A Cross-Sectional Assessment of Neuropathic Pain in Patients with Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis

Abstract

Psoriasis (Ps) is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease that affects the skin. 1 Ps affects about 1 to 3% of the worldwide population. 2 Physical skin symptoms such as discomfort, burning, stinging, irritation and hypersensitivity are not uncommon. It is reported that up to 42% of Ps patients experience pain. Studies showed that the physical symptoms of the disease including pain are attributed to poor quality of life of Ps patients. 3-5 In about 30% of Ps patients, the inflammatory process involve joints and spine leading to the development of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). 6 It is suggested that neuropathic pain (NP)