Treatment persistence in paediatric and adolescent patients with psoriasis followed into young adulthood. From topical to systemic treatment: a prospective, longitudinal, observational cohort study of 448 patients.

BACKGROUND: Although solely topical treatment often suffices, patients with psoriasis may require more intensive treatment (phototherapy and/or systemic treatments) to control their disease. However, in paediatric, adolescent and young adult patients, little is known about persistence of topical treatment and time until switch to systemic treatment. OBJECTIVES: To determine the median time from psoriasis onset until (i) discontinuation of solely topical agents and (ii) switch to systemic treatment, and to identify patient characteristics associated with switching to systemic treatments. METHODS: Data were extracted from the Child-CAPTURE registry, a prospective, observational cohort of patients with paediatric-onset psoriasis followed into young adulthood from 2008 to 2018. Data prior to inclusion in the registry were collected retrospectively. Median times were determined through Kaplan-Meier survival analyses. Cox regression analysis was used to identify patient characteristics associated with switch to systemic treatment. RESULTS: Of 448 patients, 62·3% stayed on solely topical treatment until data lock; 14·3% switched from topicals to phototherapy, but not to systemic treatment; and 23·4% switched to systemic treatment. The median time from psoriasis onset until discontinuation of solely topical treatment was 7·3 years, and until switch to systemics was 10·8 years. Higher Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and (Children's) Dermatology Life Quality Index > 5 were independently associated with switching to systemic treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In a population of paediatric and adolescent patients with mild-to-severe psoriasis, one-third needed more intensive treatment than solely topical therapy to control their disease. We consider the median time until switching to systemics to be long.

Psoriasis in Children and Adolescents: Diagnosis, Management and Comorbidities.

Psoriasis is a common chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin disorder and begins in childhood in almost one-third of the cases. Although children present with the same clinical subtypes of psoriasis seen in adults, lesions may differ in distribution and morphology, and their clinical symptoms at presentation may vary from those reported by adult patients. Nevertheless, diagnosis of psoriasis is primarily based on clinical features. Pediatric psoriasis can have a profound long-term impact on the psychological health of affected children. Additionally, pediatric psoriasis has been associated with certain comorbidities, such as obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus and rheumatoid arthritis, making early diagnosis and management essential. As guidelines are lacking and most (systemic) treatments are not approved for use in children, treatment of pediatric psoriasis remains a challenge. A prospective, multicenter, international registry is needed to evaluate these treatments in a standardized manner and ultimately to develop international guidelines on pediatric psoriasis. This article reviews current concepts in pediatric psoriasis including epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis, the role of topical and systemic agents and the association with other morbidities in childhood.