The Relationship between demographic and clinical factors, and quality of life in patients with psoriasis

Introduction: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune skin disease which involves nails and joints. As well psoriasis causes considerable psychosocial disability and has a major impact on patients’ quality of life. An estimated 6–39% of all patients with psoriasis have psoriatic arthritis and about 10–55% have psoriatic nail disease. Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between demographic and clinical factors, and quality of life in patients with psoriasis. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in psoriasis patients who were treated at the inpatient and outpatient departments of the Hospital of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Clinics between year 2012 and 2014. The severity of the condition was evaluated by applying the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). The quality of life in patients with psoriasis was evaluated by using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Depression and anxiety states were evaluated by using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD). Results: In total, 385 patients with psoriasis were investigated. The patients’ mean age was 46.9 years (SD 15.8), and mean duration of the disease – 17.0 years (SD 14.1). Marked or highly marked changes in the quality of life (DLQI score 10) were more frequently reported by women (OR 1.8; 95% CI: 1.11–3.04) than men, by patients with PASI score 10 (OR 2.9; 95% CI: 1.78–4.65) than by those with moderate or severe psoriasis (PASI score >10), by patients with nail lesions (OR 1.7; 95% CI: 1.16–2.98), anxiety (OR 1.9; 95% CI: 1.16–3.44) or depression (OR 2.0; 95% CI: 1.03–3.77) than by individuals without these conditions. Conclusion: Over onehalf of psoriasis patients, irrespectively of the severity of psoriasis, experienced marked or highly marked changes in their quality of life. Women experienced such changes more frequently [...].