Prevalence and Clinical Characteristics of Pruritus in Patients With Psoriasis

According to a study published in Annals of Medicine & Surgery, patients with psoriasis should be screened and treated for pruritus to improve both psoriasis treatment outcomes and patient quality of life.

Researchers aimed to investigate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of pruritus in patients with psoriasis, as well as the factors associated with high levels of itchiness. Using a cross-sectional study design, researchers collected pruritus data from the medical records of 314 patients with psoriasis who visited an outpatient clinic in Thailand between 2020 and 2021. The findings revealed that pruritus was highly prevalent, affecting 81.2% of the patients. Those experiencing itchiness had higher Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and Dermatology Life Quality Index scores, indicating greater disease severity and reduced quality of life compared with patients without pruritus.

The study also identified the most common areas where pruritus occurred, namely the legs, back, arms, and scalp. Additionally, it was found that topical emollients, topical corticosteroids, and oral antihistamines provided relief for 66.3%, 63.1%, and 52.9% of patients, respectively. Certain factors were identified as predictors of high pruritus intensity, including female sex, psoriasis body surface area equal to or greater than 10%, and the presence of genital psoriasis.

“Further studies are needed to clarify the most effective medications for pruritus in patients with severe psoriasis,” the authors concluded.

Reference
Junsuwan N, Likittanasombat S, Chularojanamontri L, Chaiyabutr C, Wongpraparut C, Silpa-Archa N. Prevalence and clinical characteristics of pruritus, and the factors significantly associated with high pruritic intensity in patients with psoriasis: a cross-sectional study. Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2023;85(7):3396-3402. doi:10.1097/MS9.0000000000000948