Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated skin disorder that causes physical, psychological, and social burdens. There is a growing need to better characterize the distinct clinical features and specific treatment needs of elderly patients with psoriasis, which remains an important area for further research to optimize care in this population.
Objective
To investigate the clinical characteristics, comorbidities, and treatment preferences of elderly patients with psoriasis vulgaris.
Methods
Patients with psoriasis vulgaris were included in this retrospective study. Data on demographics, disease characteristics, including age at diagnosis, body surface area (BSA), Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), comorbidities, and treatment needs were collected. Patients at the visit over 60 years of age were defined as elderly patients. Patients who were diagnosed before 40 years of age were defined as early-onset psoriasis (EOP), and patients who were diagnosed over 40 years of age were defined as late-onset psoriasis (LOP). Continuous variables were compared using t-tests or Mann-Whitney U-tests, categorical variables using Chi-square or Fisher's exact tests. Spearman correlation was used for association analysis. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05.
Results
A total of 375 patients were included, comprising 70 (18.67%) elderly and 305 (81.33%) non-elderly patients. The elderly group had a significantly higher proportion of LOP (87.14% vs 48.76%, P<0.05). A higher percentage of elderly patients had moderate-to-severe (27.14% vs 20.98%, P<0.05) and severe (1.43% vs 0.66%, P<0.05) disease. Comorbidities were more prevalent in the elderly, including cardiovascular disease (12.86% vs 3.93%, P<0.05) and diabetes (12.86% vs. 1.31%, P<0.05). Despite this, elderly patients reported lower DLQI scores (median 2.00 vs. 3.00, P<0.05). Regarding treatment needs, elderly patients were less likely to prioritize reducing treatment costs (10.00% vs 20.98%, P<0.05) and preventing disease recurrence (30.00% vs 44.26%, P<0.05) compared to non-elderly patients. Within the elderly cohort, EOP patients exhibited more severe disease (median BSA: 3.00 vs 2.00; median PASI: 3.30 vs 0.80, P<0.05), a higher rate of familial psoriasis (33.33% vs 4.92%, P<0.05), and a greater demand for reducing treatment costs (33.3% vs 6.56%, P<0.05) compared to LOP patients.
Conclusion
Elderly patients with psoriasis present a distinct clinical profile characterized by a high prevalence of late-onset disease, a significant comorbidity burden, and differing treatment priorities focused less on cost and recurrence. Despite the increased clinical severity, their perceived quality-of-life impact is lower. Besides, they report higher dissatisfaction linked to unmet needs in itch relief, drug safety, and long-term control. Within the elderly cohort, early-onset patients had more severe disease, stronger familial predisposition, and greater cost-related concerns. The findings highlight the necessity for age-specific, multidimensional management strategies for this population.
