What is Psoriasis?

What is Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder marked by raised areas of thickened skin and lesions made up of dead skin cells. ...more »

• Psoriasis: Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin condition where the defective immune system causes skin cells to grow rapidly. It affects a significant number of people. Arthritis, which can be severe, is associated with the psoriasis in up to a third of cases. Not all patients who are susceptible to the condition will develop it - roughly 10% of those susceptible will actually develop the condition. There are various environmental factors which can trigger the onset of the disease e.g. strep throat (common trigger), some medication, stress and cold weather. Once the disease develops, it may resolve on its own or with treatment or may become a persistent chronic condition. The severity and duration of symptoms is variable.
• Psoriasis: A common genetically determined, chronic, inflammatory skin disease characterized by rounded erythematous, dry, scaling patches. Psoriatic lesions have a predilection for nails, scalp, genitalia, extensor surfaces, and the lumbosacral region; the pathology involves an accelerated epidermopoiesis. Psoriasis is associated with increased risk for melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma. --2004
  Source - Diseases Database
• Psoriasis: a chronic skin disease characterized by dry red patches covered with scales; occurs especially on the scalp and ears and genitalia and the skin over bony prominences.
  Source - WordNet 2.1

Psoriasis: Introduction

Types of Psoriasis:

Types of Psoriasis:

• Plaque psoriasis (psoriasis vulgaris) - most common type
• Guttate psoriasis
• Pustular psoriasis
• Inverse psoriasis
• Erythrodermic psoriasis
• more types...»

Broader types of Psoriasis:

• Autoimmune diseases
• Skin conditions
• Rheumatic conditions
• Autoimmune conditions
• Immune system conditions
• more types...»

How many people get Psoriasis?

Prevalance of Psoriasis: 5.5 million people in the USA (NIAMS)
Prevalance Rate of Psoriasis: approx 1 in 49 or 2.02% or 5.5 million people in USA [about data]
Prevalance of Psoriasis: Psoriasis affects between 1 and 2 percent of the United States population, or about 5.5 million people. (Source: excerpt from Questions and Answers About Psoriasis: NIAMS) ... Psoriasis is common and may affect more than 2 out of 100 Americans. (Source: excerpt from Understanding Autoimmune Disease: NIAID) ... Psoriasis affects 1.5 to 2 percent of the United States population, or almost 5 million people. (Source: excerpt from Psoriasis: NWHIC)

Who gets Psoriasis?

Patient Profile for Psoriasis: Typically adults but any age possible.

Profile for Psoriasis: Although the disease occurs in all age groups and about equally in men and women, it primarily affects adults. (Source: excerpt from Questions and Answers About Psoriasis: NIAMS) ... It occurs in all age groups and about equally in men and women. (Source: excerpt from Psoriasis: NWHIC)

Gender Profile for Psoriasis: Males and females equally.

How serious is Psoriasis?

Prognosis of Psoriasis: The prognosis is very variable with some patients responding well to simple treatments whereas other cases are quite resistant with symptoms persisting throughout life. Many cases tend to occur in cycles with periods of remission and resurgence. Sometimes patients respond to a particular treatment for a period of time and then become resistant to that form of treatment. Arthritis may further complicate the condition and will require stronger treatment options. Factors that indicate a poorer prognosis includes: strong family history of psoriasis, being female, arthritis in multiple joints and onset under the age of 20.
Complications of Psoriasis: see complications of Psoriasis

What causes Psoriasis?

Causes of Psoriasis: see causes of Psoriasis
Causes of Psoriasis: Recent research indicates that psoriasis is likely a disorder of the immune system. This system includes a type of white blood cell, called a T cell, that normally helps protect the body against infection and disease. Scientists now think that, in psoriasis, an abnormal immune system causes activity by T cells in the skin. These T cells trigger the inflammation and excessive skin cell reproduction seen in people with psoriasis. (Source: excerpt from Questions and Answers About Psoriasis: NIAMS)
Risk factors for Psoriasis: see risk factors for Psoriasis

What are the symptoms of Psoriasis?

Symptoms of Psoriasis: see symptoms of Psoriasis

Complications of Psoriasis: see complications of Psoriasis

Onset of Psoriasis: Any age but peak incidence is during adolescence and early adulthood or towards the end of the 6th decade of life.

Can anyone else get Psoriasis?

Contagion of autoimmunity: generally not; see details in contagion of autoimmune diseases.
Inheritance: see inheritance of Psoriasis

Psoriasis: Testing

Diagnostic testing: see tests for Psoriasis.

Misdiagnosis: see misdiagnosis and Psoriasis.

How is it treated?

Doctors and Medical Specialists for Psoriasis: General practitioner, Primary care physician, Dermatologist, Rheumatologist, Orthopaedic surgeon, Immunologist, Cardiologist, Genetic disease specialist, Psychologist ; see also doctors and medical specialists for Psoriasis.
Treatments for Psoriasis: see treatments for Psoriasis
Alternative treatments for Psoriasis: see alternative treatments for Psoriasis
Research for Psoriasis: see research for Psoriasis

Society issues for Psoriasis

Hospitalization statistics for Psoriasis: The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Psoriasis:

• 0.09% (12,060) of hospital episodes were for papulosquamous disorders including psoriasis in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 97% of hospital consultations for papulosquamous disorders including psoriasis required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 51% of hospital episodes for papulosquamous disorders including psoriasis were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 49% of hospital episodes for papulosquamous disorders including psoriasis were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 12% of hospital admissions for papulosquamous disorders including psoriasis required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 13.4 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for papulosquamous disorders including psoriasis in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 11 days was the median length of stay in hospitals for papulosquamous disorders including psoriasis in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• more statistics...»

Organs Affected by Psoriasis:

Organs and body systems related to Psoriasis include:

• Skin
• Eyes
• Joints
• Nails

Name and Aliases of Psoriasis

Main name of condition: Psoriasis

Class of Condition for Psoriasis: autoimmune

Psoriasis: Related Conditions

Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Psoriasis:

• Autoimmunity
• Koenber phenomenon
• Red scaly patches
• Inverse psoriasis
• Psoriaric arthritis
• Nail psoriasis
• Plaque psoriasis
• Flexutral psoriasis
• Erythrodermic psoriasis
• Psoriasis vulgaris

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