Pediatric psoriasis treatment challenges

Psoriasis is not well recognized and treated among pediatric patients, according to a recent review.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease that leads to skin manifestations. It is immune-mediated, but there are few medications approved for pediatric patients with psoriasis. In a recent review, the difficulties of diagnosing and treating pediatric psoriasis were discussed.

Investigators used a series of PubMed searches to discern articles pertaining to pediatric psoriasis, discussing topics such as epidemiology, treatment efficacy and safety, disease characteristics, and access to care.

The articles showed that it can be difficult to clinically diagnose psoriasis, and that patients often have trouble getting treatment. The medications which have been approved are often for adults and are not proven safe and efficient for pediatric use. This leaves pediatric patients with limited options for psoriasis treatment.

Though more trials are attempting to use biological agents for pediatric psoriasis, they may lead to concerns about applying these medications for pediatric use. Investigators concluded that clinicians must balance the risks and benefits for a treatment plan in pediatric patients.

Reference

Hebert AA, Browning J, Kwong PC, Duarte AM, Price HN, Siegfried E. Managing pediatric psoriasis: update on treatments and challenges-a review. J Dermatolog Treat. 2022;33(5):2433-2442. doi:10.1080/09546634.2022.2059051