFX (n = 5), ADA (n = 21) and UST (n = 25). Reasons for switching were inefficacy (n = 38), adverse events (n = 11) and others (n = 2). The details were primary failure (n = 15), secondary failure (n = 23) and infusion reactions (n = 8). In 49 patients who switched biologics due to inefficacy and adverse events, the mean Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score at week 16 was 4.3 for first-line therapies and 2.9 for second-line therapies (P < 0.05). Switching to a second biologic therapy to address the first's inefficacy or adverse events often results in significant improvement in moderate to severe psoriasis. © 2017 Japanese Dermatological Association.

Are there any advantages in using a distal aiming device for tibial nailing? Comparing the Centro Nailing System with the Unreamed Tibia Nail.

PubMed

Veen, Egbert J D; Ettema, Harmen B; Zuurmond, Rutger G; Mostert, Adriaan K

2011-10-01

The distal locking of an intramedullary tibial nail can be challenging and time consuming when performed freehand. This study was conducted to evaluate if a distal aiming device would reduce surgical time. A case-controlled study was performed between 2007 and 2009 with 30 patients receiving a reamed tibial nail (Centronail) with the use of a distal aiming device and 30 patients who were treated with an Unreamed Tibia Nail (UTN), with freehand distal locking, in the same period. The primary outcome in this study was operative time. Secondary outcomes were the need for fluoroscopy, time to consolidation and complications. Operation time was longer in the Centronail group compared with the UTN group (126 min vs. 96 min, p=0.000). Use of fluoroscopy for distal locking was needed in half of the cases (n=16) using a distal aiming device. No differences were found regarding time to consolidation, time to removal of the nail and complications. The use of an aiming device for distal locking of a tibia nail lengthens operation time rather than reducing it. Fluoroscopy was still needed in about half of the cases. No difference was seen in clinical outcomes. The use of a distal aiming device to lock a tibial nail appears to have no benefit. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Current and Under Development Treatment Modalities of Psoriasis: A Review.

PubMed

Albaghdadi, Abdullah

2017-01-01

Psoriasis is a chronic and complex autoimmune inflammatory skin disease that affects over 125 million people worldwide. It can exhibit at any age, in spite of the fact that children are less normally influenced than adults. It is characterized by distinct erythematous plaques shielded with conspicuous silvery scales that shows up in different areas of the skin. Knowledge of pathophysiology, especially the pathogenesis of psoriasis, has significantly progressed in the recent decade. Advancement in molecular knowledge leads to better understanding of the disease, thus influencing the development of efficient treatment modalities. However, even with the availability of various options of treatment most of the efficient treatment modalities are costly. Expenses of health care bring about major financial weight to the patients as well as to health care systems. Thus, it was important to review the available current treatment options and those which are under development, in terms of efficacy, safety and cost to assist in selecting the most appropriate treatment for psoriasis patients. Literatures were searched by using key words psoriasis, topical treatment, systemic treatment, biologics and phototherapies, on Embase, Medline, Jstor, Cochrane and Merck Index databases. Life-style choices such as smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity and stress are recognised as risk factors and triggers associated with psoriasis. Psoriasis poses psycho-social and economic burden on affected patients that sometimes leads to depression, reduced social interaction and suicidal tendencies in patients. Depending on the type, severity and extent of the disease, comorbidities, patient preference, efficacy and safety profile, numerous treatment modalities and therapeutic agents are available such as topical, systemic, biologic and phototherapeutic treatments. However, it was found that among all the current available treatments for psoriasis, biologic agents and phototherapeutic modalities are

Emotion Regulation in Patients with Psoriasis: Correlates of Disability, Clinical Dimensions, and Psychopathology Symptoms.

PubMed

Almeida, Vera; Taveira, Sofia; Teixeira, Maribel; Almeida, Isabel; Rocha, José; Teixeira, Ana

2017-08-01

There are known connections between emotions and psoriasis; however, we have not established a clear pathway for this association. This study aimed to explore correlates of difficulties in emotional regulation in patients with psoriasis and predict the influence of emotional regulation in psoriasis disability. Two hundred and twenty eight participants completed the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Self-administered Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, Psoriasis Disability Index, and Brief Symptom Inventory. Spearman's correlation and a hierarchical stepwise multiple regression were carried out to analyse associations. Results indicated that patients with the most recent diagnoses experienced greater difficulty in acting in accordance with goals (r = .16, p < .05) but lesser difficulty in engaging in goal-directed behaviour (r = -.15, p < .05). Those with greater satisfaction with treatment exhibited fewer difficulties in emotional regulation (r = -.23, p < .01). The patients who experienced greater difficulty in emotional regulation perceived greater psoriasis severity (r = .15, p < .05) and disability (r = .36, p < .05), reported more psychopathological symptoms (correlations between .46 and .56), and missed work/school more frequently (r = .24, p < .05). Impulse control proved to be the strongest predictor to psoriasis disability (β = .34). The results highlighted the relationship between emotional regulation difficulty, disease characteristics, and psychological variables in psoriasis disability emphasizing the importance of including a broader approach in clinical management of psoriatic patients.

The nail and hair in forensic science.

PubMed

Daniel, C Ralph; Piraccini, Bianca Maria; Tosti, Antonella

2004-02-01

Drugs, chemicals, and biological substances accumulate and are stored in hair and nails where they can be detected and measured. Advantages of analyzing hair and nail samples also include their easy and non-invasive collection, the small sample size required for analysis, and their easy storage at room temperature. We report 3 examples of heavy metal poisoning diagnosed because of the hair or nail symptoms. Drugs and toxins that can be detected in hair and nails are reviewed and the application of hair/nail analysis in general and in forensic medicine is discussed.

A psoriasis-specific model to support decision making in practice - UK experience.

PubMed

Freeman, Keith; Marum, Maggie; Bottomley, Julia M; Auland, Merran; Jackson, Peter; Ryttov, Jacob

2011-01-01

The balance of service provision for people with psoriasis across community and hospital sectors is inappropriate in many localities. Disease-specific models are being used by policy makers to inform public health decision making and guide their long-term budgets. The aim of the present study was to develop an interactive psoriasis model to compare the 2-year outcomes of topical treatment strategies in patients with moderately severe psoriasis in real-world settings. A previously published 1-year economic analysis of the two-compound formulation (TCF) calcipotriol plus betamethasone dipropionate and other commonly used topical agents in plaque psoriasis was adapted. Literature review and an interview programme identified additional relevant data to inform model assumptions. The model estimated local psoriasis costs and resources in accord with decision makers' priorities. A key element of the model was the facility for all default input data to be adapted to reflect local circumstance. Model validation was not undertaken. The UK experience is described. Topical treatment with high-efficacy first-line therapies is a cost-effective treatment strategy in moderate plaque psoriasis. The model predicts potential savings in psoriasis care for a UK population of £126 million over 2 years if all psoriasis patients received the TCF in a community setting. A frequently used feature of the model was to identify ways of reducing inappropriate referrals to hospital, and so enabling secondary care resources to be focussed on the most resilient psoriasis cases. The present study psoriasis disease model could facilitate collaboration between healthcare professionals to optimise healthcare in the UK. Psoriasis management strategies in primary care can be compared in a variety of realistic clinical settings, allowing the identification of optimal treatment regimens. This model is adaptable to tailor inputs to reflect local situations, providing an attractive tool to GP commissioners

Effective treatment of etanercept and phototherapy-resistant psoriasis using the excimer laser.

PubMed

Park, Kelly K; Swan, James; Koo, John

2012-03-15

Treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis often requires the use of phototherapy or systemic therapy, which includes immunosuppressants, retinoids, and biologic agents. Although biologic use is becoming increasingly popular, it is not uncommon for patients to experience treatment failure. We describe a patient who had a suboptimal response to etanercept monotherapy after twelve weeks of induction dosing (50 mg twice weekly), as well as to a combination of etanercept (50 mg once weekly-maintenance dosing) and narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy three times weekly for an additional twelve weeks. Noticeable improvement was noted after the addition of NB-UVB and the patient's promising response to phototherapy influenced further management. Etanercept and NB-UVB were discontinued and the patient was initiated on excimer laser treatments twice weekly. After 4 weeks, the patient had a 75 percent reduction in Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score and after 7 weeks had over 95 percent clearance of psoriasis. The unique properties of the excimer laser may account for its clinical efficacy in our patient as well as in other cases of recalcitrant psoriasis. We propose that the excimer laser be considered in cases of biologic or conventional phototherapy failure in addition to being a standard treatment option or adjunct for the treatment of psoriasis.

Psoriasis patients' willingness to accept side-effect risks for improved treatment efficacy.

PubMed

Kauf, Teresa L; Yang, Jui-Chen; Kimball, Alexa B; Sundaram, Murali; Bao, Yanjun; Okun, Martin; Mulani, Parvez; Hauber, A Brett; Johnson, F Reed

2015-01-01

Previous studies suggest that efficacy is more important than side-effect risks to psoriasis patients. However, those studies did not consider potentially fatal risks of biologic treatments. To quantify the risks patients are willing to accept for improvements in psoriasis symptoms. Adults with a self-reported physician diagnosis of psoriasis were recruited through the National Psoriasis Foundation. Using a discrete-choice experiment, patients completed a series of nine choice questions, each including a pair of hypothetical treatments. Treatments were defined by severity of plaques, body surface area (BSA), and 10-year risks of tuberculosis, serious infection and lymphoma. For complete clearance of 25% BSA with mild plaques, respondents (n = 1608) were willing to accept a 20% (95% confidence interval: 9-26%) risk of serious infection, 10% (5-15%) risk of tuberculosis and 2% (1-3%) risk of lymphoma. For complete clearance of 25% BSA with severe plaques, respondents were willing to accept a 54% (48-62%) risk of serious infection, 36% (28-49%) risk of tuberculosis and 8% (7-9%) risk of lymphoma. Respondents were asked to evaluate hypothetical scenarios. Actual treatment choices may differ. Respondents were willing to accept risks above likely clinical exposures for improvements in psoriasis symptoms. Individual risk tolerances may vary.

Efficacy and Safety of Ixekizumab in a Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Phase 3b Study of Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Genital Psoriasis.

PubMed

Ryan, C; Menter, A; Guenther, L; Blauvelt, A; Bissonnette, R; Meeuwis, K; Sullivan, J; Cather, J C; Yosipovitch, G; Gottlieb, A B; Merola, J F; Callis Duffin, K; Fretzin, S; Osuntokun, O O; Burge, R; Naegeli, A N; Yang, F E; Lin, C-Y; Todd, K; Potts Bleakman, A

2018-05-10

Genital psoriasis (GenPs) is a common, debilitating, and difficult to treat manifestation of plaque psoriasis. However, few controlled, interventional studies of GenPs exist. To determine the efficacy of ixekizumab versus placebo in patients with moderate-to-severe GenPs with BSA≥1%. Subjects with moderate-to-severe GenPs (defined as a baseline static Physician's Global Assessment of Genitalia [sPGA-G] score of ≥3) with BSA≥1% were randomized 1:1 to receive placebo (N=74) or the recommended dosing of ixekizumab (N=75). Major outcomes included the percentage of patients achieving 0 or 1 scores on the sPGA-G (primary endpoint), overall sPGA, GenPs Sexual Frequency Questionnaire (GenPs-SFQ) item 2, and a ≥3-point improvement from baseline on the GenPs itch numeric rating scale. At week 12, ixekizumab was superior to placebo on the sPGA-G 0/1 (73.3% versus 8.1%, p<0.001), overall sPGA 0/1 (73.3% versus 2.7%, p<0.001), GenPs-SFQ item 2 0/1 (78.4% versus 21.4%, p<0.001), and genital itch (59.7% versus 8.3%, p<0.001). No candidiasis was reported, no deaths occurred, and one (1.4%) serious adverse event was reported in a patient receiving placebo. Ixekizumab was superior to placebo for the treatment of moderate-to-severe GenPs with BSA≥1%. The safety profile of ixekizumab was consistent with previous studies in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Treatment policy for psoriasis and eczema: a survey among dermatologists in the Netherlands and Belgian Flanders.

PubMed

Roelofzen, Judith H J; Aben, Katja K H; Khawar, Ali J M; Van de Kerkhof, Peter C M; Kiemeney, Lambertus A L M; Van Der Valk, Pieter G M

2007-01-01

Today, many therapies are available for the treatment of psoriasis and eczema. One of the oldest topical therapies is coal tar. Coal tar has been used for decades, but over the past years, the use of coal tar has decreased for several reasons, including the supposed carcinogenicity of coal tar. We investigated the current and past treatment policies for psoriasis and eczema with special emphasis on the use of tar products; a postal survey was conducted among all dermatologists in two European countries: the Netherlands (n = 360) and the Flemish speaking part of Belgium (Flanders) (n = 328). This study was conducted as part of the ongoing LATER-study ("Late effects of coal tar treatment in eczema and psoriasis; the Radboud study"). All practising dermatologists received a questionnaire. Dermatologists were asked to describe their treatment policies in mild/moderate psoriasis, severe psoriasis, mild/moderate eczema and severe eczema. The response rate to the questionnaire was 62.5% for the Dutch dermatologists and 45.7% for the Flemish dermatologists. Almost all dermatologists prescribe topical corticosteroids. In eczema, most of the dermatologists prescribe the recently introduced calcineurin inhibitors (95%). Coal tar is a second choice topical therapy. Dutch dermatologists mainly use tar in the treatment of eczema (72% vs. 48% in Flanders), whereas in Flanders, tar is mainly prescribed in psoriasis (60% vs. 41% in Holland). Flemish dermatologists very frequently prescribe PUVA in psoriasis (93% vs. 63%). Topical treatment, especially topical corticosteroids, is the mainstay in psoriasis and eczema. Coal tar still is an important (second choice) therapy for the topical treatment of psoriasis and eczema, but its use varies from country to country. Despite the carcinogenicity of PUVA, this photochemotherapy is frequently prescribed by dermatologists, mainly in Flanders.

