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Psoriasis is a skin disorder that frequently begins in the pediatric and young adult population but imposes physical and psychosocial burdens over a lifetime. The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the effect of age at diagnosis on the lifetime outcomes of psoriasis patients. Individuals with psoriasis (N = 114) completed a questionnaire regarding disabilities, relationships, education, finances, and medical outcomes. Responses were compared among quartiles of age at diagnosis and regression analyses were performed. Those diagnosed at a younger age were more likely to have a greater lifetime Dermatology Life Quality Index (LT DLQI) (p < 0.001), have felt depressed (p = 0.003), believe that psoriasis had caused their depression (p < 0.001), experience lifetime sleep problems (p = 0.004), use recreational drugs (p < 0.001), hide their psoriasis over their lifetime (p < 0.001), and experience more severe lifetime discrimination in social settings (p = 0.002). Early onset psoriasis is associated with depression, social discrimination, and greater LT DLQI., (© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder that detracts from quality of life, including elements of physical, psychological and social functioning., Objective: This study investigated whether retrospective questions about chronic quality of life (CQoL) were better predictors of poor socioeconomic and medical outcomes than the current Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI)., Methods: One hundred fourteen participants answered the 10 questions used in the standard DLQI for 'over the last week', 'over the last year' and 'over your lifetime with psoriasis'. Subjects were examined and completed a self-administered questionnaire regarding disabilities, relationships, education and medical and economic outcomes (a smaller subset of 58 subjects also answered questions regarding religion and discrimination)., Results: Greater lifetime DLQI (LT DLQI) correlated with lower satisfaction with treatment (P = 0.007), greater concern that psoriasis will worsen (P = 0.012), worse perceived general health (P = 0.003), younger age at which weight became problematic (P = 0.002), greater likelihood of believing psoriasis had caused weight gain (P < 0.001), shorter retention of current job (P = 0.001), more experiences of discrimination at work (P = 0.002) and in social settings (P < 0.001) over one's lifetime and more severe discrimination in social settings over one's lifetime (P = 0.002). Greater LT DLQI predicted more packs smoked per day (P = 0.005), greater likelihood of believing psoriasis caused smoking (P = 0.012), greater likelihood of recreational drug use (P = 0.004), greater likelihood of a depression diagnosis (P < 0.001), greater likelihood of having felt depressed (P = 0.011) and greater likelihood of believing psoriasis caused depression (P < 0.001)., Conclusion: Compared to the standard LW DLQI, LT DLQI was a better predictor of patient outcomes related to weight, discrimination and depression., (© 2014 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.)

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin disorder that is associated with obesity. Independently, both psoriasis and obesity likely impose impressive physical and psychosocial burdens on affected patients., Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative impact of body mass index (BMI) on the socioeconomic status, medical co-morbidities, and current and chronic quality of life of psoriasis patients., Methods: Overall, 114 subjects were examined and asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire regarding disabilities, relationships, education, as well as medical and economic outcomes. Participants also answered the ten questions used in the Dermatology Life Quality Index modified to ask 'over the last week', 'over the last year' and 'over your lifetime with psoriasis'. Survey responses were compared amongst the three patient groups based on BMI (normal, overweight, obese)., Results: Patients with elevated BMI were more likely to rate their general health lower (P < 0.001), believe that psoriasis caused their weight gain (P = 0.014), experience sleep problems over their lifetime (P = 0.016), hide their psoriasis over their lifetime (P = 0.010), have their self-confidence affected by their psoriasis over their lifetime (P = 0.011) and avoid common activities over their lifetime (P = 0.012)., Conclusion: There are long-term negative effects of elevated BMI that impose additional burdens on psoriasis patients, including impairments in sleep quality and increased social anxiety., (© 2013 The Authors Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology © 2013 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.)