The rapid spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) is a serious public health concern. It remains unknown to what extent the coronavirus impacts psoriasis and the treatment of psoriasis.
The International Psoriasis Council (IPC) advises physicians to be alert to the potentially harmful effects of COVID-19 infection on patients with psoriasis and counsel all their patients on how to prevent transmission of the virus.
For psoriasis patients diagnosed with COVID-19 disease, the IPC recommends physicians discontinue or postpone use of immunosuppressant medications. This is in accordance with established psoriasis treatment guidelines (for example, the European Dermatology Forum and the American Academy of Dermatology), which state immunosuppressive psoriasis treatments are contraindicated in patients with active infections.
Individuals over the age of 60 years and/or patients with comorbid conditions including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hepatitis B, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney diseases, and cancer have a higher risk for developing a more serious course of the illness. However, as of now, there is insufficient evidence to determine how COVID-19 will impact psoriasis patients on systemic treatment who are infected with the virus. The benefit-to-risk ratio of any immunosuppressive therapeutic intervention should be carefully weighed in patients with comorbidities on a case-to-case basis.
The IPC will continue to provide updates to the global dermatology community as we learn more about the effects of coronavirus on psoriasis.
For the latest information on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, including prevention and signs and symptoms of the disease, refer to the World Health Organization (WHO) website.
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