2023-04-28 15:14:00
Departs today from Bari ‘Experience at the center‘, an information campaign promoted by Novartis which will touch some Italian cities in the various regions and which aims to bring attention back to the psoriatic disease, helping patients to recognize the first signs of psoriasis and to grasp any symptoms of joint involvement. From the ‘Psoriasis and Beyond’ survey published in Dermatology – explains the pharmaceutical company in a note – it emerges that the lack of information, still today, represents a real obstacle: only 29% are aware of the links between psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
“Psoriasis – explains Caterina Foti, director of Dermatological Clinic Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Jonica Area, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’ – is a chronic inflammatory disease, historically considered a skin condition. Skin lesions are to be considered only the tip of the pathology iceberg. Psoriasis is in fact a systemic disease that affects not only the skin, but is often associated with various comorbidities that require conscious and multidisciplinary management”.
Timely diagnosis – reads the company note – is essential for the course of the disease which is often associated with various comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression and anxiety. The global study ‘Psoriasis and Beyond’, promoted by Novartis and the result of the collaboration between Ifpa (the international federation that brings together patient associations) and 16 associations in different countries reveals, in 4,978 interviews with people from 20 different countries, an urgent need more information on the links between psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and joint comorbidities.
According to a study ‘only 29% of patients know the link to arthritis’
“The results – says Valeria Corazza, president Apiafco, Italian Psoriatic Association friends of the Corazza Foundation, which participated in the study in Italy – show that less than a third of people living with psoriatic disease are aware of the risk of associated conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression and anxiety. Furthermore, only 29% of respondents with psoriasis are aware of the links between psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. However – he adds – 38% of this group were found to be at risk of disease progression, using the psoriasis epidemiological screening tool “.
Psoriatic arthritis is a specific form of inflammatory arthritis associated with psoriasis. Worldwide, its prevalence is not homogeneous and depends on several factors. The main ones are: genetic background of the country in which it is present, environmental characteristics, food habits, lifestyles. In Italy it affects about 40 people for every ten thousand inhabitants and it can be said that up to a third of people with psoriasis could also be affected by psoriatic arthritis. The pathology usually manifests itself between the ages of 30 and 50, about 5-10 years after the onset of psoriasis. It affects men and women equally, but management and acceptance of the disease are more problematic in women.
“Very often – observes Florenzo Iannone, director of Rheumatology at the Aldo Moro University of Bari – the skin manifestations of psoriasis (redness and scaling) are accompanied by the symptoms of arthritis (pain, morning stiffness and swelling of the joints). Identifying symptoms early can make all the difference: early diagnosis is much more important for psoriatic arthritis than for psoriasis itself. Precisely because of the correlation between psoriasis and other pathologies – continues the rheumatologist – a cross multidisciplinary clinic service is active at the Bari Polyclinic shared with Rheumatology and Gastroenterology. This clinic allows patients with psoriasis and other comorbidities to be able to avail themselves of the specialist advice just mentioned in a very short time. The aim is to share the diagnostic and therapeutic approach of the psoriatic patient with comorbidity among different specialists, increasing the therapeutic appropriateness” .
“It is essential – underlines Antonella Celano, president of the National Association of People with Rheumatological and Rare Diseases (Apmarr) – for those suffering from psoriatic disease to be able to contact an expert center in the sector, where dermatologists and rheumatologists collaborate in a multidisciplinary approach in the management of each patient , in order to establish a personalized therapeutic approach as soon as possible. Collaborations and campaigns like this – he reflects – are very important to promote correct information, but also to create a network between the various bodies that deal with this issue.”
‘The experience at the center – concludes the note – is sponsored by the main patient associations: Anmar (National Association of Rheumatic Patients); Apmarr; Amrer (Emilia Romagna rheumatic patients association); Apiafco; Adispo Odv (Association for the Defense of Psoriatics). All the information to take part in the campaign is on the website www.experiencealcentro.it.
#Psoriasis #Bari #start #Novartis #campaign