Psoriasis (Ps) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease that is associated with pruritus in approximately 64-98% of patients. However, few modestly sized studies assess factors associated with psoriatic pruritus.

The present study was conducted to investigate factors that are associated with pruritus intensity in psoriasis. Psoriasis patients 18 years and above from 155 centers in Italy between September 2005 and 2009 were included from the Italian PsoCare registry. Patients without cutaneous psoriasis and missed information on pruritus were excluded.

In all,10,802 patients were identified with a mean age 48.8±14.3 years. The results showed that mild itch was present in 33.2% of patients, moderate itch in 34.4%, severe itch in 18.7% and very severe itch in 13.7%. Increased itch intensity was seen in female gender, low educational achievement compared to university degree, pustular psoriasis and psoriasis on the head, face, folds, palmoplantar areas and genitalia. It was also seen in more severe disease with disease duration of <15 years and few or no earlier systemic treatments. Effects of particular medicine on itch were not evaluated.

The study concludes that pruritus should be assessed during psoriasis visits and doctors should be aware of certain patients who are at increased risk for itch.

Source: Damiani G, Cazzaniga S, Conic RR, Naldi L; Psocare Registry Network. PRURITUS CHARACTERISTICS IN A LARGE ITALIAN COHORT OF PSORIATIC PATIENTS. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2019;33(7):1316-1324. doi:10.1111/jdv.15539