ArticleBMJ open2022
Psychological (co)morbidity in patients with psoriasis: the impact of pruritus and anogenital involvement on symptoms of depression and anxiety and on body dysmorphic concerns - a cross-sectional study.
Article in BMJ open, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- Environmental and Neighborhood Determinants of Psoriasis: A Systematic Review of Pollution, Built Environment, and Socioeconomic Vulnerability on Psoriasis.Dermatology and therapy · 2026Pooled it
- The Burden of Pediatric Psoriasis: A Systematic Review.American journal of clinical dermatology · 2025Pooled it
- A Systematic Review of 207 Studies Describing Validation Aspects of the Dermatology Life Quality Index.Acta dermato-venereologica · 2024Pooled it
- Prevalence of depression among adult psoriatic patients in Palestine: a cross-sectional study in primary healthcare settings.BMJ open · 2026Article
- Determinants of Health-Related Quality of Life Among Patients with Psoriasis Vulgaris.Clinical neuropsychiatry · 2026Article
- Disclosing the Overall and Sex-Related Disease Burden and Treatment Needs of Patients With Anogenital Psoriasis: Results From the Case-Control PsoGen Study.Dermatology research and practice · 2026Article
- Communication and Therapy Planning for Patients of Reproductive Age Under Immunomodulatory Treatments for Psoriasis or Psoriatic Arthritis-Survey of the German National Psoriasis Registry PsoBest.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Psoriasis increases the risk of Sjögren's syndrome: evidence from a propensity score-matched cohort study and transcriptomic analysis.BMC medicine · 2025Article
- Anogenital pruritus is associated with anxiety, depression, and other psychiatric disorders.International journal of women's dermatology · 2024Article
- Microbial Dysbiosis in the Skin Microbiome and Its Psychological Consequences.Microorganisms · 2024Review
- Impact of Attachment Style and Temperament Traits on the Quality of Life of Patients with Psoriasis.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Biologic Therapies Decrease Disease Severity and Improve Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in Psoriasis Patients.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesWhile stress plays a paramount role on the onset/exacerbation of psoriasis, via overactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and increased release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, cutaneous inflammatory response induces, in turn, anxiety/depression symptoms, via body disfigurement and stigmatisation. The intensity of pruritus and anogenital involvement are additional risk factors for psychological comorbidity.Aims were to (1) examine the effects of intensity of pruritus and anogenital psoriasis on disease burden and psychological comorbidity and (2) identify the variables associated with the presence of clinically significant depression, anxiety, and dysmorphic concerns.
designCross-sectional study.
settingConducted at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE).
participants107 patients with psoriasis (mean age = 46.3, SD = 14.6 years; 53.3% male): 64 with none/mild pruritus; 43 with moderate/severe pruritus; 31 with anogenital psoriasis; 76 not affected in the anogenital area. PRIMARY/SECONDARY OUTCOMES MEASURES: Disease severity was assessed with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and intensity of pruritus was rated by patients. Patient-reported outcomes included the Dermatology Life Quality Index, ItchyQoL, Patient Benefit Index, Perceived Stigmatisation Questionnaire, and Relationship and Sexuality Scale. Psychological morbidity was assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire, Generalised Anxiety Disorder, and Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire.
resultsPatients with moderate/severe pruritus reported more quality of life impairments, depression, anxiety and dysmorphic concerns, and less treatment benefits than those with none/mild pruritus. Moderate/severe pruritus had a deleterious effect on depression and stigmatisation for patients without anogenital involvement. Less patient benefits were associated with a higher likelihood of clinically significant depression/anxiety.
conclusionPruritus induces significant burden and psychological morbidity, particularly for patients without anogenital involvement. However, coping strategies used by patients with anogenital psoriasis might be dysfunctional for overall psychosocial adaptation. Patient-centred healthcare might be the best way to prevent psychological comorbidity. ETHICS APPROVAL: Ethics Committee of the Medical Association of Hamburg (process number PV6083, 28 May 2019).
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