Aim: Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin disorder affecting approximately 2% of the population worldwide. Because of its visible manifestations and symptoms, psoriasis has profound effects on quality of life (QoL). Our objective is to determine the clinical severity of psoriasis and its impact on QoL in patients treated with phototherapy, traditional systemic therapy and biological therapy.
Methods: Patients with plaque-type psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis were recruited at a PsoCare centre and followed up for 6 months. Psoriasis severity was assessed based on the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score and QoL using the SKINDEX-29 questionnaire.
Results: PASI score improved significantly in all patients after 6 months of therapy. The greatest improvement was observed in patients receiving biological treatments. PASI-75 was obtained by 46.9% of patients on phototherapy and 43.1% on biological therapies. Skindex-29 results did not significantly differ among the three treatment groups.
Conclusion: Effective management of patients with psoriasis depends on the appropriate assessment of both the physical and psychosocial impact of the disease.