Measurement of the Psychological Impact of Psoriasis on Patients Receiving Systemic Treatment

Abstract Background and objectives The negative impact of psoriasis on patient quality of life can be as important as the physical consequences of the disease. We could assume that clearance of the disease would also lead to an improvement in its psychosocial impact. The present study assesses the psychological state of patients with psoriasis receiving systemic treatment in a psoriasis unit, especially those with mild or no disease involvement. Methods We performed a cross-sectional, observational, noninterventional epidemiological study of 2 cohorts (cases and controls). The patients self-completed demographic data and 4 questionnaires (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Skindex-29, HADS, and COPE-28 questionnaire) at a single visit. Results We recruited 111 patients diagnosed with psoriasis and 109 control patients. In self-esteem, the mean and standard deviation (SD) score was 33.5 (4.8) for the psoriasis group and 33.3 (6.7) for the control group, with no significant differences. In the Skindex-29, the mean score for the psoriasis group was almost 3 times higher than that of the control group (30 vs 11). Significant differences were found in the HADS scores of both groups (12.7 vs 9.0, P P P Conclusions Our findings indicate that it is necessary to assess the psychological state of patients with psoriasis, because psychological effects persist even in cases where the disease is almost totally controlled.