Are patients with psoriasis undertreated? Results of National Psoriasis Foundation survey.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to assess whether patients with psoriasis with moderate or severe disease are being treated with systemic therapy.


METHODS
Participants were identified from a random sample of the National Psoriasis Foundation contact database who were 18 years and older, with severe psoriasis (>10% body surface area) and moderate psoriasis (3%-10% body surface area); respondents with psoriatic arthritis were excluded.


RESULTS
In all, 1657 respondents with psoriasis completed the survey (28% severe, 41% moderate). A total of 39% of respondents with severe psoriasis and 37% with moderate psoriasis were not currently receiving any treatment. Among respondents currently receiving therapy, only 43% of respondents with severe psoriasis received either traditional systemic therapy, biologic therapy, or phototherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Respondents were from the National Psoriasis Foundation contact database and reported their current severity, which may be affected by their treatment. Body surface area as a measure of patient-reported severity has not been validated but has been used in several published studies.


CONCLUSIONS
Almost 40% of respondents with psoriasis were currently not receiving treatment. For respondents with severe psoriasis, 26% were treated with systemic therapy, phototherapy, or both; 39% were not in treatment; and 35% were treated with topical therapy alone.
Horn
Elizabeth J
EJ
National Psoriasis Foundation, Portland, Oregon 97223-7195, USA.
Fox
Kathleen M
KM
Patel
Vaishali
V
Chiou
Chiun-Fang
CF
Dann
Frank
F
Lebwohl
Mark
M
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D001691:Biological Therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010789:Phototherapy; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000628:therapy*
D003879:Dermatologic Agents