Patient characteristics and burden of disease in Japanese patients with generalized pustular psoriasis: Results from the Medical Data Vision claims database

Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a rare and severe systemic, neutrophilic skin disease. To date, accurate clinical profiling of patients with GPP remains poorly understood. In this study, we present the characteristics and estimate the burden of disease in patients with GPP compared with those with plaque psoriasis, in Japan. This retrospective study was conducted using the Medical Data Vision database between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2019. Patients with at least one confirmed inpatient or outpatient diagnostic code for GPP (L40.1) or psoriasis vulgaris (L40.0) were included for analysis. The main outcome measures included comparisons of the prevalence of comorbidities, medication use, and healthcare resource utilization between patients with GPP, patients with plaque psoriasis, and a general population-matched cohort. In total, 718 patients with GPP and 27,773 patients with plaque psoriasis were identified. Patients with GPP were more likely to be female than those with plaque psoriasis (51.6% vs. 38.7%). During the 12-month follow-up period, patients with GPP were more likely to experience comorbidities than those with plaque psoriasis, including psoriatic arthritis, other forms of psoriasis, osteoporosis, interstitial pneumonia, and peptic ulcer disease. Medication use also differed between those with GPP and those with plaque psoriasis: patients with GPP were more likely to be prescribed antibiotics and psychiatric medication. Patients with GPP were also more likely to require more healthcare resource utilization with longer hospitalizations than those with plaque psoriasis. Overall, in Japan, patients with GPP have a higher burden of illness than those with plaque psoriasis.