Current Knowledge on Psoriasis During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with a defective epidermal barrier, in which the immune system is already activated in lesional sites of the skin, and it is thus possible that affected individuals can have different immunologic rates of viral response. This is especially important in the era of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that is affecting the entire world. Patients with psoriasis are often receiving systemic therapy which includes immunosuppressive and biologic therapy, so this new infectious disease has raised concerns among dermatologists regarding psoriasis treatment. Some of the risk factors of psoriasis are obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension - all of which are diseases linked with negative outcomes and higher severity of COVID-19. Psoriasis is mediated by inflammatory cells and proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-17, IL-23, IFN-γ, and TNF-α, and patients with skin diseases have been shown to be more susceptible to COVID-19 infection, but with a less severe disease course. As an anti-inflammatory agent, vitamin D could play a significant role in the future as a possible treatment for reducing the risk and severity of psoriasis and COVID-19. It has been suggested that patients treated with biologic therapy should continue treatment, as it has not been shown to cause severe complications of the COVID-19 disease. Preventive measures, including vaccination, should be taken to minimize the risk of infection and severity of the clinical outcome.