Understanding Psoriasis

" However when I'm able John welcome to our webcast. The word psoriasis is derived from the Greek word for pitch at this chronic skin disease isn't something that can be just scratched away. Research suggests that's arises that actually it disordered immune system Joining us discuss our current understanding of psoriasis are doctor Ken Gordon director of the psoriasis treatment center at Northwestern University. And doctor mark level law professor and chairman of the department of dermatology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Gentlemen thanks for being with us today thank you let's start with the basics. What is psoriasis doctrinal won't."

" psoriasis is inherited. Disorder of the skin. In which an abnormality have been immune system triggers. Release of substances that cause the cells in the skin to multiply too quickly. So that ordinarily. Cells in the skin of the superficial layer of the skin make themselves over about every 28 days. But in psoriasis and is active to have that same. Portion of the skin may be made over."

" Okay now doctor Gordon -- some parts of the body that are more susceptible to post another -- traumatic areas are more susceptible so elbows and knees."

" Lower part of the bank but the important thing to remember psoriasis can happen anywhere on the body anywhere there's skin you can answer -- let's go over the different types us arrived."

" are there many different cults. How well -- classically there are four types and before types are plaque psoriasis which is the most common type. And is characterized by large. Red scaly patches. That as you've already heard. I think he elbows and knees but can affect any part of the body and there are patients were covered 8200%. Of their bodies surface with -- And indications. That accounts for the majority of patients with psoriasis Probably somewhere on the order of 10% of patients who have something called got Kate psoriasis which -- simply smaller red scaly lesions. The size of one or two centimeters. Covering large areas of the body in the typical scenario where there happens is after strep throat. Patients will develop a lot of little spots all over. That's the second most common type. The two worst most dangerous types are called Richard -- psoriasis And posture or psoriasis -- psoriasis patients. Entire skin surface turns bright red and scaly. And she gave lose all the protective functions of their skin. I'd -- literally. Can't control body temperature they lose nutrients from your skin means fluid through their skin. They're susceptible to infection that skin barrier against infections lost and that is a life threatening form of psoriasis patients had patients had actually died. And that form psoriasis The other -- question restaurants occurs in two variants. One of them is generalized past who have psoriasis which again patience is all of this protective. Functions of the -- becomes a life threatening. Instance where patients can die from psoriasis area they're superior to some very severe. And there is a localized form which while it is not. Life threatening is just as debilitating. And that's localized -- of the palms and -- And patients simply can't use their hands -- feet he can't walk. We can't handle anything with their hands. Because it is a painful. Form of psoriasis So that's -- psoriasis fortunately the latter two forms are rare. Their most commonly triggered by systemic steroids -- withdrawal of systemic steroids. If someone has a very chronic case of psoriasis are other parts of the body affected by -- dot global. The one particular part of the body that can routinely be affected patients -- this -- joints. And it turns out that roughly 7% for a little. Less than one out of ten patients who have psoriasis Who have significant story -- arthritis meaning inflammation. The joints and there's several different forms of that and you can range in severity from from fairly mild to quite severe and debilitating. Now couldn't get psoriasis how common is that. -- To fix a little over two and a half percent of the population and you can affect anyone. While I said it was inherited ordinarily. About a third of patients will have a family history of the disease so two thirds of patients actually don't know if someone else in the family that has the disease. Nevertheless a convict anyone and can actually started at any age group in patients who were born with psoriasis There are patients who develop psoriasis for the first time after the age of hundred. An average age would be somewhere around thirty years old but again conflicting --"

" If it's safe to say that it does it contingents it is not contagious at all. What is going wrong when psoriasis Happens or develops and -- it's something to do with the immune system and how it operates. In this scenario what happens when -- has developed a patient who is genetically predisposed. To developing and sees what some kind of -- challenge. That challenge will cause these cells lymphocytes to responding -- the skin and released side occurrence which induced skin cells to change. The promise we don't know exactly what causes this would -- its behavior in that manner and that's what we don't fully understand the ideology. But what we do know is that those lymphocytes that are causing those problems are necessary for the disease and the elimination of their activity can. How to treat the disease how does this disease affecting -- I think one thing to remember is this right this manifests itself on the skin primarily. Pump the effects -- it's -- very far ranging in patients' health and -- view themselves. I'll I think if you look at the patients with psoriasis they view their disease is disabling its diabetes or or congestive heart failure. The important remembers that people have a very visible to -- on their skin or sometimes not allowed in the swimming pool because of the -- that's right this is contagious. People who have very limited disease -- limit to the palms -- might be very debilitated because of pain on walking or holding a pencil. So I think when you think about psoriasis On patients will go a long way. To try to get treatment because of the both mental and physical disabling properties of the disease it's -- quite as severe psychological toll continues to draft the there are surveys that show that the psychological toll of psoriasis is equal and of depression. Which is about a -- you can get it."

" Thank you worked with this disease for a long time what hope is there out there for patients who have now."

" Well for I would say if you looked over the past twenty or thirty years and drugs that have been introduced for a variety German logic conditions. An enormous proportion had been introduced for psoriasis A lot of that is due to eradication. Advocacy groups like the national psoriasis foundation that has been keep pushing that."

" Doctor Marc LeBlanc pac ten Gordon thanks for being with us today and thank you for watching our webcast I -- job."