Psoriasis-associated itch: etiology, assessment, impact, and management

Abstract

Pruritus, a very broad, subjective, and complex symptom, troubles the majority of patients with psoriasis. However, the subjective and multidimensional nature of the symptom renders it challenging for patients to appropriately communicate their experiences with itch to providers. This review explores current perspectives regarding the underlying mechanisms, assessment tools, burden, and treatment modalities for psoriatic pruritus. It emphasizes the significance of incorporating a standardized, thorough, and verified metric that incorporates severity, distribution, and character of pruritus as well as its effects on various aspects of quality of life. It also underscores the importance of continued research to fully understand the pathogenesis of psoriatic itch for establishment of novel, targeted therapeutics.

Keywords:

• Psoriasis
• itch
• pruritus
• quality of life

Disclosure statement

Dr. Wu is an investigator for AbbVie, Amgen, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis; a consultant for AbbVie, Almirall, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Dermira, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Eli Lilly, Janssen, LEO Pharma, Novartis, Ortho Dermatologics, Regeneron, Sun Pharmaceutical, and UCB; and a speaker for Celgene, Novartis, Sun Pharmaceutical, and UCB. The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.