Patients with psoriasis are undertreated

A new American survey shows, that almost half of the patients with moderate to severe psoriasis were either not treated or not treated according to recommendations.

 

The survey of 1142 patients with chronic moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis was conducted between 2003 and 2005. It was found that approximately 40% of the patients didn't get any treatment, while 57% of the patients with severe plaque psoriasis and 73 % of those with moderate disease only received topical medication.

 

Local treatment is standard recommendation if the disease affects less than 10 % of the body. If the disease affects more than 10 % of the body then phototherapy or systemic therapy should be added.

 

These results were presented on the 65th annual meeting for The American Academy of Dermatology.

 

Read more about the treatment of psoriasis here.

 

Reference: Reuters Health Information, accessed 23rd of February 2007 at www.medscape.com