Almost 50% of psoriasis patients suffer with fatigue

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This study suggest almost 50% of psoriasis patients suffer with substantial fatigue.

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Background:
Fatigue is associated with various chronic inflammatory diseases, but few studies have focused on its occurrence in psoriasis.

Objectives:
To describe fatigue prevalence and degree among patients with chronic plaque psoriasis vs. age- and sex-matched healthy subjects, and to examine how fatigue is influenced by essential clinical and demographic factors.

Methods:
In 84 patients and 84 healthy subjects, fatigue severity was assessed using three different generic fatigue instruments: the fatigue Visual Analogue Scale (fVAS), the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and the Short Form 36 (SF-36) Vitality scale. Cut-off scores for clinically important fatigue were defined as ≥ 4 for FSS, ≥ 50 for fVAS and ≤ 35 for the SF-36 Vitality scale. Disease activity was evaluated using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), and the impact on quality of life with the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI).

Results:
Patients and healthy control subjects, respectively, showed median fVAS scores of 51 [interquartile range (IQR) 21–67] and 11 (IQR 3–20); FSS scores of 4 (IQR 2·5–5·3) and 1·6 (IQR 1·1–2·2); and SF-36 Vitality scores of 43 (IQR 25–85) and 73 (IQR 65–85). The rates of clinically important fatigue among patients vs. healthy controls, respectively, were 51% vs. 4% (fVAS); 52% vs. 4% (FSS); and 42% vs. 2% (SF-36 Vitality) (P < 0·001 for all differences). Fatigue was associated with DLQI scores, but not PASI scores, in univariate analysis but not in multivariate analysis.

Conclusions:
Nearly 50% of patients with psoriasis suffered from substantial fatigue. Fatigue severity was associated with smoking, pain and depression, but not with psoriasis severity.

Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com

*Funding: Western Norway Regional Health Authority