Sex Disparities of Health-related Quality of Life in Moderate to Severe Psoriasis: A Real-world Analysis from the Swiss Psoriasis Registry (SDNTT)

Authors

  • Ramtin Lichtenberger Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7682-0238
  • Lara Valeska Maul Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
  • Ion Birkenmaier Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Life Science Zurich Graduate School, Faculty of Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
  • Iker Oyanguren Swiss4ward, Statistician and Data Analyst, Zurich, Switzerland
  • Melike Ak Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
  • Kristine Heidemeyer Department of Dermatology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
  • Christoph Schlapbach Department of Dermatology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
  • Nikhil Yawalkar Department of Dermatology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
  • Alexander Egeberg Department of Dermato-Venereology & Wound Healing Centre, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Simon Francis Thomsen Department of Dermato-Venereology & Wound Healing Centre, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Jacob P. Thyssen Department of Dermato-Venereology & Wound Healing Centre, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Christina Sorbe Institute for Health Services Research in Dermatology and Nursing (IVDP), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
  • Wolf-Henning Boehncke Division of Dermatology and Venereology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
  • Curdin Conrad Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
  • Antonio Cozzio Department of Dermatology, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
  • Georgios Kokolakis Psoriasis Research and Treatment Center, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
  • Raphael Micheroli Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
  • Jashin J. Wu Department of Dermatology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, USA
  • Thomas Kündig Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
  • Alexander Navarini Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • Julia-Tatjana Maul Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2340/actadv.v105.42296

Keywords:

Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), patient-reported outcome measure (PROM), psoriasis vulgaris, registry, SDNTT, sex differences

Abstract

Real-world data on gender differences in quality of life among psoriasis patients before and during treatment are scarce. This study analysed data of 748 adults with moderate-to-severe psoriasis enrolled in the Swiss Dermatology Network of Targeted Therapy registry between 2011 and 2023. Quality of life was assessed using the Dermatological Life Quality Index at baseline and at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. At baseline, women reported significantly lower quality of life than men, with higher Dermatological Life Quality Index scores in the IL-17 inhibitor group (15.0 vs 11.0, p = 0.027), IL-12/23 inhibitor group (7.5 vs 7.0, p = 0.049), and non-biologic therapy group (13.0 vs 9.0, p < 0.001). Although quality of life improved across all subgroups during the follow-up period, women treated with IL-12/23 inhibitors continued to report worse quality of life compared with men after 2 years (p < 0.05), while no significant differences were observed with other therapies. These findings emphasize that women with psoriasis experience lower quality of life at treatment initiation and throughout non-biologic and biologic therapies, underlining the importance of addressing gender-specific differences in the management of psoriasis.

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Author Biography

Ramtin Lichtenberger, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

Affiliations:

  • Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
  • Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

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Published

2025-02-06

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Lichtenberger, R., Maul, L. V., Birkenmaier, I., Oyanguren, I., Ak, M., Heidemeyer, K., … Maul, J.-T. (2025). Sex Disparities of Health-related Quality of Life in Moderate to Severe Psoriasis: A Real-world Analysis from the Swiss Psoriasis Registry (SDNTT). Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 105, adv42296. https://doi.org/10.2340/actadv.v105.42296

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Vol. 105 (2025)

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Copyright (c) 2025 Ramtin Lichtenberger, Lara Valeska Maul, Ion Birkenmaier, Iker Oyanguren, Melike Ak, Kristine Heidemeyer, Christoph Schlapbach, Nikhil Yawalkar, Alexander Egeberg, Simon Francis Thomsen, Jacob P. Thyssen, Christina Sorbe, Wolf-Henning Boehncke, Curdin Conrad, Antonio Cozzio, Georgios Kokolakis, Raphael Micheroli, Jashin J. Wu, Thomas Kündig, Alexander Navarini, Julia-Tatjana Maul

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