Psoriasis: issues far more serious than cosmetic

Psoriasis-the most prevalent autoimmune disease in the United States-is a chronic, relapsing disease with variable clinical features and triggers that are both genetic and environmental. Psoriasis is an independent risk factor for mortality and is linked to numerous comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease, clinical depression, diabetes, cancer, Crohn's disease, hypertension, obesity, metabolic syndrome, liver disease, infections, dyslipidemia, and osteoporosis. While there is no cure, topical medications, phototherapy, traditional systemic agents, and biologics offer a wide array of options for management of symptoms. A combination of agents is frequently needed for moderate-to-severe cases, and positive long-term outcomes require medication adherence. Significant knowledge gaps exist on disease onset and progression along with a lack of comparative-effectiveness research on treatment regimens.