PSORIASIS


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Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the skin and joints.
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It occurs less frequently but presents with more severe disease in African Americans as compared to Caucasians
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It can present with itchy reddish-purple, well-demarcated plaques with a grey-white scale. Darker-skinned patients tend to present with more with thickened plaques, nodules, and dark patches. There is typically less redness in darker skin types.
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Psoriasis is thought to be caused by the interplay between autoimmunity, hyperproliferation of the skin, and environmental triggers.
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Management includes avoiding triggers, gentle skin care, frequent moisturization, topical anti-inflammatory agents (e.g. corticosteroids, calcineurin), topical vitamin D analogs, oral anti-inflammatory medications (e.g. cyclosporine, methotrexate), topical and or oral retinoids, phototherapy, and biologics
References:
- Kerr GS, et al., Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in African-American patients--the need to measure disease burden. Clin Rheumatol. 2015 Oct;34(10):1753-9
- McMichael AJ, et al., Psoriasis in African-Americans: a caregivers' survey. J Drugs Dermatol. 2012 Apr;11(4):478-82.