Psychopathological variables and sleep quality in psoriatic patients

Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease frequently associated with psychiatric disturbances and sleep disorders. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of depression, interaction anxiety, audience anxiety, and sleep quality in psoriatic patients. One hundred and two psoriatic patients were enrolled and underwent the following questionnaires: Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Interaction Anxiousness Scale (IAS), Audience Anxiousness Scale (AAS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The severity of skin lesions was assessed by Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI). The presence of a link between clinical variables and with demographic data has been investigated. Psoriasis was linked to depression, interaction and audience anxiety, as well as to poor sleep quality; 37.5% of patients were depressed, 46.1% scored above 37 at the IAS, 47.1% scored above 33 at the AAS. Thirty-nine subjects (38.2%) presented a PSQI ≥ 5. An association between interaction anxiety and lower limbs psoriasis-related erythema as well as between PSQI and head psoriasis-related erythema was found, particularly among male patients. Hence, psoriatic patients should be assessed from a holistic point of view, in order to identify associated disorders that could benefit from targeted treatments.