Survey finds more than half of patients with psoriasis to do not achieve clear skin

In a large global survey of patients with psoriasis, 57% of respondents reported not achieving the treatment goal of clear skin, according to research presented at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Congress in Vienna.

There were more than 8,300 people from 31 countries who took part in the survey, which was a partnership between Novartis, which initiated and funded the survey, and patient organizations around the world, according to a press release. The survey results suggest that 28% of respondents had to wait 5 years before receiving treatment resulting in clear or almost clear skin.

“Every patient deserves the opportunity to achieve clear skin, but this research tells us many are not given the chance,” Vasant Narasimhan, global head, Drug Development, and chief medical officer at Novartis, stated in the release.

Most respondents (84%) reported suffering from discrimination and humiliation, and 43% reported that psoriasis had affected relationships and made it difficult to have intimate relationships, according to the release. More than one-third (38%) of the respondents reported being diagnosed with a psychological condition due to psoriasis: 24% reported being diagnosed with anxiety and 25% reported a depression diagnosis.

“The survey findings reinforce the need for greater education and engagements of health care professionals and patients about the achievability of clear or almost clear skin as a treatment goal,” according to the release.

Reference: www.novartis.com;