Psoriasis Is Associated with Increased Mortality, Reduced Survival, and Benefits from Biologic Treatment

The speaker presented a population-based study from Alberta, Canada, examining over 18,000 incident psoriasis cases diagnosed between 2012 and 2019 and matched them with controls to assess survival over seven years. The analysis found that psoriasis was associated with significantly reduced survival, cutting life expectancy by about two and a half years even after adjusting for age, sex, and comorbidities; the median age of death was 72 for psoriasis patients versus 74 for controls. Important mortality risk factors included cardiovascular disease, but hepatic complications and psychiatric disease, especially bipolar disorder and suicidal ideation, were particularly associated with premature death. In contrast, biologic therapy was linked to longer survival, suggesting a potential mortality benefit, while corticosteroids and psychotropic drugs were associated with worse outcomes. The main conclusion was that psoriasis is not only a skin disease but a systemic condition with increased mortality risk, and that biologics may improve survival while unnecessary medications should be reviewed and minimized.