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Drug supply for children with psoriasis in Germany

Matthias Augustin1, Kristian Reich, Gerd Glaeske

  • 1Institute for Health Services Research in Dermatology and Nursing (IVDP), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. m.augustin@uke.de

Journal Der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft = Journal of the German Society of Dermatology : JDDG
|May 31, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Psoriasis treatment for children in Germany is insufficient, with high systemic corticosteroid use. Guideline-based therapy is needed for better juvenile psoriasis management.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Dermatology
  • Health Services Research
  • Pharmacotherapy

Background:

  • Limited nationwide data exists on pediatric psoriasis treatment in Germany.
  • Psoriasis vulgaris affects approximately 0.45% of children and adolescents.
  • Understanding current therapeutic practices is crucial for improving care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the drug supply and treatment patterns for pediatric psoriasis in Germany.
  • To assess adherence to consensus guidelines in juvenile psoriasis management.
  • To identify disparities in treatment approaches between different medical specialists.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of secondary data from the German statutory health insurance Gmnder Ersatzkasse (GEK) for 2009.
  • Identification of children with psoriasis vulgaris (ICD-10 codes L 40.X).
  • Determination of treatments based on prescription data using ATC codes.

Main Results:

  • 49.6% of 1,313 pediatric psoriasis patients received medication.
  • Topical corticosteroids (70.8%) and systemic corticosteroids (4.0%) were most common.
  • Systemic corticosteroid prescription rates were higher with pediatricians and family physicians compared to dermatologists.
  • Vitamin D analogs were more frequently used by dermatologists than general practitioners or pediatricians.

Conclusions:

  • Current drug supply for pediatric psoriasis in Germany appears inadequate.
  • Consensus guidelines are not consistently followed, leading to excessive systemic corticosteroid use.
  • There is a clear need for guideline-oriented therapy and implementation of evidence-based treatments for juvenile psoriasis.
Abstract

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