In a study, researchers aimed to describe unmet needs of patients with mild-to-moderate plaque psoriasis (PSO) using prescription topical treatments. This study was published in Dermatology and Therapy.

“Topical therapies are considered first-line treatment in the management of PSO. However, data on patient-reported outcomes for topicals are scarce,” wrote the study authors. “We designed a survey to record the treatment experience of patients with mild-to-moderate PSO using prescription topicals.”

The researchers conducted an online survey among 175 patients (67.4% female) aged a median of 55 years, with median 10.8 years since diagnosis. Patients reported a median of three topicals used since diagnosis and five years on their current prescription topical. The top three reported goals for treatment were improvements in visible skin (97.1%), non-skin related symptoms (62.9%), and social/emotional well-being (60.0%). Forty-three percent of patients reported 0% psoriasis body surface area change, and 5.7% reported a body surface area reduction of at least 75%. Reported reduction in itch and pain symptoms were approximately 75.0% each. However, 72.6% of patients reported persistent embarrassment/self-consciousness because of their skin symptoms.

The median Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM) scores for global satisfaction, convenience, and effectiveness ranged between 58 and 72, indicating partial treatment satisfaction. However, TSQM side effect scores were high (median=100). Around half of patients reported not being highly adherent to their treatment.

“Contrary to their treatment goals, patients with mild-to-moderate PSO using prescription topicals reported partial effectiveness, incomplete symptom resolution, impacted emotional and social well-being, and suboptimal global satisfaction, effectiveness, adherence, and convenience,” wrote the authors in conclusion. “Our findings highlight several unmet needs among topical-experienced, systemic-naïve patients with mild-to-moderate PSO using prescription topicals.”

Link: Dermatology and Therapy https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs13555-021-00620-x