Risk of infections in psoriasis: assessment and challenges in daily management

ABSTRACT

Introduction

In daily practice management of psoriasis, evaluation of risk factors for infections is having a growing influence. Indeed, in psoriatic patients, risk of infections may be due to psoriasis itself, immunomodulatory therapy, and comorbidities that may increase this risk and patient hospitalization.

Areas covered

Given the greater understanding of psoriasis pathogenesis and the increasing number of treatment options, it is particularly important to customize therapy according to each, single patient; psoriasis features and comorbidities are also essential to tailor treatment goals.

Expert opinion

In this perspective, the current knowledge on the infectious risk in psoriatic patient, related to comorbidities, such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary, to ‘special populations,’ to chronic infections, such as latent tuberculosis, chronic hepatitis B and C, and HIV, and to the most recent Covid-19 pandemic scenario, is reviewed and discussed in order to suggest the most appropriate approach and achieve the best available therapeutic option.

KEYWORDS:

• Infection
• psoriasis
• risk
• management
• comorbidities
• covid-19

Article highlights

• The risk of infections must be considered when choosing a treatment for the patient with psoriasis

• Clinicians should be aware of the range of comorbidities associated with psoriasis

• Shared decision-making with the patient should be useful to choose the most appropriate therapy

Acknowledgments

Editorial support was provided by Content Ed Net, with the helpful assistance of Dr Patrick Moore.

Declaration of interest

C De Simone served as a speaker or advisory board member for Almirall, Amgen, Abbvie, Janssen, Leopharma, Novartis, Eli Lilly, UCB Pharma; M Fargnoli has served on advisory boards, received honoraria for lectures and/or research grants from Almirall, Abbvie, Leo Pharma, Celgene/Amgen, UCB, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Janssen, and Novartis; F Prignano has been consultant, speaker, or advisory board member for Almirall, Amgen, Biogen, Abbvie, Janssen, Leopharma, Novartis, Eli Lilly, UCB Pharma. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.