Review of end grain nail withdrawal research

Treesearch

Douglas R. Rammer; Samuel L. Zelinka

2004-01-01

This study reviewed the literature on static and impact withdrawal of nails driven into the end grain of wood members. From this, an empirical relationship was created relating the specific gravity of the wood, the diameter of the nail, and the depth of penetration of the nail to the static withdrawal capacity of nails driven into the wood and withdrawn immediately....

Intramedullary compressive nail fixation for the treatment of severe Charcot deformity of the ankle and rear foot.

PubMed

Caravaggi, Carlo; Cimmino, Marzio; Caruso, Sebastiano; Dalla Noce, Sergio

2006-01-01

Involvement of the ankle joint in Charcot osteoarthropathy may be associated with severe instability and fracture or collapse of the talus. Recalcitrant ulceration may result over the lateral malleolus, increasing the risk of major amputation. This study evaluated ankle arthrodesis with a compressive intramedullary nail in 14 patients with diabetes affected by Charcot of the ankle. The mean patient age was 58 +/- 12 years, and the mean duration of diabetes was 17 +/- 5 years. Transcutaneous oxygen pressures were > or = 50 mm Hg in all patients, indicating a good distal blood supply. A below-knee amputation had previously been suggested because of severe ankle joint instability. None of the patients were able to walk without a brace. Four patients had an ulceration that had healed before the index procedure. All procedures were performed in the quiescent phase of the disease. After a mean follow-up of 18 +/- 4 months, 10 patients (71.4%) achieved a solid arthrodesis, returning to walking with protective shoes. Three patients (21.4%) developed breakage of the calcaneus screws, necessitating removal of the screws in 2 cases and removal of the entire nail in 2 cases. These 3 patients went on to fibrous union that allowed walking with a brace. One patient (7.2%) required a below-knee amputation because of postoperative osteomyelitis of the distal tibia. The data from our study demonstrate a high rate of limb salvage (92.8%), suggesting that this device is safe and effective in the treatment of Charcot arthropathy of the ankle.

Psoriasis and Comorbid Diseases Part I. Epidemiology

PubMed Central

Takeshita, Junko; Grewal, Sungat; Langan, Sinéad M.; Mehta, Nehal N.; Ogdie, Alexis; Van Voorhees, Abby S.; Gelfand, Joel M.

2017-01-01

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the skin that is increasingly being recognized as a systemic inflammatory disorder. Psoriatic arthritis is a well-known comorbidity of psoriasis. A rapidly expanding body of literature in various populations and settings supports additional associations between psoriasis and cardiometabolic disease, gastrointestinal disease, kidney disease, malignancies, infections, and mood disorders. The pathogenesis of comorbid disease in psoriasis patients remains unknown; however, shared inflammatory pathways, cellular mediators, genetic susceptibility, and common risk factors are hypothesized to be contributing elements. As additional psoriasis comorbidities continue to emerge, education of healthcare providers is essential to ensuring comprehensive medical care for patients with psoriasis. PMID:28212759

Vitamin D and its role in psoriasis: An overview of the dermatologist and nutritionist.

PubMed

Barrea, Luigi; Savanelli, Maria Cristina; Di Somma, Carolina; Napolitano, Maddalena; Megna, Matteo; Colao, Annamaria; Savastano, Silvia

2017-06-01

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease. Psoriasis lesions are characterized by hyper-proliferation of epidermal keratinocytes associated with inflammatory cellular infiltrate in both dermis and epidermis. The epidermis is the natural source of vitamin D synthesis by sunlight action. Recently, a role for vitamin D in the pathogenesis of different skin diseases, including psoriasis, has been reported. Indeed, significant associations between low vitamin D status and psoriasis have been systematically observed. Due to its role in proliferation and maturation of keratinocytes, vitamin D has become an important local therapeutic option in the treatment of psoriasis. To date, the successful treatment based on adequate dietary intake of vitamin D or oral vitamin D supplementation in psoriasis represent an unmet clinical need and the evidence of its beneficial effects remains still controversial. This information is important either for Dermatologists and Nutritionists to increases the knowledge on the possible bi-directional relationships between low vitamin D status and psoriasis and on the potential usefulness of vitamin D in psoriasis with the aim not only to reduce its clinical severity, but also for delineating the risk profile for co-morbidities cardiac risk factors that may result from psoriasis. In the current review, we analyzed the possible bi-directional links between psoriatic disease and vitamin D.

Is there a bone-nail specific entry point? Automated fit quantification of tibial nail designs during the insertion for six different nail entry points.

PubMed

Amarathunga, J P; Schuetz, M A; Yarlagadda, K V D; Schmutz, B

2015-04-01

Intramedullary nailing is the standard fixation method for displaced diaphyseal fractures of tibia. Selection of the correct nail insertion point is important for axial alignment of bone fragments and to avoid iatrogenic fractures. However, the standard entry point (SEP) may not always optimise the bone-nail fit due to geometric variations of bones. This study aimed to investigate the optimal entry for a given bone-nail pair using the fit quantification software tool previously developed by the authors. The misfit was quantified for 20 bones with two nail designs (ETN and ETN-Proximal Bend) related to the SEP and 5 entry points which were 5 mm and 10 mm away from the SEP. The SEP was the optimal entry point for 50% of the bones used. For the remaining bones, the optimal entry point was located 5 mm away from the SEP, which improved the overall fit by 40% on average. However, entry points 10 mm away from the SEP doubled the misfit. The optimised bone-nail fit can be achieved through the SEP and within the range of a 5 mm radius, except posteriorly. The study results suggest that the optimal entry point should be selected by considering the fit during insertion and not only at the final position. Copyright © 2015 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fractures above and below a modular nail for knee arthrodesis. A case report.

PubMed

Hinarejos, Pedro; Ginés, Alberto; Monllau, Juan C; Puig, Lluis; Cáceres, Enric

2005-06-01

Several techniques have been advocated for knee arthrodesis, and there has been an increasing interest in modular intramedullary nails in the recent last years. We report a case of femoral and tibial fractures at each end of a modular nail in a solidly fused knee 8 months after an arthrodesis.

ProvenCare-Psoriasis: A disease management model to optimize care.

PubMed

Gionfriddo, Michael R; Pulk, Rebecca A; Sahni, Dev R; Vijayanagar, Sonal G; Chronowski, Joseph J; Jones, Laney K; Evans, Michael A; Feldman, Steven R; Pride, Howard

2018-03-15

There are a variety of evidence-based treatments available for psoriasis. The transition of this evidence into practice is challenging. In this article, we describe the design of our disease management approach for Psoriasis (ProvenCare®) and present preliminary evidence of the effect of its implementation. In designing our approach, we identified three barriers to optimal care: 1) lack of a standardized and discrete disease activity measure within the electronic health record, 2) lack of a system-wide, standardized approach to care, and 3) non-uniform financial access to appropriate non-pharmacologic treatments. We implemented several solutions, which collectively form our approach. We standardized the documentation of clinical data such as body surface area (BSA), created a disease management algorithm for psoriasis, and aligned incentives to facilitate the implementation of the algorithm. This approach provides more coordinated, cost effective care for psoriasis, while being acceptable to key stakeholders. Future work will examine the effect of the implementation of our approach on important clinical and patient outcomes.

Epidemiology of psoriasis and palmoplantar pustulosis: a nationwide study using the Japanese national claims database

PubMed Central

Kubota, Kiyoshi; Kamijima, Yukari; Sato, Tsugumichi; Ooba, Nobuhiro; Koide, Daisuke; Iizuka, Hajime; Nakagawa, Hidemi

2015-01-01

Objective The primary objective was to estimate the national prevalence of psoriasis and palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) in Japan. Secondary objectives were to determine (1) whether psoriasis and PPP disease activity varies by season, and (2) whether disease severity is associated with concurrent diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidaemia and hypertension. Settings Patients with a psoriasis or PPP diagnosis code between April 2010 and March 2011 were identified using a Japanese national database. Participants 565 903 patients with psoriasis or PPP were identified. No patient was excluded. Primary and secondary outcome measures National prevalence was calculated using census data. We estimated the difference in the proportion of patients who used healthcare services, as a proxy for disease activity, between the hot and cold seasons and the difference in the standardised prevalence of comorbidities between severe and mild disease. The measures were estimated separately for the two broad disease categories of psoriasis and PPP but not in all patients as planned because the two disease categories had major differences. Results The national prevalence of psoriasis and PPP was 0.34% (95% CI 0.34% to 0.34%) and 0.12% (0.12% to 0.12%), respectively. The difference in the proportion of patients who used healthcare services in the hot compared to the cold season was −0.3% (−0.5% to −0.1%) for psoriasis and 10.0% (9.8% to 10.3%) for PPP. The difference in the standardised prevalence between severe and mild psoriasis was 3.1% (2.7% to 3.4%), 3.2% (2.8% to 3.6%) and 5.1% (4.7% to 5.6%) for concurrent diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidaemia and hypertension, respectively. No significant difference in the prevalence of comorbidity was observed for PPP. Conclusions The national prevalence, seasonal variation in disease activity and prevalence of comorbidities in Japanese patients with psoriasis and PPP estimated in this descriptive study may be used as basic information for future

Psoriasis and cardiovascular risk. Assessment by different cardiovascular risk scores.

PubMed

Fernández-Torres, R; Pita-Fernández, S; Fonseca, E

2013-12-01

Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, very few studies determine cardiovascular risk by means of Framingham risk score or other indices more appropriate for countries with lower prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. To determine multiple cardiovascular risk scores in psoriasis patients, the relation between cardiovascular risk and psoriasis features and to compare our results with those in the literature. We assessed demographic data, smoking status, psoriasis features, blood pressure and analytical data. Cardiovascular risk was determined by means of Framingham, SCORE, DORICA and REGICOR scores. A total of 395 patients (59.7% men and 40.3% women) aged 18-86 years were included. The proportion of patients at intermediate and high risk of suffering a major cardiovascular event in the next 10 years was 30.5% and 11.4%, respectively, based on Framingham risk score; 26.9% and 2.2% according to DORICA and 6.8% and 0% using REGICOR score. According to the SCORE index, 22.1% of patients had a high risk of death due to a cardiovascular event over the next 10 years. Cardiovascular risk was not related to psoriasis characteristics, except for the Framingham index, with higher risk in patients with more severe psoriasis (P = 0.032). A considerable proportion of patients had intermediate or high cardiovascular risk, without relevant relationship with psoriasis characteristics and treatment schedules. Therefore, systematic evaluation of cardiovascular risk scores in all psoriasis patients could be useful to identify those with increased cardiovascular risk, subsidiary of lifestyle changes or therapeutic interventions. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology © 2012 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Assessing the overall benefit of a medication: cumulative benefit of secukinumab over time in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

PubMed

Armstrong, April W; Feldman, Steven R; Korman, Neil J; Meng, Xiangyi; Guana, Adriana; Nyirady, Judit; Herrera, Vivian; Zhao, Yang

2017-05-01

Conventional measurements for assessing psoriasis treatment effects capture improvements at fixed, pre-specified timepoints, failing to account for cumulative clinical benefit over time. Explore the innovative concept of "cumulative clinical benefit" by examining the effect of secukinumab over 52 weeks in moderate-to-severe psoriasis patients. Cumulative clinical benefit was determined as the area-under-the-curve of the percentage of responders over 52 weeks (AUC 0-52 wks ), using pooled data from two phase III trials for patients receiving secukinumab (300 or 150 mg) or etanercept. Normalized cumulative benefit with secukinumab 300 mg, secukinumab 150 mg, and etanercept was 74.2%, 63.2%, and 50.5%, respectively, for PASI 75; 58.0%, 42.5%, and 29.5%, respectively, for PASI 90; 32.3%, 18.8%, and 8.7%, respectively, for PASI 100; and 58.3%, 47.9%, and 38.3%, respectively, for DLQI 0/1. 52-week PASI 75 clinical benefit ratios for secukinumab 300 and 150 mg versus etanercept were 1.47 and 1.25, respectively; the ratio of the two secukinumab doses was 1.17, favoring 300 mg. Post hoc analysis. Cumulative clinical benefit estimated by AUC 0-52 wks is a novel measure for comparing psoriasis treatments. Secukinumab 300 mg provides greater cumulative clinical benefit than secukinumab 150 mg; both provide greater cumulative benefit than etanercept.

