A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET PERSONALHEALTHNEWS.CAW hen Moderate Psor iatic
Disease Is A ny thing But
P
atches of red, scaly, itchy skin.
Pain in the joints and bone
deformation. These are among
the symptoms of psoriasis and
psoriatic arthritis, a pair of linked auto-
im mune conditions, bot h incurable, which
affect an estimated one million Canadians.
“The two conditions can either coexist
or occur on their own,” says Dr. Melinda
Gooderham, Medical Director at the SKiN
Centre for Dermatology. “If you have
psoriasis, there is a 30 percent chance of
developing psoriatic arthritis within your
lifetime and similarly, psoriatic arthritis
can lead to the development of psoriasis.”
Fortunately, safe and effective treat-
ment options are advancing quickly. The
problem is that not all those who could
benefit from treatment are receiving it.
Upwards of 80 percent of cases of psoriatic
disease are currently classified as either
mild or moderate, and the best treatments
are too often reserved for the most severe
cases.New options, greater relief
Even moderate psor iatic disease can have an
outsized impact on quality of life for those it
affects. “The skin involvement of psoriasis
can be very itchy, painful, and unsightly,”
says Dr. Gooderham. “It can affect yoursleep. It can affect your self-esteem and
your relationships. Patients with psoriatic
arthritis can find their ability to carry out
everyday tasks impaired. They become
unable to participate in the activities they
enjoy and sometimes even end up on disabil-
ity because they can no longer perform theirjobs. These conditions impact every sphere
of life.”
For those whose moderate disease has
severe consequences, it has historically
been difficult to get good treatment, but
things are beginning to change. “Unfortu-
nately, some patients do still fall through
the cracks,” says Dr. Gooderham. “It has
never made sense to me to let patients
continue to suffer without treatment until
the symptoms become truly life-altering.
When moderate disease has a serious nega-
tive impact on quality of life, that should be
enough to put it in a severe category.
A ny c ond it ion t h at l i m it s you f rom l iv i n g
your life to the fullest deserves to be treated,
especially with safer options now available
for patients. If you’re suffering from mod-
erate psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, speak
with a health care provider about the latest
treatments and visit psoriasisstory.ca to
learn more.D.F. McCourtDr. Melinda
Gooderham
Medical Director,
SKiN Centre for
DermatologyAsk your dermatologist about oral and injectable treatment options today.
(^) Living with psoriasis? Start your new treatment chapter.
Discover the true cause of psoriasis and fi nd your treatment fi t at psoriasisstory.ca
A man with psoriasis
went on a date.
She noticed nothing
but his smile.
The End.
When moderate disease has a
serious negative impact on qualit y
of life, that should be enough to put
it in a severe category.“
“
This article was made possible with support from a Canadian pharmaceutical research company.