A pharmaco-epidemiological study of psoriasis

Abstract

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic relapsing disease necessitates long-term therapy. The disease severity, comorbidities, and access to health care determine the choice of therapy for psoriasis. The main aim of the treatment of psoriasis is to induce prolonged remission and suppress the disease as there is no cure. It is only palliative and symptomatic treatment, and the choice of treatment modality is according to the type of presentation. The various modalities of treatment available include topical therapies, systemic therapies, phototherapy, and biologics. The difference includes among clinical varieties in their presenting features, severity, natural course, and response to the treatment are responsible for variation in choice of therapy.

Methods: In this descriptive study, data collected from patients diagnosed with psoriasis who were admitted in a K.S. Hegde Charitable hospital from January 2017 to January 2019 were analysed for demographic features, disease pattern and drug use pattern in patients.

Results: Psoriasis vulgaris/plaque type of psoriasis was commonly observed type of psoriasis in our patients with fourth and fifth decade patients getting more affected. Diabetes was the most commonly associated comorbid disorder. The patients were treated both with systemic and topical modalities of treatment, antihistaminic and methotrexate were most commonly most commonly used systemic drug and moisturizers and glucocorticoids were used topical drugs.

Conclusions: Psoriasis needs a multimodality treatment with careful monitoring for the comorbid disorder. Treatment choice is individualised depending on the severity and body parts affected.