Analysis of Quality of Life in Relation with Physical and Psychological Morbidity in Patients of Psoriasis

Objective: To study the effect on quality of life and to study the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in psoriatic cases compared to healthy controls. Methods: After approval from ethics committee, hospital based cross sectional study was performed in outpatient clinic of a government setup on 80 patients of psoriasis and 80 controls after written informed consent. Physical morbidity due to metabolic syndrome was diagnosed by the presence of 3 or more of the modified National Cholesterol Education Program’s Adult Treatment Panel III criteria and psychological morbidity due to impaired quality of life was assessed by the questionnaire on Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). This was compared between the patients with psoriasis and healthy controls. Psoriasis was categorized according to Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) into mild, moderate and severe (<5, 5-10 &>10 respectively). Results: A cross-sectional study comprising of 80 cases (M-62 F-18), 80 controls (M-47 F-33), metabolic syndrome was found to be more prevalent in psoriasis cases compared to controls (26.25% vs. 12.5% odds ratio = 2.49). Cases were also found to have more prevalence of hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia and type 2 diabetes. Quality of life was significantly impaired (P value – <0.0001%) in cases as compared to controls. Anxiety and depression were observed more in cases (P value – <0.0001%) in comparison to controls. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome in cases and significant effect over their quality of life compared to healthy controls. Thus, periodic evaluation of psoriasis patients for metabolic syndrome and psychological assessment is require to improve their quality of life.