PSORIASIS IS a chronic, inflammatory, hyperproliferative skin disorder estimated to affect up to 2.5% of the world's population.¹ Patients with psoriasis have a range of psychosocial difficulties and stresses commensurate with their physically disfiguring condition.² This psychosocial aspect of the disease is consistently underestimated and often results in suboptimal care and reduced quality of life.^3-5

Background The Multinational Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (MAPP), a population-based survey of patients, dermatologists, and rheumatologists, was conducted for better understanding of the unmet needs of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients. Objective To report results from US physicians and patients. Methods Adults were contacted by household telephone, using random digit dialing, and asked to participate if they had ever been diagnosed with psoriasis or PsA. Physicians were identified through national databases and contacted through random sampling methods. Results In the USA, 1005 patients, 101 dermatologists, and 100 rheumatologists were surveyed. PsA had been diagnosed in 270 patients (26.9 %). Of those with psoriasis alone, fewer than 60 % (versus 85.6 % of PsA patients) had seen a healthcare provider within 12 months. Joint pain was reported by 51.8 % of psoriasis patients without a diagnosis of PsA, and 37.6 % of dermatologists cited their greatest challenge in managing PsA patients as being differentiating PsA from other arthritic diseases. Itching was reported by 36 % of psoriasis patients versus 12 % of dermatologists as the most important factor contributing to disease severity. Patients reported lower rates of current treatment than did dermatologists and rheumatologists. Conventional oral and biologic therapies were used by 24.9 and 17.7 % of patients, respectively. Among patients who had received injectable biologics, treatment dissatisfaction was related to long-term safety/tolerability, injection-related anxiety/fear, and cost. Conclusion This large, population-based survey identified unmet needs in the management of psoriasis and PsA patients in the USA, including assessment of disease severity, PsA diagnosis, undertreatment, and satisfaction with therapy.