Takeaway
- The American Academy of Dermatology and National Psoriasis Foundation have released joint guidelines for the management and treatment of pediatric patients with psoriasis.
Why this matters
- These evidence-based guidelines address the specific needs of pediatric patients.
Key recommendations
- Body surface area measurement of involved skin is recommended as a useful measure of psoriasis severity in children.
- Patients should be educated about and routinely screened for psoriatic arthritis.
- Patients should be routinely assessed for obesity status and comorbidities of obesity.
- Additional guidelines concerning risk and screening for cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, mental health disease, substance abuse, and inflammatory bowel disease are provided.
- Guidelines concerning therapy, including topical corticosteroids, topical calcineurin inhibitors, topical vitamin D, topical combination therapy, topical tazarotene, anthralin, topical coal tar, phototherapy, methotrexate, cyclosporine, retinoids, fumaric acid esters, and biologic therapies are provided.
Study design
- A multidisciplinary work-group of psoriasis experts reviewed 134 studies and evaluated available evidence using the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy system to develop the guidelines.
Limitations
- Significant knowledge gaps limit strength of recommendations.
References
References
