Psoriasis in the US Medicare Population: Prevalence, Treatment, and Factors Associated with Biologic Use.

ABSTRACT: Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory disorder, primarily of the skin. Despite an aging population, knowledge of the epidemiology of psoriasis and its treatments among the elderly is limited. We examined the prevalence of psoriasis and its treatments, with a focus on biologics and identification of factors associated with biologic use, using a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries in 2011. On the basis of several psoriasis identification algorithms, the claims-based prevalence for psoriasis in the United States ranged from 0.51 to 1.23%. Treatments used for moderate-to-severe psoriasis (phototherapy, oral systemic, or biologic therapies) were received by 27.3% of the total psoriasis sample, of whom 37.2% used biologics. Patients without a Medicare Part D low-incom

SUBMITTER: Takeshita J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4549797 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature