By Andrea Hargraves 
The representative study of the Portuguese population, conducted by the Portuguese Psoriasis Group of the Portuguese Society of Dermatology and Venereology (SPDV), concluded that “psoriasis is an underdiagnosed disease in Portugal”.
Data show that 76% of respondents had a previous diagnosis of psoriasis by a physician, and in most cases by a dermatologist, but 24%, despite having clinical criteria for psoriasis, had not yet been diagnosed by a physician.
The study, conducted in partnership with the University of Porto’s Institute of Public Health, revealed an estimated prevalence of psoriasis of 4.4%, “a figure much higher than the previously reported figure of about 2%.”
“The lack of up-to-date prevalence data and characterization of the population with psoriasis in Portugal is what motivated this study,” said Portuguese Psoriasis Group leader and study coordinator, dermatologist Thiago Torres, in a statement.
Thiago Torres defends: “Only with proper characterization of the population can strategies be developed at the national level to better deal with the disease and patients with psoriasis.”
The study, released on the occasion of World Psoriasis Day, which falls on October 29, concluded that “psoriasis is recovering in Portugal.”
Published evidence indicates that 20-30% of the population with psoriasis has moderate to severe disease, which requires systemic treatment, but according to data now obtained, only 12% of study participants at the time they participated in in systemic therapy (3% in biological therapy),” SPDV says in a statement.
Psoriasis also has a “significant impact” on Portuguese patients, both physically and psychologically: 1.5% of patients said they had already been hospitalized with psoriasis and 17% had had to go to emergency consultations at least once.
More than half of patients reported having psoriatic lesions in highly affected areas such as the scalp, face, genitals, nails, or palmar plantar, and 42% of patients met the selected criteria for psoriatic arthritis.
In addition, this study demonstrated the significant impact on patients’ quality of life, with 16% reporting that psoriasis interfered with their daily activities, 12% that the disease “affects sexual activity” and at least 7% that psoriasis interfered with choosing a professional career.
For this reason, say the study authors, “it was not surprising that depression/anxiety (18%) was the most frequently reported related comorbidity.”
More than half of the patients surveyed had related comorbidities, requiring regular medical follow-up, such as comorbidities of the cardiovascular system, in particular, being overweight or obese (60%).
Thiago Torres advocated the need for “awareness strategies targeting civil society”.
He emphasized that “improving screening strategies and improving the therapeutic approach are necessary to meet the current challenges regarding timely recognition and better clinical management of psoriasis in Portugal.”
The main objective of the study was to provide an epidemiological characterization of patients in Portugal, focusing on the prevalence of psoriasis, a chronic non-infectious inflammatory disease, clinical characterization, impact on quality of life, comorbidities and clinical management.