Psoriatic arthritis worsens quality of life in patients with psoriasis

(HealthDay)—People with psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis (PsA) have a decreased ability to participate in social roles and activities and more depressive symptoms than those with psoriasis alone, according to a research letter published online July 21 in the British Journal of Dermatology.

George C. Gondo, from the National Psoriasis Foundation in Portland, Oregon, and colleagues surveyed 1,570 individuals with psoriatic disease to examine the impact of PsA. A total of 758 individuals with psoriasis and PsA were compared to 736 individuals with psoriasis alone.

The researchers found that 29.3 percent of the respondents reported some limitation in their ability to participate in social roles and activities, 23.4 percent experienced depression in the previous two weeks, and 40.6 percent reported a moderate to very large effect of their skin disease on quality of life (QoL), after adjustment for age and skin disease severity. Individuals with psoriasis/PsA had worse outcomes compared with those with psoriasis alone, when controlling for skin disease severity, age, and number of comorbidities other than depression. A decreased ability to participate in social roles and activities and more depression symptoms were reported by those with psoriasis/PsA. There were no significant differences noted in dermatologic-specific QoL for those with psoriasis/PsA versus psoriasis alone. Worse dermatologic-specific QoL was seen in association with higher skin disease severity.

"These results add to evidence demonstrating the impact of PsA compared with psoriasis alone on mental health, functional ability, and QoL, underscoring the need to screen people with psoriasis for PsA and depression," the authors write.

Two authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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