Medicinal Treatment of Elderly Psoriasis Patients before and after Entering a Nursing Home

Abstract

Psoriasis (PS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, and it increasingly appears also in the elderly population. There is a rising interest in drug therapy for PS, especially for people receiving care in nursing homes (NH). Which PS-related drugs are prescribed in the time before nursing home admission (NHA), and to what extent does the supply of drugs change after NHA? Which specialties prescribe PS-related drugs? Statutory health insurance data were examined for people with PS, aged ≥ 65 years, who were newly admitted to a NH in the period 2011–2014 and observed for one year before and after NHA. Changes in prescription prevalence (pre-post comparison) were examined for significant differences. Prescriptions of PS-relevant drugs were measured by defined daily dose and stratified according to the prescribing specialist group. The analysis included 718 insured persons with PS (76.2% female, mean age 83.3 years). Systemic therapeutics played a minor role (pre: 2.6% vs. post: 2.1%) in drug therapy. Topical steroids had a high share of about 40% in the pre–post comparison. Overall, the proportion of people with PS who received treatment remained at a comparable level before and after NHA. A structured assessment of the skin is crucial, specifically in people with cognitive impairment.