A systemic disease with a variety of comorbidities, psoriasis is a common condition with several clinical subtypes.
In this white paper, we discuss the pathogenetic and clinical aspects of psoriasis, as well as the nuances of designing and conducting psoriasis clinical trials.
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder and the most prevalent autoimmune disease in the U.S., affecting as many as 7.5 million people. A recent study on the economic burden of psoriasis found that the estimated annual direct and indirect costs of psoriasis can be as high as $25,796 per person, or approximately $135 billion per year.
Psoriasis is characterized by exaggerated and disordered epidermal cell proliferation and keratinization. Despite advances in our understanding of the disease, the chain of events that culminates in this aberrant keratinization has not yet been elucidated. In this white paper, we explore the pathogenetic and clinical aspects of psoriasis and discuss nuances of designing psoriasis clinical trials for topical treatments.
Epidemiology of psoriasis
About two percent of the American population is afflicted with psoriasis. Psoriasis is primarily seen in adults, but approximately 10-15 percent of psoriasis presents in childhood. Approximately 80 percent of those affected with psoriasis have mild to moderate disease, while 20 percent have moderate to severe psoriasis that affects more than five percent of their body surface area.
Up to 40 percent of people with psoriasis – generally the more severely affected – have a concomitant destructive arthritis, called psoriatic arthritis. For these patients, skin and joint symptoms tend to flare and remit synchronously.