In the short time you have with a patient, it may often be that you are not told of the full impact psoriasis has on their life.1
Helping each patient to be fully open and frank with you in each consultation may reveal more invisible impacts of disease, aid in setting mutual goals, and help you to optimise care.
In the short time you have with patients, many may not be sharing the full impact psoriasis has on their lives.1
Helping patients engage fully during consultations may reveal visible and invisible impacts of disease, aid in setting mutual goals, and optimise care.
PSORIASIS IMPACTS MATTER is a tool that aims to help patients prepare for consultations, to help patients make the most of the time you have with them.
Share the PSORIASIS IMPACTS MATTER Guide with your patients to help ensure more focused and comprehensive conversations in future consultations.
SKIN INVOLVEMENTPatients with limited skin involvement, even just below 10% BSA, can still experience a significant disease burden that has a high impact on quality of life. PSORIASIS IMPACTS MATTER can help your patients understand and better share the hidden burdens of their psoriasis.
BSA, body surface area.
TOTAL DISEASE BURDENPlaques on visible or sensitive areas, symptoms such as itch and pain, as well as comorbidities, can all be strong determinants of health-related quality of life.3,4
PSYCHOSOCIAL EFFECTSThe psychological impact of psoriasis, even moderate disease, may not be proportional to a patient’s clinically assessed disease severity. Comorbidities like depression occur in a significant proportion of patients with Psoriasis and can take a heavy social and emotional toll on patients, and by extension their families and friends.9 Yet patients may not understand that psychosocial effects can factor into deciding the next step in their treatment.1,3
Plaques on special areas that are particularly visible or sensitive occur in the majority of patients, and along with comorbidities can be strong determinants of quality of life (QoL).3,4,9
Pruritus
Affecting approximately two-thirds of patients, pruritus is one of the most frequently reported factors of disease severity.2 Moreover, 43% of patients identified it as the most bothersome symptom of their disease, and reduction has been correlated with improvements in QoL.2
Scalp Psoriasis
Occurring in more than 60% of patients with psoriasis, manifestations on the scalp can have a significant impact on QoL despite covering a small portion of BSA.2,5 They can cause itching and/or bleeding and are highly visible, resulting in embarrassment and patients avoiding certain colors of clothing.
Nail Psoriasis
A painful manifestation that affects 22% of patients with psoriasis, it can have a significant impact on QoL despite covering a small portion of BSA.2,7 For some patients this is a cosmetic concern, while for others it interferes with dexterity, daily activities and job performance.7
Nail Psoriasis is also particularly prevalent in patients with comorbid psoriatic arthritis and may be an early warning sign of joint involvement.8
Genital Psoriasis
The burden of genital psoriasis has far-reaching consequences that can negatively affect physical activity, sexual function, personal relationships, emotional well-being, and productivity at work and/or school.5 Compounding the issue, many patients remain too embarrassed to discuss the true nature of their condition and its impact on their lives.5
Palmoplantar Psoriasis
Occurring on parts of the body that are used frequently, palmoplantar psoriasis can significantly impair mobility and daily activities.5,6 The reduction in function can also have a long-term impact on QoL, even when compared with patients who have moderate-to-severe psoriasis.6
Comorbidities
Many patients with psoriasis suffer from comorbid conditions, such as psoriatic arthritis, hypertension, diabetes and depression. The risk of these hidden burdens increases as symptoms progress and continuous monitoring is crucial to long-term outcomes.2,4
References: 1. Strober BE, van der Walt JM, Armstrong AW, et al. Clinical goals and barriers to effective psoriasis care. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2019;9:5-18. 2. Lebwohl MG, Bachelez H, Barker J, et al. Patient perspectives in the management of psoriasis: results from the population-based Multinational Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis survey. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014;70:871-881. 3. Łakuta P, Marcinkiewicz K, Bergler-Czop B, Brzezińska-Wcisło L, Słomian A. Associations between site of skin lesions and depression, social anxiety, body-related emotions and feelings of stigmatization in psoriasis patients. Postepy Dermatol Alergol. 2018;35:60-66. 4. Yeung H, Takeshita J, Mehta NN, et al. Psoriasis severity and the prevalence of major medical comorbidity: a population-based study. JAMA Dermatol. 2013;149(10):1173-1179. 5. Dopytalska K, Sobolewski P, Błaszczak A, Szymańska E, Walecka I. Psoriasis in special localizations. Reumatologia. 2018;56(6): 392-398. 6. Chung J, Duffin KC, Takeshita J. Palmoplantar psoriasis is associated with greater impairment of health-related quality of life compared to moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014;71(4):623-632. 7. Pasch M. Nail psoriasis: a review of treatment options. Drugs. 2016;76:675-705. 8. Sobolewski P. Nail involvement in psoriatic arthritis. Reumatologia. 2017;55,3:131–135. 9. Van de Kerfkhof P, Gisonoldi P, McBride S, et al. Patient perceptions of psoriatic disease in five European countries: results from the European subgroup of the understanding psoriatic disease leveraging insights treatment (UPLIFT) survey. IFPA-WPPAC 2021 Abstract.