Tofacitinib improves pruritus and health-related quality of life up to 52 weeks: Results from 2 randomized phase III trials in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

PubMed

Feldman, Steven R; Thaçi, Diamant; Gooderham, Melinda; Augustin, Matthias; de la Cruz, Claudia; Mallbris, Lotus; Buonanno, Marjorie; Tatulych, Svitlana; Kaur, Mandeep; Lan, Shuping; Valdez, Hernan; Mamolo, Carla

2016-12-01

Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor that improves clinical measures of psoriasis. We sought to assess patient-reported outcomes in tofacitinib-treated patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis over 52 weeks. In 2 identical, phase III studies (Oral treatment for Psoriasis Trial Pivotal 1 [NCT01276639], n = 901, and Pivotal 2 [NCT01309737], n = 960), patients were randomized 2:2:1 to receive 5 or 10 mg of tofacitinib or placebo, twice daily. At week 16, placebo-treated patients were re-randomized to tofacitinib. Dermatology Life Quality Index score, Itch Severity Item score, Patient Global Assessment score, and patient satisfaction were assessed. Baseline Dermatology Life Quality Index score indicated substantial health-related quality of life impairment. At week 16, a greater proportion of patients achieved Dermatology Life Quality Index score of 1 or less (no effect of psoriasis on health-related quality of life) with tofacitinib 5 and 10 mg twice daily versus placebo (Oral treatment for Psoriasis Trial Pivotal 1/2: 26.7%/28.6% and 40.2%/48.2% vs 4.6%/6.0%, respectively; P < .0001); improvements were maintained through week 52. Similar patterns were observed with Patient Global Assessment. Improvements in itch were particularly rapid, observed 1 day after treatment initiation for both tofacitinib doses versus placebo (P < .05). At week 16, more patients were satisfied with tofacitinib versus placebo (P < .0001). Clinical nonresponders discontinued at week 28. Tofacitinib demonstrated improvement in health-related quality of life and patient-reported symptoms that persisted over 52 weeks. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Knee fusion--a new technique using an old Belgian surgical approach and a new intramedullary nail.

PubMed

Alt, V; Seligson, D

2001-02-01

Knee arthrodesis is a useful procedure in difficult cases such as failed total knee arthroplasty, severe articular trauma, bone tumors, and infected knee joints. The most common techniques for knee fusion include external fixation and intramedullary nailing. Küntscher's nail is driven antegrade from the intertrochanteric region into the knee. We describe a new technique for knee arthrodesis using a new intramedullary nail and an old Belgian surgical approach to the knee joint published by Lambotte in 1913. This approach provides excellent exposure for the implantation of the nail by osteotomizing the patella vertically. The nail is implanted using HeyGroves method, whereby the nail is inserted retrograde into the femur and pulled distally anterograde into the tibia. We now use this technique as our standard procedure for knee fusion.

Treatment of psoriasis with crisaborole.

PubMed

Lee, Erica B; Lebwohl, Mark G; Wu, Jashin J

2018-06-08

Crisaborole, a topical phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitor, is effective in patients with atopic dermatitis. As systemic PDE4 inhibition has also been used with success in psoriasis, clinical trials are underway to determine the utility of topical PDE4 inhibitors in these patients. However, there is no current literature documenting use of crisaborole for psoriasis. Here, we present two cases in which patients with psoriasis were treated successfully with crisaborole.

Health-related quality of life in psoriasis: an analysis of Psocare project patients.

PubMed

Spandonaro, F; Altomare, G; Berardesca, E; Calzavara-Pinton, P; Chimenti, S; Girolomoni, G; Peserico, A; Guerra, A Puglisi; Vena, G A; Polistena, B; Ayala, F

2011-06-01

Psoriasis is a common, chronic, immune-mediated skin disorder that may be complicated by psoriatic arthritis in up to one-third of patients. Psoriasis treatments are increasingly effective, yet more expensive, thus requiring rational decision-making on interventional priorities. The ability to perform cost-utility analyses is hindered by the lack of algorithms that allow the inference of utility measures, like QALY, from specific dermatological health-related quality-of-life (HR-QoL) measures (e.g. Dermatology Life Quality Index [DLQI]). This study aimed to assess whether psoriasis-related HR-QoL data (DLQI) could be used to obtain utility measures for use in economic analyses. Psoriasis patients attending 11 Italian Psocare project treatment centers over a 19-day period were enrolled and completed a questionnaire, including several HR-QoL scales and sociodemographic/clinical data, and underwent a clinical examination. Data were subjected to a Multiple Correspondence Analysis and multiple regression analysis to determine the contribution of single items to the HR-QoL. DLQI and Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWBI) scores were most closely correlated with the EuroQol health status index. Age and gender were considered confounding factors, while pain and arthritis contributed significantly to HR-QoL deterioration. For disease severity, the need for hospitalization and the number of examinations, but not the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI), contributed to HR-QoL deterioration. Recent historical clinical and HR-QoL data from psoriasis patients can reproducibly define a health status index, such as the EuroQol SD-5Q, that could be used reliably to estimate QALYs for use in cost-utility analyses to compare the cost-benefit profiles of competing therapies.

The role of community pharmacists in supporting self-management in patients with psoriasis.

PubMed

Tucker, Rod; Stewart, Derek

2017-04-01

The majority of patients with psoriasis have mild to moderate disease which can be managed in primary care with topical therapies. The supportive role of pharmacists for patients with long-term dermatological conditions is largely unknown. To assess the impact of an educational intervention delivered by community pharmacists to improve self-management for people with psoriasis. The study involved a pre- and post-intervention design. Seven community pharmacies were selected based on their location (urban, rural etc.) and the pharmacists recruited via local comprehensive research networks. Patients with mild to moderate psoriasis were recruited either opportunistically or via a letter of invite by pharmacists who undertook a face-to-face consultation with one follow-up visit after 6 weeks. The primary outcome was the change in person-centred dermatology self-care index (PEDESI) score and secondary outcomes were the self-assessed psoriasis and severity index (SAPASI), measuring disease severity and the dermatology quality of life index (DLQI). A total of 47 patients were recruited. At 6 weeks, 42/47 (89.3%) patients completed the follow-up consultation. There was a significant increase in mean PEDESI scores (25.15 versus 17.78, P < 0.001) at 6 weeks compared to baseline. Similarly, SAPASI (11.60 versus 7.74, P < 0.001) and DLQI (7.21 versus 4.14, P < 0.001) scores improved significantly. Pharmacist-assisted support for patients with psoriasis improved knowledge, reduced disease severity and the impact on quality of life. These results suggest that community pharmacists might have an important role to play in facilitating self-management for patients with psoriasis. © 2016 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Intramedullary nailing: experience in 427 patients.

PubMed

Lambiris, E; Tyllianakis, M; Megas, P; Panagiotopoulos, E

1996-01-01

In the Orthopaedic Department in Patras University 427 intramedullary nailings in the lower limbs were performed between 1989 and 1994 and retrospectively reviewed to evaluate the range of complications. One hundred and seventy-two were nailings of the femur; 80 gamma nails mainly for subtrochanteric and intertrochanteric with subtrochanteric extension fractures were included, (total 252/59%); 175 (41%) were nailings of the tibia. Union was achieved in all case. Overall the complication rate in this series was 3.3% (14 cases) and included infection (4 cases), neuropraxia (2 cases), implant failure (5 cases), limb length deficiency (2 cases) and malrotation (1 case).

Relationship Between the Serum Total Bilirubin and Inflammation in Patients With Psoriasis Vulgaris.

PubMed

Zhou, Zhen-Xing; Chen, Jian-Kui; Hong, Yan-Ying; Zhou, Ru; Zhou, Dong-Mei; Sun, Li-Yun; Qin, Wen-Li; Wang, Tian-Cheng

2016-09-01

Psoriasis is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory skin disease. Previous studies have shown that bilirubin has anti-inflammation and antioxidant effects. However, the various roles of bilirubin in psoriasis patients are still unclear. To investigate the serum total bilirubin (TB) level in the individuals with psoriasis vulgaris and further evaluate the relationship between serum TB concentration and C-reactive protein (CRP) to clarify the effect of bilirubin on inflammation. A total of 214 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 165 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects were recruited. The peripheral leukocyte count (white blood cell, WBC) and differential, serum biochemical and immunologic indexes including serum TB, immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgA, IgM, complement C3 and C4 , as well as serum CRP concentrations were measured. Results showed that the serum TB level decreased significantly and peripheral WBC, neutrophil, and serum CRP concentrations increased significantly in patients with psoriasis vulgaris. Meanwhile, the serum CRP was negatively correlated with serum TB levels but positively correlated with peripheral WBC and the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). Logistic regression analysis showed that the serum TB was a protective factor for psoriasis vulgaris. The present study suggests that lower serum TB is associated with the enhancement of the inflammatory response in psoriasis vulgaris. Therefore, lower serum TB has a prognostic significance for worsening psoriasis vulgaris. Bilirubin may play a crucial role in inflammation by contributing to the inhibition of the inflammatory response. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Psoriasis in Children: A Review.

PubMed

Balato, Anna; Scalvenzi, Massimiliano; Cirillo, Teresa; Gallo, Lucia; Ayala, Fabio; Balato, Nicola

2015-01-01

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated, inflammatory systemic disease which targets primarily the skin. It presents a genetic basis, affecting 1 to 3% of the white population. Nevertheless, the existence of two psoriasis incidence peaks has been suggested (one in adolescence before 20 years of age and another in adulthood) onset may occur at any age, including childhood and adolescence, in which its prevalence ranges between 0.7% and 1.2%. As for adult psoriasis, pediatric psoriasis has recently been associated with obesity, metabolic syndrome, increased waist circumference percentiles, and metabolic laboratory abnormalities, warranting early monitoring and lifestyle modifications. In addition, due to psoriasis chronic nature and frequently occurring relapses, psoriatic patients tend to have an impaired quality of life, often requiring long-term treatment. Therefore, education of both pediatric patients and their parents is essential to successful and safe disease management. However, systemic treatment of children is challenging as the absence of standardized guidelines and the fact that evidence-based data form randomized controlled trials are very limited. This review shows an overview of the current understanding of the pathogenesis, comorbidities, differential diagnosis, treatment and prevention of pediatric psoriasis, also presenting with an emphasis on the necessity of an integrated treatment approach involving different specialists such as dermatologist, pediatricians, rheumatologists, etc.

The SIGN nail for knee fusion: technique and clinical results

PubMed Central

Anderson, Duane Ray; Anderson, Lucas Aaron; Haller, Justin M.; Feyissa, Abebe Chala

2016-01-01

Purpose: Evaluate the efficacy of using the SIGN nail for instrumented knee fusion. Methods: Six consecutive patients (seven knees, three males) with an average age of 30.5 years (range, 18–50 years) underwent a knee arthrodesis with SIGN nail (mean follow-up 10.7 months; range, 8–14 months). Diagnoses included tuberculosis (two knees), congenital knee dislocation in two knees (one patient), bacterial septic arthritis (one knee), malunited spontaneous fusion (one knee), and severe gout with 90° flexion contracture (one knee). The nail was inserted through an anteromedial entry point on the femur and full weightbearing was permitted immediately. Results: All knees had clinical and radiographic evidence of fusion at final follow-up and none required further surgery. Four of six patients ambulated without assistive device, and all patients reported improved overall physical function. There were no post-operative complications. Conclusion: The technique described utilizing the SIGN nail is both safe and effective for knee arthrodesis and useful for austere environments with limited fluoroscopy and implant options. PMID:27163095

The SIGN nail for knee fusion: technique and clinical results.

PubMed

Anderson, Duane Ray; Anderson, Lucas Aaron; Haller, Justin M; Feyissa, Abebe Chala

2016-02-05

Evaluate the efficacy of using the SIGN nail for instrumented knee fusion. Six consecutive patients (seven knees, three males) with an average age of 30.5 years (range, 18-50 years) underwent a knee arthrodesis with SIGN nail (mean follow-up 10.7 months; range, 8-14 months). Diagnoses included tuberculosis (two knees), congenital knee dislocation in two knees (one patient), bacterial septic arthritis (one knee), malunited spontaneous fusion (one knee), and severe gout with 90° flexion contracture (one knee). The nail was inserted through an anteromedial entry point on the femur and full weightbearing was permitted immediately. All knees had clinical and radiographic evidence of fusion at final follow-up and none required further surgery. Four of six patients ambulated without assistive device, and all patients reported improved overall physical function. There were no post-operative complications. The technique described utilizing the SIGN nail is both safe and effective for knee arthrodesis and useful for austere environments with limited fluoroscopy and implant options.

Chronic stress experience and burnout syndrome have appreciable influence on health-related quality of life in patients with psoriasis.

