By Allison Sit
A national survey of more than 500 adults with plaque psoriasis who are on topical treatments revealed insights into the emotional impact of the disease and challenges with currently available topical treatments. Of the survey respondents, 64% reported having psoriasis in intertriginous areas at some point in time, which is significantly higher than reported in past epidemiological studies. Nearly two-thirds of respondents with intertriginous disease reported avoiding showing these areas of the body to their healthcare providers, with embarrassment as the most common reported reason. Yet roughly three in four with psoriasis in intertriginous areas said it affected their wellbeing and nearly half of those with psoriasis in intertriginous areas reported a strong or very strong negative impact on sexual distress/anxiety.
“Psoriasis in intertriginous areas can be especially challenging for both those living with this condition as well as for their healthcare providers,” stated Teri Greiling, MD, PhD, associate professor and vice-chair of dermatology, Oregon Health & Science University, in a news release. “These survey results underscore the need for a more open dialogue between patients and their healthcare providers when it comes to the management of psoriasis in intertriginous areas.”
The survey was conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc.
An evaluation of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) published in Dermatology and Therapy found skin examination is the most common reason patients visit a dermatologist. Investigators identified 64,000 records in the NAMCS estimating 1.55 billion visits to a dermatologist in the U.S. during the study period, which ran from 2007 to 2018, the most recent years available. Additional top reasons for seeing a dermatologist include skin lesion and discoloration/abnormal pigmentation. The ten most common reasons for visit accounted for 53% of all visits to a dermatologist. For patients age 18 and younger, the most common reasons for visits were acne, warts and skin rash.
“Understanding why patients present to dermatologists could be helpful in identifying patients’ unmet needs and developing outreach programs to improve patients’ access to care,” authors wrote.
A country music artist with scleroderma is now the official celebrity ambassador of the National Scleroderma Foundation. Ashley Barron, who is new on the country music scene, was diagnosed with scleroderma at age 5. Her mother died of scleroderma in October 2020, just four months after she was diagnosed with systemic sclerosis.
“I never thought when I was diagnosed at 5 years old that I’d one day get the opportunity to bring support and community to others that I did not have,” Barron said in a news release.
“Ashley is uniquely positioned to help others affected by scleroderma find their best path forward,” said National Scleroderma Foundation CEO Mary J. Wheatley.
