Why do we need to define freedom from disease in psoriasis?
‘Freedom from disease’ in psoriasis is the idea of what it means for a person living with psoriasis to feel like themselves again.[3] One might imagine that this could be achieved through simply treating the symptoms, but there are other important factors; defining what freedom from disease in psoriasis means helps us identify these.
Why do we need to ensure patients are involved in every step of defining what freedom from disease in psoriasis is? Like many other conditions, people living with psoriasis and the doctors and nurses involved in their care can have different ideas about what successful treatment looks like. A doctor might look and see a reduction in dry and flaky skin, but a patient may still feel a persistent itch. The patient voice is therefore key to any definition about freedom from psoriasis.
What does freedom from disease look like in psoriasis?
In a recent study, a large group of patients, doctors and nurses helped build a consensus about what freedom from disease looks like in psoriasis.[3] They identified five core domains that need to be addressed for freedom from disease to be achieved:
- Quality of life and well-being
- Treatment
- Healthcare team support
- Psychosocial elements
- Management of clinical symptoms
These results will help foster better communication between doctors, nurses and their patients and lead to better understanding and improvements in the care of psoriasis.
Freedom from disease in psoriasis: from concept to consensus
Why is this important to people with psoriasis?
Clinical tools
New ways of assessing severity and measuring clinical response will facilitate new standards in freedom from disease.[5]
Learn more about freedom from disease in psoriasis
Learn more about the consensus statement published in JEADV
Learn more about the core slide deck (PDF)
Patient organisations associated with this initiative
References
[1] Janssen. Immunology – Psoriasis. Available at: https://www.janssen.com/emea/our-focus/immunology/psoriasis. Accessed January 2023.
[2] Michalek IM and Loring B. World Health Organization: Global report on psoriasis. Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241565189. Accessed January 2023.
[3] van Ee I, et al. Freedom from disease in psoriasis: a Delphi consensus definition by patients, nurses and physicians. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2022:36(3):403–412.
[4] Grine L, et al. A Belgian consensus on the definition of a treat-to-target outcome set in psoriasis management. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2020:34(4):676–684.
[5] Strober BE, et al. Clinical Goals and Barriers to Effective Psoriasis Care. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2019:9(1):5–18.
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