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Biologics are more potent than other treatment modalities for improvement of quality of life in psoriasis patients
Author(s) -
Takahashi Hidetoshi,
Iinuma Shin,
Tsuji Hitomi,
Honma Masaru,
Iizuka Hajime
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1346-8138
pISSN - 0385-2407
DOI - 10.1111/1346-8138.12544
Subject(s) - psoriasis , dermatology life quality index , medicine , psoriasis area and severity index , anxiety , dysphoria , quality of life (healthcare) , general health questionnaire , mental health , sleep disorder , psychiatry , dermatology , insomnia , nursing
Although mental health is hampered in various skin disorders, few studies regarding anxiety in psoriasis patients are available, and specifically, no evaluation exists between mental health and psoriasis severity or the patients' quality of life. To examine the relation between mental health, psoriasis severity and patient's quality of life, 119 psoriasis vulgaris patients were assessed for anxiety using the G eneral H ealth Q uestionnaire ( GHQ )‐30. Psoriasis area and severity index ( PASI ) and D ermatological L ife Q uality I ndex ( DLQI ) scores were also measured. The average total GHQ ‐30 score was significantly decreased from 4.41 to 2.11 (52.2% decrease) in biologics‐treated patients. That of patients treated with other systemic agents decreased from 4.36 to 3.32 (23.9% decrease) and that of those treated with topical agents from 4.21 to 3.48 (17.3% decrease). In the biologics‐treated group five of the six categories of GHQ ‐30, i.e. general illness, somatic symptoms, sleep disturbance, social dysfunction, and anxiety and dysphoria, were significantly decreased after the treatment. In contrast, in the other systemic treatment and topical treatment groups, three of the six categories, general illness, somatic symptoms, and sleep disturbance were significantly decreased. There was a significant correlation between GHQ ‐30 and DLQI , but not with PASI . The psoriasis patients show impaired mental health and among various treatment modalities biologics are superior to other systemic or topical treatments for improving the defective mental state.