Impact of comorbidities on the management of psoriasis

Psoriasis is associated with numerous comorbidities that have a major impact on severely affected patients. Besides psoriatic arthritis, other diseases such as metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases are becoming of major importance. In particular, patients with severe forms of psoriasis are at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and myocardial infarction. In a recent study, a reduction in life expectancy was shown for this subgroup of patients. An increased prevalence of concomitant diseases leads to an increased intake of concomitant medication; thus, it is easy for comorbidities and their treatments to interact with routinely used antipsoriatic therapies and complicate the management of severely affected patients. This patient subgroup has a strong need of sufficient treatment not only for their severe skin symptoms, but also for preventing the possible development of comorbidities and their long-term complications. As dermatologists are often one of the first and most often consulted health care specialists for patients with psoriasis, advanced knowledge of the comorbid state of these patients should influence clinical management and lead to new standards of care. This article will summarize the current knowledge on comorbidities in psoriasis and their impact on patient management.