Información de la revista
Vol. 109. Núm. 8.
Páginas 672 (octubre 2018)
Vol. 109. Núm. 8.
Páginas 672 (octubre 2018)
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Why Shouldn’t We Forget About the Role of Clinical Psychologists in the Treatment of Patients with Psoriasis?
¿Por qué no debemos olvidar el papel del psicólogo clínico en el abordaje terapéutico de los pacientes con psoriasis?
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A. Martin-Gorgojoa,
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alejandromartingorgojo@aedv.es

Corresponding author.
, R. Martin-Brufaub
a Clínica Dermatológica Internacional, Madrid, España
b Centro de Salud Mental de Lorca, Lorca, Murcia, España
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In 1985, the American writer John Updike published an article in The New Yorker entitled “At War With my Skin”, in which he shared his experience, emotions, and coping strategies as a patient with psoriasis.1 Thirty years later, based on data from 823 patients, we are able to show that the severity and extension of lesions are in fact correlated with the presence of negative emotions.2 It is now pertinent to ask in which direction this correlation runs.

Given that a reduction in the severity of lesions improves self-perceived anxiety and mood,3 it might seem reasonable to expect that an improvement in psoriasis lesions would lead to an improvement in psychological involvement. However, our experience, which is consistent with that of the Dermatology Department of Hospital Universitario Doctor Negrín, points to a more complex relationship.

The article by Madrid-Álvarez et al.4 shows that psychological involvement tends to persist, even in patients whose psoriasis is almost completely under control (PASI<2). This finding coincides with those of studies showing that mood was independent of improvement in lesions5 or that mood disorders persisted during remission periods.6

Articles such as that cited and appearing in actas dermo-sifiliográficas4 help to ensure that we do not forget the need to provide patients with comprehensive care. This includes measures for identifying and reducing the psychological involvement that, despite the evidence, can—and usually does—go unnoticed by health professionals.7

References
[1]
J. Updike.
At war with my skin.
The New Yorker, 2 (1985), pp. 39
[2]
R. Martin-Brufau, S. Romero-Brufau, A. Martin-Gorgojo, C. Brufau Redondo, J. Corbalan, J. Ulnik.
Psoriasis lesions are associated with specific types of emotions. Emotional profile in psoriasis.
Eur J Dermatol, 25 (2015), pp. 329-334
[3]
R.M. Pujol, L. Puig, E. Dauden, J.L. Sanchez-Carazo, J. Toribio, F. Vanaclocha, et al.
Mental health self-assessment in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis: An observational, multicenter study of 1164 patients in Spain (the VACAP study).
Actas Dermosifiliogr, 104 (2013), pp. 897-903
[4]
M.B. Madrid-Álvarez, G. Carretero-Hernández, A. González-Quesada, J.M. González-Martín.
Medición del impacto psicológico en pacientes con psoriasis en tratamiento sistémico.
Actas Dermosifiliogr, (2018),
[5]
K. Kotsis, P.V. Voulgari, N. Tsifetaki, M.O. Machado, A.F. Carvalho, F. Creed, et al.
Anxiety and depressive symptoms and illness perceptions in psoriatic arthritis and associations with physical health-related quality of life.
Arthritis Care Res, 64 (2012), pp. 1593-1601
[6]
J.A. Bahmer, J. Kuhl, F.A. Bahmer.
How do personality systems interact in patients with psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and urticaria?.
Acta Dermatol Venereol, 87 (2007), pp. 317-324
[7]
P.A. Nelson, C.A. Chew-Graham, C.E. Griffiths, L. Cordingley.
Recognition of need in health care consultations: A qualitative study of people with psoriasis.
Br J Dermatol, 168 (2013), pp. 354-361

Please cite this article as: Martin-Gorgojo A, Martin-Brufau R. ¿Por qué no debemos olvidar el papel del psicólogo clínico en el abordaje terapéutico de los pacientes con psoriasis?. Actas Dermosifiliogr. 2018;109:672.

Copyright © 2018. Elsevier España, S.L.U. and AEDV
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