Psoriasis in the Pediatric Population: Clinical Presentation, Management and Quality of Life Assessment

Psoriasis is a chronic, non-infectious, inflammatory skin disease with an immunological background. It has periods of exacerbations and remissions. Genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors play a role in the development of psoriasis. Psoriasis is a common dermatosis affecting both adults and children. In the pediatric population occur the same clinical subtypes of psoriasis as adults, but the lesions may differ in distribution and morphology. Children more often report itching and burning of the skin. Diagnosis of psoriasis is mainly based on clinical features. Patients suffering from psoriasis are predisposed to the development of cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome and its components, type 2 diabetes, and inflammatory bowel diseases. Psoriasis can have a negative impact on the quality of life and functioning in school life of children and adolescents. Treatment of children with psoriasis should be individualized, depending on the severity of skin lesions and age. In the treatment of mild form, topical treatment is used, and in moderate and severe form, conventional and biological systemic treatment is used. The paper reviews the current state of knowledge on clinical features, therapeutic procedures and the impact on the quality of life of psoriasis in the pediatric population.