Clinical and economic burden of psoriasis

In an effort to assess the burden associated with psoriasis, the MEDLINE database and bibliographies of articles published from 1975 through 2004 were searched, emphasizing patients with moderate-to-severe disease, to summarize the current understanding on various aspects of disease burden. The clinical burden of psoriasis is both well documented and significant. The disease is debilitating: Sufficient disease severity interferes with patients' work and day-to-day living. Perhaps even more damaging is the psychosocial toll psoriasis exacts on the afflicted. Numerous studies document the extent of mental and emotional anguish, features not often revealed through objective measures. Successful treatment must focus on improving a patient's quality of life as well as reducing the clinical features of psoriasis. The economic burden is also significant, though far fewer studies of the associated indirect costs have been published in the literature.