PubMed

Breuer, K; Göldner, F M; Jäger, B; Werfel, T; Schmid-Ott, G

2015-10-01

Psoriasis has a negative impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and may favour mental comorbidity. To investigate the contribution of chronic stress and burnout experience to HRQoL and how mental health influences the efficacy of an inpatient rehabilitation measure in psoriasis patients. Eighty-four psoriasis patients taking part in a 3-week inpatient rehabilitation measure participated in the study. Severity of psoriasis was assessed with the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and by patients' self-evaluation at the beginning and end of treatment. The following aspects of mental health were explored using validated questionnaires. Symptoms of chronic stress and burnout experience: Trier Inventory for the Assessment of Chronic Stress (TICS) and Shirom Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM). Symptoms of depression: depression scale of the Patient Health Questionnaire in the German version (PHQ-D). HRQoL: Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Short Form Health Survey-8 (SF-8). Linear regression analyses revealed that chronic stress, burnout experience and perceived symptom severity but not clinician-assessed severity of psoriasis had independent negative effects on HRQoL. Patients who achieved a PASI reduction of <75% at discharge from the rehabilitation measure had lower baseline QoL and showed more symptoms of depression, chronic stress and burnout than patients who achieved a PASI improvement of ≥75. Chronic stress and burnout have appreciable influence on HRQoL and may adversely affect treatment success in psoriasis patients. Our data underscore the importance of a multidimensional approach in the management of psoriasis. © 2015 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Portable handheld diffuse reflectance spectroscopy system for clinical evaluation of skin: a pilot study in psoriasis patients

PubMed Central

Tzeng, Shih-Yu; Guo, Jean-Yan; Yang, Chao-Chun; Hsu, Chao-Kai; Huang, Hung Ji; Chou, Shih-Jie; Hwang, Chi-Hung; Tseng, Sheng-Hao

2016-01-01

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) has been utilized to study biological tissues for a variety of applications. However, many DRS systems are not designed for handheld use and/or relatively expensive which limit the extensive clinical use of this technique. In this paper, we report a handheld, low-cost DRS system consisting of a light source, optical switch, and a spectrometer, that can precisely quantify the optical properties of tissue samples in the clinical setting. The handheld DRS system was employed to determine the skin chromophore concentrations, absorption and scattering properties of 11 patients with psoriasis. The measurement results were compared to the clinical severity of psoriasis as evaluated by dermatologist using PASI (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index) scores. Our statistical analyses indicated that the handheld DRS system could be a useful non-invasive tool for objective evaluation of the severity of psoriasis. It is expected that the handheld system can be used for the objective evaluation and monitoring of various skin diseases such as keloid and psoriasis. PMID:26977366

Nail gun injuries among construction workers.

PubMed

Dement, John M; Lipscomb, Hester; Li, Leiming; Epling, Carol; Desai, Tejas

2003-05-01

Pneumatic nail guns greatly increase worker productivity and are extensively used in wood frame building construction, with especially high use in residential construction. One surveillance report of nail gun injuries in Washington State has been published; however, other literature consists largely of case reports and case series in trauma journals. The major objective of the current study was to investigate the occurrence of nail gun-associated injuries among construction workers and to identify preventable work-related factors associated with these injuries. Nail gun-related injuries occurring among a cohort of 13,347 carpenters in Ohio who worked union hours during the time period January 1, 1994, until September 30, 1997, were identified by matching the cohort with workers' compensation claims made to the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation. We also analyzed workers' compensation claims for North Carolina Home Builders Association members for the period July 1996-November 1999 to identify nail gun-related injuries. Analyses included stratified analyses of claims by nature and body part injured, calculation of nail gun injury rates, and analyses of free text descriptions of injuries. Overall, nail gun injuries were responsible for 3.9 percent of workers' compensation claims with 8.3 percent to 25.5 percent of claims involving paid lost work time. The overall rate of nail gun injuries (cases per 200,000 work hours) was 0.33 in North Carolina and 0.26 in Ohio, reflecting the greater concentration of wood frame construction workers in the North Carolina population studied. Higher rates of injury were observed for carpenters in North Carolina and among residential carpenters in Ohio. The predominant body part injured was the hands/fingers, with 80 to 89 percent of injuries being nail punctures. Analyses of free text information for puncture injuries found approximately 70 percent of injuries to occur during the framing/sheathing stage of construction. Our data

Exposure-Response Modeling to Characterize the Relationship Between Ixekizumab Serum Drug Concentrations and Efficacy Responses at Week 12 in Patients With Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis.

PubMed

Chigutsa, Emmanuel; de Mendizabal, Nieves Velez; Chua, Laiyi; Heathman, Michael; Friedrich, Stuart; Jackson, Kimberley; Reich, Kristian

2018-06-07

Ixekizumab, a high-affinity monoclonal antibody, selectively targets interleukin-17A and has been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis. The objective was to describe the relationship between ixekizumab concentrations and efficacy response (static Physician Global Assessment [sPGA] and the Psoriasis Activity and Severity Index [PASI) scores] after 12 weeks of ixekizumab treatment in psoriasis patients from 3 phase 3 studies. Data from 2888 psoriasis patients randomized to receive placebo or 80 mg ixekizumab every 2 weeks or every 4 weeks were analyzed. Separate logistic regression models describing the relationship between ixekizumab concentrations and sPGA or PASI scores at week 12 were used to determine the probability of patients achieving a response and to investigate the impact of various patient factors other than drug concentrations on response rates. Both dosing regimens were efficacious, with higher rates of response achieved with the higher range of observed ixekizumab concentrations after every-2-week dosing. Although higher bodyweight, palmoplantar involvement, lower baseline disease state, or high baseline C-reactive protein were associated with slightly lower response rates, the magnitude of effect of these factors on sPGA(0,1) response was small, with all subgroups able to achieve high levels of response. Other factors tested had no effect including age, sex, and antidrug antibody status. Logistic regression modeling of ixekizumab concentration and efficacy data accurately identified the proportion of responders using sPGA or PASI end points. The higher concentration ranges achieved with 80 mg every 2 weeks versus every 4 weeks were associated with higher response levels. © 2018, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

Profile of tofacitinib citrate and its potential in the treatment of moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis

PubMed Central

Di Lernia, V; Bardazzi, F

2016-01-01

The outlook for patients with psoriasis has improved significantly over the last 10 years with the introduction of targeted therapies. Cytokines exert their effects by activating intracellular signaling and transcription pathways, among which there are Janus kinases (JAKs) and signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) pathways. JAKs are intracellular second messengers that are crucial for transmitting extracellular cytokine signals to the cell. JAK inhibition interrupts intracellular signaling and can suppress immune cell activation and inflammation in T-cell-mediated disorders, such as psoriasis. Consequently, JAKs are the subject of intensive research activity, since they represent possible therapeutic targets. Tofacitinib is an orally available compound belonging to a novel category of nonbiologic drugs, the “JAK inhibitors”, which target JAKs. Recently, oral and topical formulations of tofacitinib have been demonstrated to be safe and effective for the treatment of plaque psoriasis in randomized clinical trials. In particular, a 10 mg bid dose of tofacitinib was shown to be noninferior to etanercept 50 mg subcutaneously twice weekly. Questions remain unresolved regarding the safety risk beyond the 5 mg bid dose. This review, assessing the available scientific literature, focuses on the profile of tofacitinib, as investigational compound in the treatment of plaque psoriasis. An overview of the efficacy and safety data from randomized clinical trials is provided. In addition, the authors highlight future potential applications of tofacitinib in other skin diseases, in particular alopecia areata and vitiligo. PMID:26889081

A quantitative method for measuring forces applied by nail braces.

PubMed

Erdogan, Fatma G

2011-01-01

Nail bracing is a conservative method used for ingrown nails; however, lack of objective measurements limits its use for various nails. Double-string nail braces with extra metal springs were applied to 12 patients with 21 chronic, thick, and overcurved ingrown nails. Force was measured with a force gauge meter. Treatment was stopped once patients stood on their tiptoes and walked in shoes pain free without braces. A force gauge meter was also used on a model nail to show the forces applied by various nail braces and to compare their pulling forces. After 6 to 10 months of treatment, all of the patients were pain free; 600 to 1,000 centi Newtons of force were applied to the nails. As the width of the nail increased, so did the force. Braces exert more force on larger nails, which may shorten treatment durations. By measuring forces, it may be possible to standardize force and duration of treatment according to variables such as nail thickness, nail width, angle of ingrown nail, and duration of symptoms.

Increased Incidence of Critical Illness in Psoriasis.

PubMed

Marrie, Ruth Ann; Bernstein, Charles N; Peschken, Christine A; Hitchon, Carol A; Chen, Hui; Garland, Allan

Psoriasis is associated with an increased risk of comorbid disease. Despite the recognition of increased morbidity in psoriasis, the effects on health care utilisation remain incompletely understood. Little is known about the risk of intensive care unit (ICU) admission in persons with psoriasis. To compare the incidence of ICU admission and post-ICU mortality rates in a psoriasis population compared with a matched population without psoriasis. Using population-based administrative data from Manitoba, Canada, we identified 40 930 prevalent cases of psoriasis and an age-, sex-, and geographically matched cohort from the general population (n = 150 210). We compared the incidence of ICU admission between populations using incidence rates and Cox regression models adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomic status, and comorbidity and compared mortality after ICU admission. Among incident psoriasis cases (n = 30 150), the cumulative 10-year incidence of ICU admission was 5.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.3%-5.8%), 21% higher than in the matched cohort (incidence rate ratio, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.15-1.27). In the prevalent psoriasis cohort, crude mortality in the ICU was 11.5% (95% CI, 9.9%-13.0%), 32% higher than observed in the matched population admitted to the ICU (8.7%; 95% CI, 8.3%-9.1%). Mortality rates after ICU admission remained elevated at all time points in the psoriasis cohort compared with the matched cohort. Psoriasis is associated with an increased risk for ICU admission and with an increased risk of mortality post-ICU admission.

A possible role of polycystic ovary syndrome for pregnancy complications in women with psoriasis.

PubMed

De Simone, Clara; Caldarola, Giacomo; Corbeddu, Marialuisa; Moro, Francesca; Tropea, Anna; Moretta, Gaia; Apa, Rosanna

2014-11-01

Psoriasis is a common, chronic, relapsing immune-mediated inflammatory disease (IMID) of the skin. IMIDs are multifactorial diseases characterized by common molecular pathways leading to a systemic inflammation. Patients with an IMID are also at higher risk of developing co-morbidities, such as adverse pregnancy outcomes, than the general population. A higher rate of pregnancy complications have been seen in inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis. The data for psoriasis are inconsistent but it appears that women with moderate-to-severe psoriasis may also have an increased risk of poor pregnancy outcomes. The cause of this association is unknown, although it may be related to elevated proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α, the high prevalence of comorbidities and other unhealthy behaviours, or the high prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In a recent study, PCOS prevalence in a psoriatic cohort (n = 51) was higher than in non-psoriatic women (n = 102) (47% versus 11%), and women with PCOS and psoriasis had a greater probability of insulin resistance, hyperinsulinaemia, and dyslipidaemia as well as a more severe skin condition, than those with psoriasis alone. Further studies are necessary to clarify the impact of psoriasis on pregnancy and in particular if these effects are mediated by concomitant PCOS. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Relationship between Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Psoriasis: A Novel Hepato-Dermal Axis?

PubMed

Mantovani, Alessandro; Gisondi, Paolo; Lonardo, Amedeo; Targher, Giovanni

2016-02-05

Over the past 10 years, it has become increasingly evident that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a multisystem disease that affects multiple extra-hepatic organ systems and interacts with the regulation of several metabolic and immunological pathways. In this review we discuss the rapidly expanding body of clinical and epidemiological evidence supporting a strong association between NAFLD and chronic plaque psoriasis. We also briefly discuss the possible biological mechanisms underlying this association, and discuss treatment options for psoriasis that may influence NAFLD development and progression. Recent observational studies have shown that the prevalence of NAFLD (as diagnosed either by imaging or by histology) is remarkably higher in psoriatic patients (occurring in up to 50% of these patients) than in matched control subjects. Notably, psoriasis is associated with NAFLD even after adjusting for metabolic syndrome traits and other potential confounding factors. Some studies have also suggested that psoriatic patients are more likely to have the more advanced forms of NAFLD than non-psoriatic controls, and that psoriatic patients with NAFLD have more severe psoriasis than those without NAFLD. In conclusion, the published evidence argues for more careful evaluation and surveillance of NAFLD among patients with psoriasis.

Arthrodesis of the knee: experience with intramedullary nailing.

PubMed

Incavo, S J; Lilly, J W; Bartlett, C S; Churchill, D L

2000-10-01

Knee arthrodesis using an intramedullary nail has gained acceptance as treatment in difficult cases such as infection after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), neuropathic joint, and obesity. A retrospective review of 22 cases treated at our institution using an intramedullary nail for knee arthrodesis was performed. Deep infection after primary (11) or revision (6) TKA was the most common indication for this procedure. A long intramedullary nail was used in 3 cases, a long nail with a proximal interlocking screw was used in 6 cases, and a customized nail with a valgus bend and a proximal interlocking screw was used in 11 cases. A modular knee fusion nail was used in 1 case. Successful fusion occurred in all cases, although 4 patients required additional surgery. Average operative blood loss was 748 mL, and average time to union was 7 months. Shortening of the extremity averaged 3.2 cm. Tibiofemoral alignment was improved by using a customized valgus nail (average, 3.1 valgus; range, 1-5) when compared with a straight nail (average, 0.2 valgus; range, 3 varus to 3 valgus). No patient developed infection in the hip or ankle region as a result of the long intramedullary nail. Intramedullary nailing is an excellent technique for knee arthrodesis in difficult cases. A customized proximal interlocking nail with 5 degrees to 7 degrees of valgus and 5 degrees of anterior angulation improves tibiofemoral alignment and is straightforward to insert or extract should it be necessary. Stability and pain relief are rapid, and the fusion rate is maximized.

Evaluation of abdominal fat index by ultrasonography and its relationship with psoriasis and metabolic syndrome.

