Authors:
Brandi Kenner-Bell, MD
Diana Leu, MD
Northwestern University, Chicago, IL

This annual meeting provides education to dermatology residents about the burden, pathomechanism, and therapy of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The discussions supplement the teaching in training programs to ensure that residents have state-of-the-art knowledge about psoriasis before practicing on their own.

The Burden of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis

Living with psoriasis has been noted to be as disabling as congestive heart failure, diabetes, and chronic lung disease¹. According to a recent National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) biannual survey report of >5000 patients, 70% of whom had moderate to severe psoriasis, 48% reported difficulty sleeping in the past month, 29% reported interference with sexual activities, and approximately 33% reported problems with using their hands, and with walking, sitting, and standing. Many patients with psoriasis reported no treatment or undertreatment of their psoriasis: 39% of patients with severe psoriasis were receiving no treatment, while 57% reported treatment with only topical medications. Patients gave the following top three reasons for lack of treatment: 1) they had “given up” on treatment; 2) costs were too high; and 3) treatment was “too much hassle.” Rick Seiden, an NPF board member, described his personal struggle, including his efforts to hide his psoriasis under clothing and to avoid shaking hands. The NPF showed a video in which makeup artists turned dermatologist volunteers into psoriasis patients, including highly visible lesions. The responses of the public in restaurants, a nail salon, and a workout gym emphasized the ostracism faced by patients with psoriasis.