COVID-19 Lockdowns Associated With Worsening Psoriasis Symptoms and Impaired Quality of Life

According to a study published in Frontiers in Medicine, patients with psoriasis experienced worsened clinical symptoms and disease-related quality of life (QoL) during the COVID-19 lockdowns in Lithuania.

Researchers aimed to evaluate the factors associated with worsened clinical symptoms of psoriasis and disease-related QoL during the COVID-19 lockdown in a cross-sectional study. The study was conducted between January and April 2021, during the second COVID-19 lockdown in Lithuania. A total of 297 patients diagnosed with psoriasis responded to an anonymous online survey that included sociodemographic and life-style factors, psoriasis-related clinical symptoms, the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and the Patients’ Health Questionnaire (PHQ).

Worsened psoriasis clinical symptoms during the COVID-19 lockdown were reported in 52.5% of the respondents. Significant depressive symptoms were reported in 43.1% of respondents; 23.6% indicated impaired disease-related QoL. The need for changes in psoriasis treatment (odds ratio [OR] = 2.73, 95% CI 1.37-5.44, P = .004) and decreased income (OR = 2.33, 95% CI 1.30-4.17, P = .004) were the strongest predictors of worsening psoriasis symptoms. Male sex was the strongest predictor of impaired QoL, with an OR of 3.35 (95% CI 1.70-6.59, P < .001)

“More than half of psoriasis patients reported subjectively worsened psoriasis symptoms during the COVID-19 lockdown period, and one quarter were evaluated as having impaired psoriasis-related QoL,” concluded the study authors.

Reference
Burkauskas J, Slabadiene M, Podlipskyte A, Steibliene V. Factors associated with worsened clinical symptoms of psoriasis and disease-related quality of life during the COVID-19 lockdown: a cross-sectional study. Front Med (Lausanne). 2023;9:1027853. doi:10.3389/fmed.2022.1027853