The Burden of Moderate to Severe Psoriasis

Abstract

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated skin disorder that affects 1-3% of the general population worldwide. While considered a non-life-threatening disease, psoriasis represents a social and financial burden for patients and the healthcare system. Individuals suffer from disfigurement and from social stigmatization. Because the disease is usually persistent, patients with a diagnosis of psoriasis usually need lifelong care, which also means a lifetime of expenses. We aimed to conduct a comprehensive review of the evidence available concerning the social burden and costs of psoriasis. A search for the keywords 'quality of life' (QOL) or 'burden' or 'stigmatization' or 'psychological factors' in PubMed up to January 2010 yielded a total of 817 studies. QOL was affected by psoriasis to a degree comparable with diabetes or cancer. A search for 'cost-of-illness analyses', in the same period, yielded only seven papers satisfying entry criteria. All the studies but one were performed before biologics became available for psoriasis treatment. Direct costs were higher than indirect costs, with hospitalization representing the most significant item. Treatment costs showed wide variations between different studies. Reasons for these discrepancies are manifold including differences in the selection of the sample, as well as in the methods for calculating costs. There is a need to harmonize methodologies. For a final conclusive judgement of the cost effectiveness of innovative therapies such as biological agents, long-term economic consequences have to be evaluated and long-term remission rates and complications considered.

Treatment Patterns and Annual Drug Costs of Biologic Therapies Across Indications from the Humana Commercial Database

“…their diseases. [6][7][8] Mean response rates to biologic therapies in patients with RA are 60% to 70%, 9 resulting in a substantial number of patients discontinuing therapy and switching to other biologic or nonbiologic therapies. Response rates vary by biologic agent and by indication.…”

Cost of illness in psoriasis patients on Bath PUVA therapy versus Methotrexate

“…Countries have unpredictable social security systems and compensation charges so direct comparison between studies has been considered problematic (Raho et al, 2012;Schöffski et al, 2007;Carrascosa et al, 2006). The medication costs to patients in this study may not be directly generalizable to other countries as it is not based on national policy as India does not have a standard healthcare system that can be compared to the rest of the countries.…”

Disease burden of psoriasis associated with psoriatic arthritis in Hungary

“…Önállóan a psoriasis vagy az AP betegségterhével szá-mos kutatást találhatunk [32,33], azonban ismereteink szerint a nemzetközi szakirodalomban csak egy korábbi, kizárólag középsúlyos és súlyos psoriasis mellett előfor-duló AP költségeit vizsgáló kutatást közöltek [34]. Az AP mellett bármilyen súlyosságú bőrtünetekkel rendelkező betegeket is beválasztva további két olyan közle-ményt találtunk, amelyek direkt vagy összes költségada-tot közölnek az AP-val asszociált betegcsoportra [35,36].…”