(MENAFN- EIN Presswire) The International Psoriasis Council and National Psoriasis Foundation publish findings on psoriasis severity assessment with respect to special locations.
ALEXANDRIA, VA, UNITED STATES, January 31, 2024 /EINPresswire / -- The longtime standard for assessing psoriasis severity is evolving to include special considerations for psoriasis located in high-impact sites, a term coined in a collaboration between the International Psoriasis Council (IPC) and the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF), which resulted in the publication of an article on the topic in the Journal of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis®.
The paper , titled,“Psoriasis Involving Special Areas is Associated with Worse Quality of Life, Depression, and Limitations in the Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities,” shares the findings from 3 years of NPF surveys. Analysis showed that psoriasis in high-impact sites had an outsized effect, both lowering the quality of life and impacting the patient's ability to participate in social roles.
“We are eager to share the results of this collaboration with our partners at the IPC highlighting the need for additional considerations when a person is having their disease severity assessed,” said Leah M. Howard, J.D., President and CEO of NPF.“Psoriasis in certain places like the palms or face is incredibly painful and can be debilitating, regardless of the total amount of the body that's covered.”
Traditionally, the percentage of the body covered by psoriasis lesions was used to determine disease severity, but this study underscores the fact that psoriasis in high-impact areas (listed below) can greatly impact a person's quality of life.
Of the over 4,000 individuals who completed the survey, 84% shared that they had psoriasis in high-impact sites. These patients were less likely to have the ability to participate in -- social roles and activities and were 126% more likely to have depression.
High-Impact Sites for Psoriasis
.Scalp
.Face
.Hands/Feet
.Genitalia
.Flexures (areas where the skin folds, usually near joints)
.Nails
“Examining psoriasis disease severity based less on the body surface area affected and more regarding the condition's impact on quality of life and the patient's personal and professional functionality allows providers to better target therapies, including systemics and biologics, towards their patients' needs,” said Bruce Strober, M.D., Ph.D., the IPC Vice President/President-Elect in an August 2023 press release.
Treatment for High-Impact Sites
People with less than 10% body surface area (BSA) affected are often treated exclusively with local application of corticosteroids, even if they have psoriasis on high-impact sites. This is frequently due to the common requirement by regulatory agencies, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, for psoriasis patients to have 10% or more BSA involvement to be eligible for systemic therapies.
IPC's updated recommendations state that patients who meet one or more of the following criteria should be candidates for systemic therapy [2]:
.10% or more BSA
.Psoriasis on high-impact sites
.Topical therapy failed to control symptoms
“We can treat psoriasis, even in these special areas, but it requires an updated approach to assessing severity,” said Andrew Blauvelt, M.D., MBA, the chair of the NPF Medical Board and IPC Board Member, in an August 2023 press release.“We need to help prescribers and insurers recognize the importance of this newer approach so that patients are able to access the right treatment for their disease.”
[Recirculation of August 2023 joint IPC/NPF press release]
About the National Psoriasis Foundation
Serving the community of people impacted by psoriatic disease for more than 55 years with patient support, advocacy, research, and education, the National Psoriasis Foundation is the leading nonprofit representing individuals with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The mission of NPF is to drive efforts to cure psoriatic disease and improve the lives of those affected by this chronic immune-mediated disease. Learn more at psoriasis.
About the International Psoriasis Council
The International Psoriasis Council is a community of physician experts working to improve the health of people with psoriasis worldwide. IPC harnesses the collective expertise of its 100+ physicians to educate other physicians on a range of topics related to psoriasis management. We believe that psoriasis patients, no matter where they live or how complex their symptoms are, should have access to the best care available and that, ultimately, a world without psoriasis is possible. Our mission is to improve the care of people with psoriasis worldwide through education, research, and advocacy. Learn more at psoriasiscouncil.
Matthew Werbach
National Psoriasis Foundation
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