PubMed

Gönül, Müzeyyen; Tatar, İdil; Canpolat, Filiz; Işıl Kurmus, Gökçe; Ergin, Can; Hekimoğlu, Baki

2017-10-01

Accumulating evidence indicates that psoriasis is associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. Psoriasis and obesity share similar inflammatory mediators, and obesity may potentiate some inflammatory cytokines seen in psoriasis. Body fat distribution, particularly visceral adipose tissue (VAT), is an important factor in metabolic syndrome and atherosclerotic diseases. An association has been demonstrated between psoriasis and abdominal VAT measured by computed tomography (CT). To measure abdominal VAT noninvasively by ultrasonography (USG) in patients with psoriasis and investigated its relation to psoriasis and metabolic syndrome. The study population consisted of 41 psoriasis patients and 41 control subjects matched for age, sex, and body mass index. The maximal preperitoneal fat thickness (Pmax) at the anterior surface of the liver and the minimal subcutaneous fat thickness (Smin) of the abdomen were measured by USG. The abdominal fat index (AFI = Pmax/Smin ratio) was calculated and the results were compared between groups. The rate of metabolic syndrome was significantly higher in psoriasis patients ( p = 0.0018). The mean AFI was similar in both groups. AFI was not associated with psoriasis in subjects with metabolic syndrome ( p = 0.495) or with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index ( r = 0.123, p = 0.443). This is the first study to evaluate abdominal VAT by USG. Computed tomography may be more reliable than USG, but its high cost and radiation exposure are major disadvantages. Further studies are required to determine the relationships between psoriasis and VAT.

Bioelectrical impedance analysis to define an excess of body fat: evaluation in patients with psoriasis.

PubMed

Galluzzo, M; Talamonti, M; Perino, F; Servoli, S; Giordano, D; Chimenti, S; De Simone, C; Peris, K

2017-06-01

There is strong evidence that obesity is closely associated with psoriasis. However, data on body composition are lacking in psoriasis. The purpose of this study were to investigate the body composition in psoriasis patients using bioelectrical impedance analysis and to correlate the bioelectrical impedance data with disease severity and laboratory parameters. Anthropometric measurements and bioelectrical impedance analyses were performed on patients with psoriasis, naïve to any systemic treatment, who attended the outpatient clinics of two University centers. Data of 164 adult patients were analyzed. Compared to men, women had several significantly higher bioelectrical impedance parameters including reactance, fat mass% and adipose tissue%. The values of adipose tissue were positively correlated only with patients age (p = .021) and age at disease onset (p = .0006), but not with disease severity. In addition, we observed that the use of BMI cutoffs allowed to categorize 36.7% of women and 19.2% of men as obese, while fat mass% showed that 53.3% of women and 48.1% of men were obese. In our study, psoriasis is been associated with a high fat mass%. We suggest that screening for body fat distribution in psoriatic patients might be useful to identify early obesity-related disease.

Is the DLQI appropriate for medical decision-making in psoriasis patients?

PubMed

Poór, Adrienn Katalin; Brodszky, Valentin; Péntek, Márta; Gulácsi, László; Ruzsa, Gábor; Hidvégi, Bernadett; Holló, Péter; Kárpáti, Sarolta; Sárdy, Miklós; Rencz, Fanni

2018-01-01

Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) is the most commonly applied measure of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in psoriasis patients. It is among defining criteria of moderate-to-severe psoriasis and present in treatment guidelines. Our objective was to estimate preference-based HRQoL values (i.e., utilities) for hypothetical health states described by the 10 items of the DLQI in psoriasis patients. Moreover, we compare results to findings of a similar study previously conducted among the general public. A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 238 psoriasis patients. Seven hypothetical DLQI-defined health states with total scores of 6, 11, and 16 (3-3 and 1 states, respectively) were evaluated by time trade-off method. The difference in DLQI scores between hypothetical health states was set at 5 points, as it exceeds the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). Utility scores were found to be homogenous across the seven hypothetical health states (range of means for the 6-point states 0.85-0.91, range of means for the 11-point states 0.83-0.85, and mean of 0.84 for the 16-point state). Overall, mean utilities assessed by psoriasis patients were higher for all seven states compared with the general public (mean difference 0.16-0.28; p < 0.001). In 11 out of the 15 comparisons between health states with DLQI scores differing larger than the MCID, there was no statistically significant difference in utility. Thus, in clinical settings, patients with DLQI scores differing more than the MCID may have identical HRQoL. Improving the definition of moderate-to-severe disease and reconsideration of the DLQI in clinical assessment of psoriasis patients are suggested.

Psoriasis associated with idiopathic CD4+ T-cell lymphopenia: a regulatory T-cell defect?

PubMed

Baroudjian, B; Viguier, M; Battistella, M; Beneton, N; Pagès, C; Gener, G; Bégon, E; Bachelez, H

2014-07-01

Idiopathic CD4(+) lymphocytopenia (ICL) is a rare immunodeficiency syndrome of unknown origin for which the increased risks of opportunistic infections and of malignancies have been well established; however, skin dysimmune diseases, including psoriasis, have been scarcely reported up to now. We report herein the severe course of psoriasis in four patients with ICL, and show evidence for a defect in the skin recruitment of regulatory CD4(+) FoxP3(+) T cells. These data raise the apparent paradigm of the occurrence of a severe immunomediated disease together with a profound T-cell defect, a model that might also apply to other immune deficiencies associated with psoriasis. © 2014 British Association of Dermatologists.

Tanning beds as an alternative for psoriasis when office-based phototherapy is not accessible.

PubMed

Yentzer, Brad A; Feldman, Steven R

2009-01-01

Many systemic therapies for psoriasis have significant toxicities. Office-based phototherapy is not always practical for many patients. We present a case report and review of using a tanning bed in conjunction with low-dose acitretin as an alternative treatment for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

[Treatment of calcaneal fractures with a locking nail (C-Nail)].

PubMed

Pompach, M; Carda, M; Amlang, M; Zwipp, H

2016-06-01

Anatomic reconstruction of the posterior facet by primary stabilization of the calcaneal fracture with a locking nail. All intraarticular calcaneal fractures and unstable two-part fractures independent of the degree of closed/open soft tissue trauma. High perioperative risk, soft tissue infection, beak fracture (type II fracture) and still open apophysis. Anatomic reduction of the posterior facet using a sinus tarsi approach. Reduction and temporary fixation of the sustentacular, tuberosity, and anterior process fragments with 1.8-2.0 mm Kirschner wires. Thereafter, the C-Nail (calcaneus nail) is introduced with its guiding device stabilizing the sustentacular, tuberostity, and anterior process fragments through its three guiding arms with 6 or 7 locking screws. Passive and active motion starts on postoperative day 2. Lymph drains help reduce swelling. Partial weightbearing with 20 kg for 6-8 weeks in the patient's own shoes is recommended. X‑ray controls are done at 4 and 8 weeks as well as after 6 and 12 months. A total of 107 calcaneal fractures treated with the C-Nail between 2011 and 2014 were evaluated according to the AOFAS score 6 months and 1 year after surgery. The measured values were on average 93.0 (range 65-100) points at 6 months and 94.1 (range 75-100) points 12 months after the surgery. Böhler's angle with initial traumatic values of 6.2° (-30 to +13°) improved postoperatively to 31.8°, after 3 months slightly decreased to 29.6°, and after 12 months to 28.3°. There were 2 cases of superficial wound necrosis (1.9 %) and 1 case a deep infection (0.93 %) with need of early C-Nail removal.

The efficacy and safety of tofacitinib in Asian patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis: A Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

PubMed

Zhang, JianZhong; Tsai, Tsen-Fang; Lee, Min-Geol; Zheng, Min; Wang, Gang; Jin, HongZhong; Gu, Jun; Li, RuoYu; Liu, QuanZhong; Chen, Jin; Tu, CaiXia; Qi, ChunMei; Zhu, Hua; Ports, William C; Crook, Tim

2017-10-01

Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor. This study assessed tofacitinib efficacy and safety vs placebo in Asian patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis. Patients from China mainland, Taiwan, and Korea were randomized 2:2:1:1 to tofacitinib 5mg (N=88), tofacitinib 10mg (N=90), placebo→5mg (N=44), or placebo→10mg (N=44), twice daily (BID) for 52 weeks. Placebo-treated patients advanced to tofacitinib at Week 16. Co-primary efficacy endpoints: proportions of patients achieving Physician's Global Assessment (PGA) response ('clear' or 'almost clear') and proportion achieving ≥75% reduction from baseline Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI75) at Week 16. At Week 16, more patients achieved PGA and PASI75 responses with tofacitinib 5mg (52.3%; 54.6%) and 10mg (75.6%; 81.1%) BID vs placebo (19.3%; 12.5%; all p<0.0001). Of patients with a Week 16 response, 73.6% and 75.0% maintained PGA response, and 76.8% and 84.9% maintained PASI75 to Week 52 with tofacitinib 5mg and 10mg BID, respectively. Over 52 weeks, 2.2-4.5% of patients across treatment groups experienced serious adverse events, and 1.1-6.8% discontinued due to adverse events. Tofacitinib demonstrated efficacy vs placebo at Week 16 in Asian patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis; efficacy was maintained through Week 52. No unexpected safety findings were observed. [NCT01815424]. Copyright © 2017 The Authors and Pfizer Inc. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Toward a better understanding of social anxiety and depression in psoriasis patients: The role of determinants, mediators, and moderators.

PubMed

Łakuta, Patryk; Przybyła-Basista, Hanna

2017-03-01

To determine how and under which conditions psoriasis is related to the psychological impairments, in particular, to social anxiety and depression, the current study tested the interplay of selected factors such as gender, age of onset of psoriasis, cognitive and affective elements of body image, experiences of stigmatization, and patients' subjective perceptions of severity of the disease. Adult psoriasis patients (N=193) completed the Appearance Schemas Inventory-Revised, the Stigmatization Scale, the Body Emotions Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Social Anxiety Questionnaire. The disease severity was defined based on the Body Surface Area (BSA) index. The effect of psoriasis on social anxiety was moderated by age of onset: higher severity of the disease was associated with higher levels of social anxiety, but only for patients with pre-adult onset psoriasis. Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that in patients with adult-onset (≥18years of age) the importance of appearance to one's sense of self-worth was the main contributor to social anxiety, while in patients with pre-adult onset, social anxiety was most strongly related to experiences of stigmatization. Moreover, the results indicated that negative body-related emotions mediated the relationship between severity of the disease and depression. Additionally, the relationship between severity of psoriasis and body image emotions was moderated by gender. Findings significantly extend previous studies by confirming and highlighting the role of age of onset of psoriasis in psychological impairments, and provide more insight into factors that contribute to social anxiety in this group of patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Respiratory manifestations of yellow nail syndrome: report of two cases and literature review].

PubMed

Li, S; Huang, H; Xu, K; Xu, Z J

2018-03-12

Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics of respiratory manifestations of yellow nail syndrome. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 2 patients with respiratory diseases associated with yellow nail syndrome. Their clinical and chest radiological data were collected. We searched PubMed, Wanfang and CNKI databases with the keywords "yellow nail syndrome, yellow nail and lung" in Chinese and English. And the relevant literatures, including 6 articles in Chinese and 81 articles in English, were reviewed. Results: Our 2 patients were male, one 60 years old and the other 76. Typical yellow nails were present in their fingers, and one of them also showed toe yellow nails. One patient was admitted for refractory respiratory infection and he was diagnosed with diffuse bronchiectasis. The respiratory symptoms could be relieved with antibiotics according to the results of sputum microbiological analysis. The other patient was admitted for cough and exertional dyspnea, and refractory pleural effusions were revealed bilaterally. He received repeated effusion drainage by thoracentesis, and Octreotide was tried recently. A total of 373 cases were reviewed in Chinese and English literatures. Pleural effusions (152 cases) and diffuse bronchiectasis (121 cases) were the most common reported respiratory manifestations. Lymphoedema was present in almost all cases with pleural effusion associated with yellow nail syndrome, and the effusion was usually exudative and lymphocyte predominant. Pleurodesis and decortication were effective for them. But, somatostatin analogues had been tried effectively for these patients recently. On the other hand, literatures showed that diffuse bronchiectasis in yellow nail syndrome was less severe than idiopathic diffuse bronchiectasis, and might benefit from long-term macrolide antibiotics. Conclusions: Yellow nail syndrome is a very rare disorder. Besides yellow nail, respiratory manifestations are the main clinical

Objective Measurement of Erythema in Psoriasis using Digital Color Photography with Color Calibration

PubMed Central

Raina, Abhay; Hennessy, Ricky; Rains, Michael; Allred, James; Hirshburg, Jason M; Diven, Dayna; Markey, Mia K.

2016-01-01

Background Traditional metrics for evaluating the severity of psoriasis are subjective, which complicates efforts to measure effective treatments in clinical trials. Methods We collected images of psoriasis plaques and calibrated the coloration of the images according to an included color card. Features were extracted from the images and used to train a linear discriminant analysis classifier with cross-validation to automatically classify the degree of erythema. The results were tested against numerical scores obtained by a panel of dermatologists using a standard rating system. Results Quantitative measures of erythema based on the digital color images showed good agreement with subjective assessment of erythema severity (κ = 0.4203). The color calibration process improved the agreement from κ = 0.2364 to κ = 0.4203. Conclusions We propose a method for the objective measurement of the psoriasis severity parameter of erythema and show that the calibration process improved the results. PMID:26517973

Number needed to treat and costs per responder among biologic treatments for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in Japan.

