Economic impact of psoriasis treatment on the patient and on the National Health Service

Personal expenditure arising from psoriasis by patients with mild/moderate chronic plaque psoriasis was assessed before and at the end of randomized treatment in 122 patients treated with calcipotriol for a mean of 12 weeks and in 110 patients treated with dithranol for a mean of 11 weeks. Mean monthly expenditure before calcipotriol treatment was ±15.23 (median ±11.00) and was ±13.54 (median ±6.00) during calcipotriol treatment. Mean monthly expenditure before dithranol treatment was ±15.97 (median ±6.00) and was ±16.89 (median ±11.00) during dithranol treatment. When compared with calcipotriol treatment, dithranol treatment tended to result in increased monthly expenditure (P=0.08), primarily on purchasing new clothing (P=0.03) and new bed-linen/towels (P=0.06). Healthcare resource use by the National Health Service (NHS), in respect of general practitioner (GP) and hospital consultation and treatment, was also assessed for two separate 6-month periods, before (period I) and after (period II) randomized treatment, for 147 calcipotriol-treated and 131 dithranol-treated patients. Patients selected their choice of treatment during period II. Mean healthcare resource use by the NHS in period I was ±49.65 (median ±25.79) and was ±55.61 (median ±21.39) in period II. Costs were primarily for GP consultations and treatment. The cost of treating psoriasis was greater to the patient than to the NHS.