Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a systemic, immunological genetic
disease manifesting in the skin and/or joints. It affects approximately 2.1% of US adults, up to 7.5 million
people, of whom about 30% will develop psoriatic arthritis. Between 150,000 and 260,000 new cases of psoriasis are diagnosed each year.
Psoriasis affects all ages, genders, races, and ethnicities, although it
may be more prevalent in women than men. The majority of patients will
present before the age of 35 with their first signs and symptoms of psoriasis.
In patient surveys conducted by the National Psoriasis Foundation, it has been shown that psoriasis can have a significant impact on a patient’s daily quality of life. The negative effect on the physical, psychosocial, and social dimensions of life can be greater than those resulting from other life threatening illnesses. While psoriasis has traditionally been considered a disease of the skin and/or joints, multiple reports confirm that the systemic inflammation produced in psoriasis is a risk factor for development of other systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, liver disease, obesity, and lymphoma.
Many therapeutic options are available for treating psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis; however, there is no universally effective therapy. All treatment must be individually tailored to each patient’s needs and the type of disease being addressed.