PubMed

Imafuku, Shinichi; Nakano, Ataru; Dakeshita, Hidetoshi; Li, Junlong; Betts, Keith A; Guerin, Annie

2018-02-01

Biologics have been shown to improve the outcomes of patients with psoriasis but their cost is an issue. Determine the number needed to treat (NNT) to achieve a 75%/90% reduction in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI-75/90) and evaluate the incremental cost per PASI-75/90 responder (CPR) relative to placebo in Japan. A network meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the relative probabilities of achieving PASI-75/90 and NNTs. Drug costs were assessed based on Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Agency-approved dosing. The CPR was estimated for a short-term induction period and first year of treatment. Compared with placebo, the PASI-75 NNT was 1.27 for adalimumab 80 mg, 1.29 for secukinumab 150 mg, 1.36 for secukinumab 300 mg, 1.57 for adalimumab 40 mg, 1.68 for ustekinumab 90 mg, 1.97 for ustekinumab 45 mg and 2.00 for infliximab 5 mg/kg. The short-term PASI-75 CPR relative to placebo was $5,062 for secukinumab 150 mg, $8209 for adalimumab 40 mg, $10,654 for secukinumab 300 mg, $11,754 for adalimumab 80 mg, $15,407 for ustekinumab 45 mg, $19,147 for infliximab 5 mg/kg and $26,257 for ustekinumab 90 mg. A similar ranking was observed for one-year PASI-75 CPRs and PASI-90 NNTs and CPRs. Adalimumab 40 mg/80 mg and secukinumab 150 mg/300 mg were the most efficacious and cost-efficient for patients with psoriasis in Japan.

What is clearance worth? Patients' stated risk tolerance for psoriasis treatments.

PubMed

Fairchild, Angelyn O; Reed, Shelby D; Johnson, F Reed; Anglin, Greg; Wolka, Anne M; Noel, Rebecca A

2017-12-01

The purpose of this study was to provide quantitative evidence of patients' tolerance for therapeutic risks associated with psoriasis treatments that could offer psoriasis improvements beyond the PASI 75 benchmark. We used a discrete-choice experiment in which respondents chose between competing psoriasis treatments characterized by benefits (i.e. reduced plaque severity, reduced plaque area), risks (i.e. 10-year risk of tuberculosis, 10-year risk of death from infection), and treatment regimen. We analyzed choice data using random-parameters logit models for psoriasis affecting the body, face, or hands. Of 927 eligible members of the National Psoriasis Foundation who completed the survey, 28% were unwilling to accept any greater risk of treatment-related infection mortality. Among the remaining 72%, respondents were willing to accept higher risks of infection-related mortality associated with treatment to completely remove plaques covering only 1% of the body, compared to reducing lesions from 10 to 1% of the affected area. This finding was more pronounced for lesions on the face. Most patients placed greater value on eliminating even very small plaques compared to avoiding treatment-related risks. The perceived importance of complete versus near-complete clearance was stronger than previously documented.

Co-morbidity and age-related prevalence of psoriasis: Analysis of health insurance data in Germany.

PubMed

Augustin, Matthias; Reich, Kristian; Glaeske, Gerd; Schaefer, Ines; Radtke, Marc

2010-03-01

Epidemiological studies indicate an increased risk of co-morbidities and an association with other inflammatory diseases in psoriasis. However, most analyses have been performed on small samples of patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of co-morbidities in psoriasis based on a large set of health insurance data. The database of 1.3 million patients in a German nationwide statutory health insurance scheme was analysed. Data-sets of patients with confirmed psoriasis were extracted and analysed for co-morbidities. Of 1,344,071 subjects, 33,981 had a diagnosis of psoriasis (prevalence 2.5%). Metabolic syndrome was 2.9-fold more frequent among these patients. The most common diagnoses were arterial hypertension (35.6% in psoriasis vs. 20.6% in controls) and hyperlipidaemia (29.9% vs. 17.1%). The frequencies of rheumatoid arthritis (prevalence ratio (PR) 3.8), Crohn's disease (PR 2.1) and ulcerative colitis (PR 2.0) were also increased among patients with psoriasis. In conclusion, psoriasis is associated with significant co-morbidities that imply an elevated risk of severe complications.

Immunology of Psoriasis

PubMed Central

Lowes, Michelle A.; Suárez-Fariñas, Mayte; Krueger, James G.

2014-01-01

The skin is the front line of defense against insult and injury and contains many epidermal and immune elements that comprise the skin-associated lymphoid tissue (SALT). The reaction of these components to injury allows an effective cutaneous response to restore homeostasis. Psoriasis vulgaris is the best-understood and most accessible human disease that is mediated by T cells and dendritic cells. Inflammatory myeloid dendritic cells release IL-23 and IL-12 to activate IL-17-producing T cells, Th1 cells, and Th22 cells to produce abundant psoriatic cytokines IL-17, IFN-γ, TNF, and IL-22. These cytokines mediate effects on keratinocytes to amplify psoriatic inflammation. Therapeutic studies with anticytokine antibodies have shown the importance of the key cytokines IL-23, TNF, and IL-17 in this process. We discuss the genetic background of psoriasis and its relationship to immune function, specifically genetic mutations, key PSORS loci, single nucleotide polymorphisms, and the skin transcriptome. The association between comorbidities and psoriasis is reviewed by correlating the skin transcriptome and serum proteins. Psoriasis-related cytokine-response pathways are considered in the context of the transcriptome of different mouse models. This approach offers a model for other inflammatory skin and autoimmune diseases. PMID:24655295

Psoriasis is associated with decreased plasma adiponectin levels independently of cardiometabolic risk factors

PubMed Central

Li, R. C.; Krishnamoorthy, P.; DerOhannessian, S.; Doveikis, J.; Wilcox, M.; Thomas, P.; Rader, D. J.; Reilly, M. P.; Voorhees, A. Van; Gelfand, J. M.; Mehta, N. N.

2013-01-01

Summary Background Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease that may be associated with an adverse cardiometabolic profile including modulated plasma adiponectin and leptin levels. Whether these levels are independent of cardiometabolic risk factors, which are also prevalent in psoriasis, is not known. Methods A consecutive sample of 122 participants with varying degrees of psoriasis severity, and a random sample of 134 participants without psoriasis were recruited for this case–control study. Cardiometabolic risk factors including traditional cardiovascular risk factors, waist circumference, insulin resistance, and total plasma adiponectin and leptin were measured. Total plasma adiponectin and leptin levels were compared in unadjusted and adjusted analyses by psoriasis status. Results Participants with psoriasis had mostly mild disease and were mainly on topical therapies, but still had a more adverse cardiometabolic profile compared with those without psoriasis. Furthermore, plasma adiponectin levels were significantly lower in participants with psoriasis than those without {7.13 µg/mL [interquartile range (IQR) 4.9–11.3) vs. 14.5 µg/mL (IQR 8.4–24.1); P < 0.001]}. Plasma leptin (ng/mL) levels were higher in the psoriasis group but this did not reach statistical significance [11.3 (IQR 6.4–21.8) vs. 9.8 (IQR 4.9–20.5); P = 0.07]. In multivariable modelling, plasma adiponectin levels were still negatively associated with psoriasis status after adjusting for waist size (% difference = −41.2%, P < 0.001), insulin resistance (% difference = −39.5%, P < 0.001) and both waist size and insulin resistance (% difference = −38.5%, P < 0.001) Conclusion Plasma levels of adiponectin were lower in psoriasis, and this relationship persisted after adjusting for cardiometabolic risk factors known to decrease adiponectin levels. These findings suggest that inflammation present in psoriasis may be associated with adipose tissue dysfunction; however, direct

Review of U.S. registries for psoriasis.

PubMed

Amin, Mina; No, Daniel J; Wu, Jashin J

2017-12-01

Patient registries are databases comprised of standardized clinical data for a specific population of patients with a particular disease or medical condition. Information from patient registries allows clinicians to assess long-lasting outcomes in patients with a specific disease, such as psoriasis. Our primary objective was to identify available psoriasis registries in the United States (U.S.) and evaluate the application of patient registries compared to clinical trials. We searched Google, the Registry of Patient Registries, Orphanet and ClinicalTrials.gov to create a list of U.S. psoriasis registries. We also performed a literature review on the application of psoriasis registries using PubMed. We identified 6 psoriasis patient registries in the United States. Patient registries are frequently used for psoriasis in the U.S. and provide important information about the safety, efficacy and long-term effects of systemic therapies.

Clinical, Diagnostic, and Therapeutic Implications in Psoriasis Associated With Cardiovascular Disease.

PubMed

Bonanad, C; González-Parra, E; Rivera, R; Carrascosa, J M; Daudén, E; Olveira, A; Botella-Estrada, R

2017-11-01

In recent years the concept of psoriasis as a systemic disease has gained acceptance due to its association with numerous comorbid conditions, particularly atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Several studies have shown that patients with psoriasis, especially younger patients and those with more severe forms of psoriasis or with psoriatic arthritis, have a higher prevalence of risk factors and metabolic syndrome, as well as an increased risk of major cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral arterial disease. Furthermore, it remains unclear which of the current treatments might be more effective in reducing cardiovascular risk in these patients. It is therefore important for dermatologists to be aware of this increased risk, to be able to detect modifiable risk factors early and, when appropriate, refer patients to other specialists for the prevention of major cardiovascular events. Copyright © 2017 AEDV. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Secukinumab Self-Administration by Prefilled Syringe Maintains Reduction of Plaque Psoriasis Severity Over 52 Weeks: Results of the FEATURE Trial.

PubMed

Gottlieb, Alice B; Blauvelt, Andrew; Prinz, Jörg C; Papanastasiou, Philemon; Pathan, Rashidkhan; Nyirady, Judit; Fox, Todd; Papavassilis, Charis

2016-10-01

Secukinumab, a human monoclonal antibody that selectively targets interleukin-17A, is highly efficacious in the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis, starting at early time points, with a sustained effect and a favorable safety profile. Patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis were randomized to secukinumab 300 mg, secukinumab 150 mg, or placebo self-administered by prefilled syringe at baseline, weeks 1, 2, and 3, and then every four weeks from week 4 to 48. Efficacy responses (≥ 75/90/100% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index [PASI 75/90/100] and clear/almost clear skin by Investigator's Global Assessment 2011 modified version [IGA mod 2011 0/1]) were measured to week 52. Patient-reported usability of the prefilled syringe was evaluated by the Self-Injection Assessment Questionnaire to week 48. The efficacy of secukinumab increased to week 16 and was maintained to week 52. With secukinumab 300 mg at week 52, PASI 75/90/100 and IGA mod 2011 0/1 responses were achieved by 83.5%/68.0%/47.5% and 71.5% of patients when analyzed by multiple imputation, respectively, and by 75.9%/62.1%/43.1% and 63.8% of patients when analyzed by nonresponder imputation, respectively. With secukinumab 150 mg at week 52, PASI 75/90/100 and IGA mod 2011 0/1 responses were achieved by 63.5%/50.3%/31.1% and 43.6% of patients when analyzed by multiple imputation, respectively, and by 61.0%/49.2%/30.5% and 42.4% of patients when analyzed by nonresponder imputation, respectively. Self-reported acceptability of the prefilled syringe was high throughout the study. The incidence of adverse events (AE) was well balanced between groups, with AEs reported in 74.4% of patients receiving secukinumab 300 mg and 77.3% of patients receiving secukinumab 150 mg. Nasopharyngitis was the most common AE across both secukinumab groups. Self-administration of secukinumab by prefilled syringe was associated with robust and sustained efficacy and a favorable safety profile up to week

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring can unmask hypertension in patients with psoriasis vulgaris

PubMed Central

Bacaksiz, Ahmet; Erdogan, Ercan; Sonmez, Osman; Sevgili, Emrah; Tasal, Abdurrahman; Onsun, Nahide; Topukcu, Bugce; Kulaç, Beytullah; Uysal, Omer; Goktekin, Omer

2013-01-01

Background Psoriasis vulgaris is one of the most prevalent chronic, inflammatory skin disorders. Patients with psoriasis have excess risk of essential hypertension. Masked hypertension (MH), defined as normal office blood pressure (BP) with elevated ambulatory BP (ABPM), has been drawing attention recently due to its association with increased risk of developing sustained hypertension, cardiovascular morbidity, and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of MH in psoriatic patients. Material/Methods On hundred and ten middle-aged, normotensive, non-obese patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 110 age- and sex-matched normotensive controls were included in the study. ABPM was performed in all participants over a 24-h period. The clinical severity of the disease was determined according to current indexes. Results The prevalence of MH among subjects with psoriasis vulgaris was 31.8% and increased compared to control subjects (p<0.01). Predictors of MH in patients with psoriasis vulgaris were detected as male sex, smoking, obesity-related anthropometric measures, and disease activity. Male sex, waist circumference, and diffuse psoriatic involvement were detected as independent predictors of MH. Conclusions MH is prevalent in patients with psoriasis vulgaris. Assessment with ABPM and close follow-up for development of hypertension is reasonable. PMID:23800996

Healthcare Provider Type and Switch to Biologics in Psoriasis: Evidence from Real-World Practice.

