Clinical severity of psoriasis in last 20 years of PUVA study

Abstract

Objective: To assess the severity of psoriasis over time. Design: We analyzed the results of structured dermatologic examinations administered over a 20-year period beginning 10 years after study enrollment. Setting: The PUVA [psoralen-UV-A] Follow-up Study, which is a prospective cohort study. Patients: The analyses were restricted to 815 patients (83.2% of those eligible) who underwent at least 2 of 4 possible examinations between 1985 and 2005. Main Outcome Measure: A 4-point physician global assessment (PGA). Results: The distribution of the PGA levels in the study group did not change significantly over time, except that in 2005 more patients had no psoriasis compared with patients who underwent examinations in the previous study years (9.6% vs <5.1%, P