An image of the disease
Patients forced to deal with patches and macules distributed throughout the body, often in parts that are difficult to treat, such as scalp, nails, palms and feet and which, in some cases, are associated with manifestations affecting the joints of the hands, sudden pain in the knee, wrist or ankle or in actual groups of joints. This is psoriasis, an immune-mediated inflammatory disease that affects, in Italy alone, about 1,500,000 people, while in Europe it affects about 14 million people and 125 million worldwide.
On the occasion of the World Psoriasis Day which is celebrated around the world on October 29 and whose purpose is to to increase awareness of this pathology, Alfasigma is alongside Apiafco, in support of patients. In addition, the company has also started one own information awareness initiative through corporate social channels.
Psoriasis is traditionally defined as a chronic-relapsing inflammatory skin disease that, in its most common form, manifests itself with erythematous-squamous plaques located on the extensor surfaces of the body. The prevalence in the general Italian population it is estimated al 2,8%and the onset occurs predominantly in two age groups, an early one, around the 20-30 years, and a late one, around 60 years old. In Italy the estimated incidence of psoriasis is 2.30-3.21 cases per 1000 people per year.
It is not just an aesthetic problem
Psoriasis is not just an aesthetic problem but above all a real health problem. “Psoriasis, like many other chronic skin diseases, is often perceived as a mere aesthetic problem and therefore little considered by the layman as well as by the political decision-maker on duty. Often and willingly, however, its impact on the life of the person affected is devastating – he explains Francesco Cusano President of Adoi -. This occurs not only as a consequence of the frequent involvement of other organs to which the pathology extends, such as joints, gastrointestinal tract, cardio-vascular system, eye, nor as a simple reduction in the quality of life in a more or less long stretch of the same, but rather by significantly conditioning the individual in the crucial moments and stages of his existence, preventing him from exercising certain professions, for example, from attending collegiate environments such as beaches or swimming pools, from practicing sports or other recreational or recreational activities, up to the strong conditioning or renouncing a family life or in any case strictly relational “.
A complex disease
In fact, research has shown that psoriasis is a complex, autoimmune, systemic disease. “Skin inflammation is only the external manifestation – he declares Valeria Corazza, President of Apiafco -. The psoriatic person often has cardiovascular problems, very often rheumatological. Other co-morbidities that have a significant impact are metabolic syndrome, obesity and in many cases depression. This is why I call it the disease of the strong, given the physical, psychological and social suffering it causes ”.
To all this is added the problem of diagnosis which often occurs many years after the appearance of the first symptoms, when instead a correct diagnosis and in a short time would allow access to treatment and a more probable and rapid improvement of the disease. In fact, from a study conducted by Censis on a sample of 300 patients, it emerged that 70% of these go from one specialist to another to obtain a correct diagnosis and 50% turn to 4 different specialists or centers on average before identify the referring physician to rely on for treatment. “Self-diagnosis, wrong diagnoses, ineffective initial treatments and prolonged over time. Delayed care by the specialist of a disheartened, suspicious, critical and uncooperative patient. These are the ingredients of a serious situation – adds Corazza -. Protecting the patient so that he has the best assistance available anywhere is one of Apiafco’s missions and struggles. “
The patients
Furthermore, the psoriasis patient is a chronic patient and must therefore be managed in the long term, for about 30-40 years. “Traditional therapies, as well as phototherapy itself – continues Cusano – still represent valid options, not only in patients who cannot or do not want to practice therapies with the most modern biotechnological drugs. The adaptation of the organism to a certain type of biotechnological drug sometimes induces a progressive loss of efficacy of the drug itself. Considering precisely that these are therapies to be practiced throughout life, we understand how it is appropriate to maintain an additional therapeutic option with a drug that, in addition to allowing a certain percentage of patients to be successfully controlled for an indefinite period, often delays the access to organic farming for a few years, thus postponing the potential exhaustion of the therapeutic resources available to us. Corazza adds to this: “Since this is a chronic disease, there is no cure, but the effects can be kept under control through the therapeutic alternatives available, commonly divided into three groups: topical treatments, indicated for patients with mild forms of pathology, phototherapy treatments and biological and non-biological systemic treatments, used, on the other hand, for moderate-severe cases “.
World Day
On the occasion of World Psoriasis Day 2021, Apiafco wishes to address its members and all psoriatic patients, the real protagonists of this day. Various initiatives will therefore be put in place, starting from the week leading up to the world day, which will culminate precisely on that date through: a social campaign to raise awareness and prepare for the world day. Furthermore, during the week leading up to the world day, Apiafco will provide patients with telephone medical consultancy support regarding various problems such as requests on ongoing therapy, evaluation of exams, doubts regarding adverse events that have been encountered. Finally, an online event will be held with the members of the association and broadcast live on Facebook, to take stock of the initiatives implemented in the course of 2021 as well as those in progress and for the near future, from the renewed pressure on the institutions for the ” inclusion of the pathology in the National Chronicity Plan, to the commitment to the development of digital medicine.