Patients with moderate to severe psoriasis are undertreated. To solve this persistent problem, the consensus programme was performed to define goals for treatment of plaque psoriasis with systemic therapy and to improve patient care. An expert consensus meeting and a collaborative Delphi procedure were carried out. Nineteen dermatologists from different European countries met for a face-to-face discussion and defined items through a four-round Delphi process. Severity of plaque psoriasis was graded into mild and moderate to severe disease. Mild disease was defined as body surface area (BSA) ≤10 and psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) ≤10 and dermatology life quality index (DLQI) ≤10 and moderate to severe psoriasis as (BSA > 10 or PASI > 10) and DLQI > 10. Special clinical situations may change mild psoriasis to moderate to severe including involvement of visible areas or severe nail involvement. For systemic therapy of plaque psoriasis two treatment phases were defined: (1) induction phase as the treatment period until week 16; however, depending on the type of drug and dose regimen used, this phase may be extended until week 24 and (2) maintenance phase for all drugs was defined as the treatment period after the induction phase. For the definition of treatment goals in plaque psoriasis, the change of PASI from baseline until the time of evaluation (ΔPASI) and the absolute DLQI were used. After induction and during maintenance therapy, treatment can be continued if reduction in PASI is ≥75%. The treatment regimen should be modified if improvement of PASI is <50%. In a situation where the therapeutic response improved ≥50% but 5 but can be continued if the DLQI is ≤5. This programme defines the severity of plaque psoriasis for the first time using a formal consensus of 19 European experts. In addition, treatment goals for moderate to severe disease were established. Implementation of treatment goals in the daily management of psoriasis will improve patient care and mitigate the problem of undertreatment. It is planned to evaluate the implementation of these treatment goals in a subsequent programme involving patients and physicians.

The most commonly used tool for self-report of pruritus intensity is the visual analogue scale (VAS)...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the visual analogue scale (VAS) as a method of pruritus assess...

Prurigo nodularis is a chronic pruritic skin disease with multiple nodular skin lesions. Nemolizumab is a monoclonal antibody targeting the interleukin-31 receptor, which is involved in the pathogenesis of prurigo nodularis.

Background: The term prurigo has been used for many decades in dermatology without clear definition, and currently used terminology of prurigo is inconsistent and confusing. Especially, itch‐related prurigo remains unexplored regarding the epidemiology, clinical profile, natural course, underlying causes, available treatments and economic burden, although burdensome and difficult to treat.Objective: To address these issues, the multicentre European Prurigo Project (EPP) was designed to increase knowledge on chronic prurigo (CPG). In the first step, European experts of the EADV Task Force Pruritus (TFP) aimed to achieve a consensus on the definition, classification and terminology of CPG. Additionally, procedures of the cross‐sectional EPP were discussed and agreed upon.Methods: Discussions and surveys between members of the TFP served as basis for a consensus conference. Using the Delphi method, consensus was defined as an agreement ≥75% among the present members.Results: Twenty‐four members of the TFP participated in the consensus conference. Experts consented that CPG should be used as an umbrella term for the range of clinical manifestations (e.g. papular, nodular, plaque or umbilicated types). CPG is considered a distinct disease defined by the presence of chronic pruritus for ≥6 weeks, history and/or signs of repeated scratching and multiple localized/generalized pruriginous skin lesions (whitish or pink papules, nodules and/or plaques). CPG occurs due to a neuronal sensitization to itch and the development of an itch‐scratch cycle.Conclusion: This new definition and terminology of CPG should be implemented in dermatology to harmonize communication in the clinical routine, clinical trials and scientific literature. Acute/subacute forms of prurigo are separated entities, which need to be differentiated from CPG and will be discussed in a next step. In the near future, the cross‐sectional EPP will provide relevant clinical data on various aspects of CPG leading to new directions in the scientific investigation of CGP.

Stigmatization is defined as having a discrediting mark that leads to social discrimination and alie...