The diagnosis and management of psoriasis

Psoriasis is a common lifelong inflammatory condition of the skin affecting approximately two per cent of the population.¹ It is typically characterised by the development of red scaly plaques with well-defined edges, but it can have a wide variety of presentations depending on the body area affected or the type of skin lesions.²

In addition, 15 to 30% of patients may develop psoriatic arthritis, and all are at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and the metabolic syndrome.^{1, 3} It is therefore unsurprising to find that this condition carries significant psychosocial morbidity, comparable to that observed in other chronic diseases, including depression, arthritis, diabetes, and cancer.⁴