PubMed

Calara, Paul S; Norlin, Jenny M; Althin, Rikard; Carlsson, Katarina Steen; Schmitt-Egenolf, Marcus

2016-04-01

Previous research indicates an uneven uptake of biologics in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis in Sweden. Therefore, it is essential to scrutinise variations in treatment patterns. The aim of this study was to evaluate the extent to which the uptake of biologics for psoriasis differs between types of healthcare provider. Three types of provider were identified within 52 units participating in the Swedish National Registry for Systemic Psoriasis Treatment (PsoReg): university hospitals, non-university hospitals and individual practices. Biologics-naïve patients (n = 3165) were included in analyses to investigate the probability of switch to biologics. The numbers of patients fulfilling the criteria for moderate-to-severe psoriasis [Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) ≥10 and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) ≥10] among patients who switched to biologics and patients who did not switch were reported. A logistic regression model was used to calculate how healthcare provider type influenced the probability of switch to biologics whilst adjusting for patient characteristics and disease severity. During registration, 16% of patients switched to biologics while 84% remained on conventional systemic treatment. In 7% of patients, the criteria PASI ≥10 and DLQI ≥10 was fulfilled at their last visit without switching to biologics, whereas in 10% of patients the criteria was not fulfilled prior to switch. After controlling for patient characteristics and disease severity, small or no difference in the probability of switch was observed between provider types. Disease severity does not explain the decision to switch or not to switch to biologics for a disproportionate number of patients. There seems to be an uneven uptake of biologics in Swedish clinical practice, but the type of healthcare provider cannot explain this variation. More research is needed on what factors influence the prescription of biologics.

Tibiotalocalcaneal Arthrodesis Nails: A Comparison of Nails With and Without Internal Compression.

PubMed

Taylor, James; Lucas, Douglas E; Riley, Aimee; Simpson, G Alex; Philbin, Terrence M

2016-03-01

Hindfoot arthrodesis with tibiotalocalcaneal (TTC) intramedullary nails is used commonly when treating ankle and subtalar arthritis and other hindfoot pathology. Adequate compression is paramount to avoid nonunion and fatigue fracture of the hardware. Arthrodesis systems with internal compression have demonstrated superior compression to systems relying on external methods. This study examined the speed of union with TTC fusion nails with internal compression over nails without internal compression. A retrospective review was performed identifying nail type and time to union of the subtalar joint (STJ) and tibiotalar joint (TTJ). A total of 198 patients were included from 2003 to 2011. The median time to STJ fusion without internal compression was 104 days compared to 92 days with internal compression (P = .044). The median time to TTJ fusion without internal compression was 111 days compared to 93 days with internal compression (P = .010). Adjusting for diabetes, there was no significant difference in fusion speed with or without internal compression for the STJ (P = .561) or TTJ (P = .358). Nonunion rates were 24.5% for the STJ and 17.0% for the TTJ with internal compression, and 43.4% for the STJ and 42.1% for the TTJ without internal compression. This difference remained statistically significant after adjusting for diabetes for the TTJ (P = .001) but not for the STJ (P = .194). The intramedullary hindfoot arthrodesis nail was a viable treatment option in degenerative joint disease of the TTC joint. There appeared to be an advantage using systems with internal compression; however, there was no statistically significant difference after controlling for diabetes. Level III, retrospective comparative series. © The Author(s) 2015.

Psoriasis

MedlinePlus

... Even just getting a little bit of natural sunlight can make the symptoms better. Your doctor will ... get a little more sun, but too much sunlight can make psoriasis worse. It's not always easy ...

Do patients with mild to moderate psoriasis really have a sedentary lifestyle?

PubMed

Demirel, Reha; Genc, Abdurrahman; Ucok, Kagan; Kacar, Seval Dogruk; Ozuguz, Pinar; Toktas, Muhsin; Sener, Umit; Karabacak, Hatice; Karaca, Semsettin

2013-09-01

The aim of this study was to compare aerobic exercise capacity, daily physical activity, pulmonary functions, resting metabolic rate, and body composition parameters in patients with psoriasis and healthy controls. A total of 60 participants (30 [15 men, 15 women] patients with psoriasis, and 30 [15 men, 15 women] healthy controls) ranging in age from 22-57 were included in the study. Maximal aerobic capacity was determined by Astrand exercise protocol. Daily physical activity was measured with an accelerometer. Resting metabolic rate was determined with an indirect calorimeter. Pulmonary function tests were performed with a portable spirometer. Body composition was established with a bioelectric impedance analysis system. Skinfold thicknesses and body circumference measurements were carried out. Short Form 36 quality of life questionnaire was applied to all participants. In both genders, daily physical activity parameters were found to be higher in the psoriasis group compared to the control. Maximal aerobic capacity, resting metabolic rate, pulmonary function tests, body fatness, body fat distributions, and quality of life were not statistically different between patients with psoriasis and controls in males and females. We suggest that patients with psoriasis who do not have psoriatic arthritis or severe psoriasis are well in performing daily physical activities. In addition, we suggest that this lifestyle helped to prevent impairments of body fatness, body fat distributions, resting metabolic rate, pulmonary functions, and quality of life in patients with mild to moderate psoriasis. © 2013 The International Society of Dermatology.

Obesity and psoriasis: inflammatory nature of obesity, relationship between psoriasis and obesity, and therapeutic implications.

PubMed

Carrascosa, J M; Rocamora, V; Fernandez-Torres, R M; Jimenez-Puya, R; Moreno, J C; Coll-Puigserver, N; Fonseca, E

2014-01-01

Obesity, particularly abdominal obesity, is currently considered a chronic low-grade inflammatory condition that plays an active role in the development of the pathophysiologic phenomena responsible for metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease through the secretion of proinflammatory adipokines and cytokines. In recent years clear genetic, pathogenic, and epidemiologic links have been established between psoriasis and obesity, with important implications for health. The relationship between the 2 conditions is probably bidirectional, with obesity predisposing to psoriasis and psoriasis favoring obesity. Obesity also has important implications in the treatment of psoriasis, such as a greater risk of adverse effects with conventional systemic drugs and reduced efficacy and/or increased cost with biologic agents, for which dosage should be adjusted to the patient's weight. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. and AEDV. All rights reserved.

'On the surface': a qualitative study of GPs' and patients' perspectives on psoriasis.

PubMed

Nelson, Pauline A; Barker, Zoë; Griffiths, Christopher E M; Cordingley, Lis; Chew-Graham, Carolyn A

2013-10-20

Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease affecting approximately 2% of the UK population and is currently incurable. It produces profound effects on psychological wellbeing and social functioning and has significant associated co-morbidities. The majority of patients with psoriasis are managed in primary care, however in-depth patient and GP perspectives about psoriasis management in this setting are absent from the literature. This article reports an in-depth study which compares and contrasts the perspectives of people with psoriasis and of GPs on the challenges of managing psoriasis in primary care. In-depth, qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with a diverse sample of 29 people with psoriasis and 14 GPs. Interviews were coded using principles of Framework Analysis to enable a comparison of patient and practitioner perspectives on key issues and concepts arising from the data. Patients perceived GPs to be lacking in confidence in the assessment and management of psoriasis and both groups felt lacking in knowledge and understanding about the condition. While practitioners recognised that psoriasis has physical, emotional and social impact, they assumed patients had expertise in the condition and may not address these issues in consultations. This resulted in patient dissatisfaction and sub-optimal assessment of severity and impact of psoriasis by GPs. Patients and GPs recognised that psoriasis was not being managed as a complex long-term condition, however this appeared less problematic for GPs than for patients who desired a shared management with their GP incorporating appropriate monitoring and timely reviews. The research suggests that current routine practice for psoriasis management in primary care is mismatched with the expressed needs of patients. To address these needs, psoriasis must be recognised as a complex long-term condition involving exacting physical, psychological and social demands, co-morbidity and the development of

Psoriasis skin biopsy image segmentation using Deep Convolutional Neural Network.

PubMed

Pal, Anabik; Garain, Utpal; Chandra, Aditi; Chatterjee, Raghunath; Senapati, Swapan

2018-06-01

Development of machine assisted tools for automatic analysis of psoriasis skin biopsy image plays an important role in clinical assistance. Development of automatic approach for accurate segmentation of psoriasis skin biopsy image is the initial prerequisite for developing such system. However, the complex cellular structure, presence of imaging artifacts, uneven staining variation make the task challenging. This paper presents a pioneering attempt for automatic segmentation of psoriasis skin biopsy images. Several deep neural architectures are tried for segmenting psoriasis skin biopsy images. Deep models are used for classifying the super-pixels generated by Simple Linear Iterative Clustering (SLIC) and the segmentation performance of these architectures is compared with the traditional hand-crafted feature based classifiers built on popularly used classifiers like K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Random Forest (RF). A U-shaped Fully Convolutional Neural Network (FCN) is also used in an end to end learning fashion where input is the original color image and the output is the segmentation class map for the skin layers. An annotated real psoriasis skin biopsy image data set of ninety (90) images is developed and used for this research. The segmentation performance is evaluated with two metrics namely, Jaccard's Coefficient (JC) and the Ratio of Correct Pixel Classification (RCPC) accuracy. The experimental results show that the CNN based approaches outperform the traditional hand-crafted feature based classification approaches. The present research shows that practical system can be developed for machine assisted analysis of psoriasis disease. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Dynamic Model for Prediction of Psoriasis Management by Blue Light Irradiation

PubMed Central

Félix Garza, Zandra C.; Liebmann, Joerg; Born, Matthias; Hilbers, Peter A. J.; van Riel, Natal A. W.

2017-01-01

Clinical investigations prove that blue light irradiation reduces the severity of psoriasis vulgaris. Nevertheless, the mechanisms involved in the management of this condition remain poorly defined. Despite the encouraging results of the clinical studies, no clear guidelines are specified in the literature for the irradiation scheme regime of blue light-based therapy for psoriasis. We investigated the underlying mechanism of blue light irradiation of psoriatic skin, and tested the hypothesis that regulation of proliferation is a key process. We implemented a mechanistic model of cellular epidermal dynamics to analyze whether a temporary decrease of keratinocytes hyper-proliferation can explain the outcome of phototherapy with blue light. Our results suggest that the main effect of blue light on keratinocytes impacts the proliferative cells. They show that the decrease in the keratinocytes proliferative capacity is sufficient to induce a transient decrease in the severity of psoriasis. To study the impact of the therapeutic regime on the efficacy of psoriasis treatment, we performed simulations for different combinations of the treatment parameters, i.e., length of treatment, fluence (also referred to as dose), and intensity. These simulations indicate that high efficacy is achieved by regimes with long duration and high fluence levels, regardless of the chosen intensity. Our modeling approach constitutes a framework for testing diverse hypotheses on the underlying mechanism of blue light-based phototherapy, and for designing effective strategies for the treatment of psoriasis. PMID:28184200

Biologics and dermatology life quality index (DLQI) in the Australasian psoriasis population.

PubMed

Norris, Diana; Photiou, Louise; Tacey, Mark; Dolianitis, Con; Varigos, George; Foley, Peter; Baker, Chris

2017-12-01

Psoriasis is a chronic condition that may require long-term treatment for disease control. This analysis utilizes data from the Australasian Psoriasis Registry with particular attention to the impact of biologic therapy on DLQI, and the differences between the biologics in terms of DLQI score change. A retrospective review of patients enrolled in the Australasian Psoriasis Registry from April 2008 to August 2016 was conducted. All subjects from the registry that had DLQI and Psoriasis Assessment Severity Index (PASI) scores recorded at a baseline time point of treatment commencement, in addition to week 12 and 24 post commencement were included in the study. A window of ±3 weeks was permitted at these time points. Multivariate linear regression analysis was undertaken to identify significant predictors associated with change in DLQI. Significant predictors of reduction in DLQI and PASI score from baseline to week 24 include use of adalimumab, infliximab, secukinumab and ustekinumab. Other therapies, including etanercept and oral systemic agents did not show significant change. Each class of biologic showed significant reductions in DLQI score, with IL-12/23 blockade showing the greatest reduction. Significant predictors of lack of reduction in DLQI score include a baseline PASI score <16, and history of diabetes, alcoholism or uveitis. Patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis who are treated with biologics show the greatest reduction in DLQI score, compared with other treatments. Australian dermatologists are prescribing biologics when patients qualify for them in keeping with current guidelines.

Objective measurement of erythema in psoriasis using digital color photography with color calibration.

PubMed

Raina, A; Hennessy, R; Rains, M; Allred, J; Hirshburg, J M; Diven, D G; Markey, M K

2016-08-01

Traditional metrics for evaluating the severity of psoriasis are subjective, which complicates efforts to measure effective treatments in clinical trials. We collected images of psoriasis plaques and calibrated the coloration of the images according to an included color card. Features were extracted from the images and used to train a linear discriminant analysis classifier with cross-validation to automatically classify the degree of erythema. The results were tested against numerical scores obtained by a panel of dermatologists using a standard rating system. Quantitative measures of erythema based on the digital color images showed good agreement with subjective assessment of erythema severity (κ = 0.4203). The color calibration process improved the agreement from κ = 0.2364 to κ = 0.4203. We propose a method for the objective measurement of the psoriasis severity parameter of erythema and show that the calibration process improved the results. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Heat profiles of laser-irradiated nails

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paasch, Uwe; Nenoff, Pietro; Seitz, Anna-Theresa; Wagner, Justinus A.; Kendler, Michael; Simon, Jan C.; Grunewald, Sonja

2014-01-01

Onychomycosis is a worldwide problem with no tendency for self-healing, and existing systemic treatments achieve disease-free nails in only 35 to 76% of cases. Recently, treatment of nail fungus with a near-infrared laser has been introduced. It is assumed that fungal eradication is mediated by local heat. To investigate if laser treatment has the potential to eradicate fungal hyphae and arthrospores, laser heat application and propagation needs to be studied in detail. This study aimed to measure nail temperatures using real-time videothermography during laser irradiation. Treatment was performed using 808- and 980-nm linear scanning diode lasers developed for hair removal, enabling contact-free homogeneous irradiation of a human nail plate in one pass. Average and peak temperatures increased pass by pass, while the laser beam moved along the nail plates. The achieved mean peak temperatures (808 nm: 74.1 to 112.4°C, 980 nm: 45.8 to 53.5°C), as well as the elevation of average temperatures (808 nm: 29.5 to 38.2°C, 980 nm: 27.1 to 32.6°C) were associated with pain that was equivalent to that of hair removal procedures and was not significantly different for various wavelengths. The linear scanning laser devices provide the benefits of contact-free homogeneous heating of the human nail while ensuring adequate temperature rises.

