Psoriasis

Question 1

What is psoriasis?

Answer 1

A systemic immune mediated inflammatory skin disease

Question 2

What are risk factors for psoriasis?

Answer 2

• White ethnicity
• Family history

Question 3

What are triggers for psoriasis?

Answer 3

• Strep infection
• Drugs such as lithium, antimalarial, NSAIDs, beta blockers
• UV exposure
• Trauma
• Smoking
• Stress

Question 4

How does psoriasis present?

Answer 4

• On elbows, knees, trunk, sacral, scalp and behind the ears
• Large plaques/smaller droplet lesions
• Erythematous plaques covered by a silver-white scale

Question 5

How is psoriasis managed?

Answer 5

• Regular emollients
• Potent corticosteroid once daily plus Vit D analogue e.g Calcitriol for 4 weeks initially
• Then can increase Vit D analogue/Steroid to twice daily