REPORT

Psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis: classification, clinical features, pathophysiology, immunology, genetics

Psoriasis: epidemiology, clinical features, and quality of life

R G B Langley¹, G G Krueger², C E M Griffiths³

¹ Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
² Department of Dermatology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
³ Dermatology Centre, University of Manchester, Hope Hospital, Manchester, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr R G B Langley
Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, 4195 Dickson Building, 5820 University Avenue, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 1V6; rgblangl{at}dal.ca

Psoriasis is a common chronic, recurrent, immune mediated disease of the skin and joints. It can have a significant negative impact on the physical, emotional, and, psychosocial wellbeing of affected patients. Psoriasis is found worldwide but the prevalence varies among different ethnic groups. It has a strong genetic component but environmental factors such as infections can play an important role in the presentation of disease. There are several clinical cutaneous manifestations of psoriasis but most commonly the disease presents as chronic, symmetrical, erythematous, scaling papules and plaques. The epidemiology, clinical features, and impact on quality of life of psoriasis are reviewed.

Abbreviations: PASI, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index; PsA, psoriatic arthritis; PSI, Salford Psoriasis Index; RA, rheumatoid arthritis

Keywords: clinical; epidemiology; psoriasis; quality of life

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