Heat profiles of laser-irradiated nails.

PubMed

Paasch, Uwe; Nenoff, Pietro; Seitz, Anna-Theresa; Wagner, Justinus A; Kendler, Michael; Simon, Jan C; Grunewald, Sonja

2014-01-01

Onychomycosis is a worldwide problem with no tendency for self-healing, and existing systemic treatments achieve disease-free nails in only 35 to 76% of cases. Recently, treatment of nail fungus with a near-infrared laser has been introduced. It is assumed that fungal eradication is mediated by local heat. To investigate if laser treatment has the potential to eradicate fungal hyphae and arthrospores, laser heat application and propagation needs to be studied in detail. This study aimed to measure nail temperatures using real-time videothermography during laser irradiation. Treatment was performed using 808- and 980-nm linear scanning diode lasers developed for hair removal, enabling contact-free homogeneous irradiation of a human nail plate in one pass. Average and peak temperatures increased pass by pass, while the laser beam moved along the nail plates. The achieved mean peak temperatures (808 nm: 74.1 to 112.4°C, 980 nm: 45.8 to 53.5°C), as well as the elevation of average temperatures (808 nm: 29.5 to 38.2°C, 980 nm: 27.1 to 32.6°C) were associated with pain that was equivalent to that of hair removal procedures and was not significantly different for various wavelengths. The linear scanning laser devices provide the benefits of contact-free homogeneous heating of the human nail while ensuring adequate temperature rises.

Nails in Forensic Toxicology: An Update.

PubMed

Solimini, Renata; Minutillo, Adele; Kyriakou, Chrystalla; Pichini, Simona; Pacifici, Roberta; Busardo, Francesco Paolo

2017-01-01

The analysis of nails as a keratinized matrix to detect drugs or illicit substances has been increasingly used in forensic and clinical toxicology as a complementary test, especially for the specific characteristics of stably accumulating substances for long periods of time. This allows a retrospective investigation of chronic drug abuse, monitoring continuous drug or pharmaceutical use, reveal in utero drug exposure or environmental exposures. We herein review the recent literature investigating drug incorporation mechanisms and drug detection in nails for forensic toxicological purposes. Mechanisms of drug incorporation have not yet been fully elucidated. However, some research has lately contributed to a better understanding of how substances are incorporated into nails, suggesting three potential mechanisms of drug incorporation: contamination from sweat, incorporation from nail bed and incorporation from germinal matrix. In addition, numerous methods dealing with the determination of drugs of abuse, medications and alcohol biomarkers in nails have been reported in studies over the years. The latter methods could find application in clinical and forensic toxicology. The studies herein reviewed point out how important it is to standardize and harmonize the methodologies (either pre-analytical or analytical) for nails analysis and the optimization of sampling as well as the development of proficiency testing programs and the determination of cut-off values. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Stress, social support, emotional regulation, and exacerbation of diffuse plaque psoriasis.

PubMed

Picardi, A; Mazzotti, E; Gaetano, P; Cattaruzza, M S; Baliva, G; Melchi, C F; Biondi, M; Pasquini, P

2005-01-01

The authors' aim was to investigate the role of stressful events, perceived social support, attachment security, and alexithymia in triggering exacerbations of diffuse plaque psoriasis. Inpatients experiencing a recent exacerbation of diffuse plaque psoriasis (N=33) were compared with inpatients with skin conditions believed to have a negligible psychosomatic component (N=73). Stressful events during the last year were assessed with Paykel's Interview for Recent Life Events. Attachment style, alexithymia, and perceived social support were assessed with the Experiences in Close Relationships questionnaire, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to control for age, gender, education, marital status, and alcohol consumption. In relation to comparison subjects, the patients with psoriasis had lower perceived social support and higher attachment-related avoidance. Also, they were more likely to have high alexithymic characteristics. There were no differences between the patients with psoriasis and the comparison subjects in scores on the Experiences in Close Relationships anxiety scale, the total number of stressful events, and the number of undesirable, uncontrollable, or major events. Although caution should be applied in generalizing these findings to outpatients, this study suggests that alexithymia, attachment-related avoidance, and poor social support might increase susceptibility to exacerbations of diffuse plaque psoriasis, possibly through impaired emotional regulation. Several physiological mechanisms involving the neuroendocrine and the immune system might mediate the interplay between stress, personality, and diffuse plaque psoriasis.

I Live with Psoriasis | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

MedlinePlus

... page please turn Javascript on. Feature: Living with Psoriasis I Live with Psoriasis Past Issues / Fall 2013 Table of Contents Kristin ... equally. "Know as much as you can about psoriasis..." —Kristin Donahue Psoriasis first flared into Kristin Donahue's ...

Scabies of the nail unit.

PubMed

Oh, Susan; Vandergriff, Travis

2014-10-15

Scabies limited to the nail unit is quite unusual, but may persist after treatment of crusted scabies. We present a man with a history of crusted scabies that resolved with treatment, but later the patient reported a chronic problem with crumbly, thickened nails, which were found to be harboring scabies mites.

Real-world health outcomes in adults with moderate-to-severe psoriasis in the United States: a population study using electronic health records to examine patient-perceived treatment effectiveness, medication use, and healthcare resource utilization.

PubMed

Armstrong, April W; Foster, Shonda A; Comer, Brian S; Lin, Chen-Yen; Malatestinic, William; Burge, Russel; Goldblum, Orin

2018-06-28

Little is known regarding real-world health outcomes data among US psoriasis patients, but electronic health records (EHR) that collect structured data at point-of-care may provide opportunities to investigate real-world health outcomes among psoriasis patients. Our objective was to investigate patient-perceived treatment effectiveness, patterns of medication use (duration, switching, and/or discontinuation), healthcare resource utilization, and medication costs using real-world data from psoriasis patients. Data for adults (≥18-years) with a dermatology provider-given diagnosis of psoriasis from 9/2014-9/2015 were obtained from dermatology practices using a widely used US dermatology-specific EHR containing over 500,000 psoriasis patients. Disease severity was captured by static physician's global assessment and body surface area. Patient-perceived treatment effectiveness was assessed by a pre-defined question. Treatment switching and duration were documented. Reasons for discontinuations were assessed using pre-defined selections. Healthcare resource utilization was defined by visit frequency and complexity. From 82,621 patients with psoriasis during the study period, patient-perceived treatment effectiveness was investigated in 2200 patients. The proportion of patients reporting "strongly agree" when asked if their treatment was effective was highest for biologics (73%) and those reporting treatment adherence (55%). In 16,000 patients who received oral systemics and 21,087 patients who received biologics, median treatment duration was longer for those who received biologics (160 vs. 113 days, respectively). Treatment switching was less frequent among patients on systemic monotherapies compared to those on combination therapies. The most common reason for discontinuing biologics was loss of efficacy; the most common reason for discontinuing orals was side effects. In 28,754 patients, higher disease severity was associated with increased healthcare resource

HLA-Cw6 homozygosity in plaque psoriasis is associated with streptococcal throat infections and pronounced improvement after tonsillectomy: A prospective case series.

PubMed

Thorleifsdottir, Ragna H; Sigurdardottir, Sigrun L; Sigurgeirsson, Bardur; Olafsson, Jon H; Petersen, Hannes; Sigurdsson, Martin I; Gudjonsson, Johann E; Johnston, Andrew; Valdimarsson, Helgi

2016-11-01

Carriage of the HLA-Cw*0602 allele is associated with a particular set of clinical features and treatment responses in psoriasis. Tonsillectomy can improve psoriasis. We sought to evaluate whether HLA-Cw*0602 predicts a favorable outcome after tonsillectomy of patients with psoriasis. This prospective case series followed up 28 tonsillectomized patients with plaque psoriasis for 24 months. The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, Psoriasis Disability Index, and Psoriasis Life Stress Inventory were used for assessment. Tonsils were swabbed for bacteria and patients genotyped for HLA-Cw*0602. After tonsillectomy, HLA-Cw*0602 homozygotes showed significantly more improvement, compared with heterozygous and HLA-Cw*0602-negative patients. Thus, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score was reduced by 82% in the homozygous patients compared with 42% and 31%, respectively (P < .001), Psoriasis Disability Index score improved by 87% compared with 38% and 41%, respectively (P < .001), and Psoriasis Life Stress Inventory score was 82% reduced compared with 60% and 54%, respectively (P < .001). The homozygotes more often had psoriasis onset associated with a throat infection (P = .007) and an increased frequency of streptococcal throat infections per lifetime (P = .038). Few patients were included and some data were retrospective. Homozygous HLA-Cw*0602 carriage in plaque psoriasis may predict a favorable outcome after tonsillectomy. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quality of life and cost of illness in patients with psoriasis in Malaysia: a multicenter study.

PubMed

Tang, Min Moon; Chang, Choong Chor; Chan, Lee Chin; Heng, Agnes

2013-03-01

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated, chronic, inflammatory skin disease which affects approximately 2% of the world's population. It has a major impact on the patient's quality of life (QoL), influencing career, social activities, family relationships, and all other aspects of life. Many studies have described the various ways in which psoriasis can affect a patient's life. Very little is known, however, about the impact of psoriasis on the QoL of patients treated in Malaysia and the cost of illness in this region. This study aims to describe the extent to which psoriasis affects the QoL of patients treated in government-run dermatology clinics in Malaysia and to estimate the cost of illness. A total of 250 psoriasis patients treated at eight dermatology clinics in government-run hospitals in Malaysia were studied. The severity of psoriasis was assessed by dermatologists. Quality of life was evaluated using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Version 2 of the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12v2). Scores on the SF-12v2 of healthy subjects and of patients with other medical conditions, such as depression, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease, were also assessed for comparison. The costs of dermatology outpatient consultant fees, medications, investigations, procedures, transportation, over-the-counter medications, and hospitalization were retrospectively estimated using questionnaires. The cohort studied had a median Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score of 9.9 and a median DLQI score of 10.0. The average SF-12v2 scores were 43.68 (standard deviation [SD] 9.23) and 42.25 (SD 10.7) on the Physical Health Summary and Mental Health Summary, respectively. The impact of disease on QoL was found to be greater in those with more extensive psoriatic lesion involvement, in younger patients, and in those with psoriatic arthropathy. Psoriasis was found to affect QoL in both genders equally. Body mass index had no effect on the severity of

How Is Psoriasis Treated? | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

MedlinePlus

... page please turn Javascript on. Feature: Living with Psoriasis How Is Psoriasis Treated? Past Issues / Fall 2013 Table of Contents ... nih.gov/ Clinical Trials — www.clinicaltrials.gov National Psoriasis Foundation — www.psoriasis.org American Academy of Dermatology — ...

Psoriasis and Microbiota: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Benhadou, Farida; Mintoff, Dillon; Schnebert, Benjamin; Thio, Hok Bing

2018-06-02

Recent advances have highlighted the crucial role of microbiota in the pathophysiology of chronic inflammatory diseases as well as its impact on the efficacy of therapeutic agents. Psoriasis is a chronic, multifactorial inflammatory skin disorder, which has a microbiota distinct from healthy, unaffected skin. Through an extensive review of the literature, we aim to discuss the skin and gut microbiota and redefine their role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Unfortunately, the direct link between the skin microbiota and the pathogenesis of psoriasis remains to be clearly established. Apart from improving the course of psoriasis, selective modulation of the microbiota may increase the efficacy of medical treatments as well as attenuate their side effects.

Aging changes in hair and nails

MedlinePlus

... page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/004005.htm Aging changes in hair and nails To use the sharing ... you age, your hair and nails begin to change. HAIR CHANGES AND THEIR EFFECTS Hair color change . ...

Tonsillectomy as a Treatment for Psoriasis: A Review

PubMed Central

Wu, Wiggin; Debbaneh, Maya; Moslehi, Homayoun; Koo, John; Liao, Wilson

2015-01-01

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder that affects 1% to 3% of the general population worldwide. Streptococcal infection, especially streptococcal pharyngitis, has been shown to be a significant trigger of psoriasis in some patients, possibly by sensitizing T cells to keratin epitopes in the skin. Due to the role of the palatine tonsils as an immunological organ that may generate autoreactive T cells, tonsillectomy has been investigated as a treatment for psoriasis. Tonsillectomy originally gained acceptance in Japan as a treatment for palmoplantar pustulosis, a condition that shares features with pustular psoriasis. Subsequently, tonsillectomy has been used for the treatment of plaque psoriasis and guttate psoriasis. Recently, the first randomized, controlled clinical trial of tonsillectomy was performed. Here, we review the available evidence for the benefit of tonsillectomy as a treatment for palmoplantar pustulosis and psoriasis. We also discuss molecular studies aimed at understanding the role of tonsils in skin disease. PMID:24283892

Psoriasis and Diabetes Millitus.