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Psoriasis is a noncontagious obstinate skin disorder that most commonly appears as inflamed, edematous skin lesions covered with a silvery white scale, because of skin cells start reproducing much faster than normal, and pile up on the surface. The extent of skin involvement can range from discrete, localized areas to generalized body involvement. The joints, nails, and mucous membranes may also be affected with the disease. Some cases of psoriasis are so mild that people don’t know they have it. Severe psoriasis may cover large areas of the body. The skin at the joints may crack. Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that got its name from the Greek word meaning, "itch." The most common type of psoriasis is plaque psoriasis.
Psoriasis is not contagious and cannot be passed from one person to another, but it is most likely to occur in members of the same family.
Flares may be related to systemic or environmental factors.
Discoid/plaque psoriasis is the most common type and is characterized by patches on the scalp, trunk, and limbs. The nails may be pitted and/or thickened.
The skin is the primary organ affected, but joints also are affected in 10% of cases.
The numbers tell the story about psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
Frequency:
- In the US: There are 6.4 million cases in the US. Between 150,000 and 260,000 new cases of psoriasis occur annually.
- Internationally: Incidence of psoriasis is dependent on the climate and genetic heritage of the population. It is less common in the tropics and in dark-skinned persons. Psoriasis affects an estimated 1 percent to 3 percent of the world's population
Economy:
- Psoriasis patients make nearly 2.4 million visits to dermatologists each year. Overall costs of treating psoriasis may exceed $3 billion annually
- 150,000 to 260,000 cases of psoriasis are diagnosed each year.
Facts
- Psoriasis may disqualify a person from serving in the U.S. military
Psoriatic arthritis
- About 1 million people in the U.S. population have psoriatic arthritis; that equals about 0.5 percent of the country
- Between 10 percent and 30 percent of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis
- Psoriatic arthritis usually develops between the ages of 30 and 50, but it can develop at any time
- Generally psoriasis appears before the psoriatic arthritis, but it can develop without the characteristic skin lesions
Severity of psoriasis
- Three percent to 10 percent of the body affected by psoriasis is considered to be a moderate case. More than 10 percent is considered severe. The palm of the hand equals 1 percent of the skin. However, the severity of psoriasis is also measured by how psoriasis affects a person's quality of life. Psoriasis can have a serious impact even if it involves a small area, such as the palms of the hands or soles of the feet.
- About 30 percent of people with psoriasis have cases that are considered moderate to severe (generally meaning it covers more than 3 percent of their body)
- Severe types of psoriasis can compromise the skin's ability to control body temperature and prevent infections.
Mortality/Morbidity:
- Four hundred people die annually from psoriasis-related causes in the US.
- Approximately 1.5 million people with psoriatic arthritis seek medical care each year in the US.
Quality of life impact
- 75 percent of people with moderate to severe psoriasis report that their disease has a moderate to large impact on their everyday lives:
- 26 percent alter their normal daily activities
- 21 percent stop their normal daily activities
- 40 percent say their psoriasis affects their clothing choices (avoiding dark colors, covering up arms and legs)
- 36 percent say it affects how they sleep
- 36 percent report bathing more than normal
(Based on results of National Psoriasis Foundation 2001 Benchmark Survey on Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis)
Race: Psoriasis is more common in whites.
Sex: Psoriasis is slightly more common in women.
Age: Approximately 10-15% of new cases begin in children younger than 10 years. The median age at onset is 28 years.
Heredity is likely to have some role in this condition. If you have one parent with psoriasis, you have a 25% chance of having it too. If both your parents have it, your chances are 50%; you are also more likely to develop psoriasis earlier, and with more severe symptoms.
But some people with no family history have severe psoriasis, too. For this reason, it is believed that a combination of factors may cause the disease.
History:
- Worsening of a long-term erythematous scaly area
- Sudden onset of many small areas of scaly redness
- Recent streptococcal throat infection, viral infection, immunization, use of antimalarial drug, or trauma
- Family history of similar rash
- Long-term rash with recent presentation of joint pain
Location:
Psoriasis most often occurs on the elbows, knees, scalp, lower back, palms, and soles of the feet. However, no area of the skin is exempt, including the genital area. The disease may also affect the fingernails and toenails, and the soft tissues inside the mouth. About 15 percent of people with psoriasis have joint inflammation that produces arthritis symptoms. This condition is called psoriatic arthritis.
Psoriasis is categorized as mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the percentage of body surface involved and the impact on the patient's quality of life.
Course of diseases:
The course of psoriasis is characterized by remissions and relapse. At some instances the patches disappear, just to appear after some period of time.
There are various factors ranging from climate, stress, infections and injuries that can trigger flare up of disease within short span of time even within few days. On the other hand there are certain other factors such as sunlight that significantly reduces the intensity of problem.
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