The disease is not contagious, and it is rarely followed by severe complications. Psoriasis affects around 2 % of people in the UK, and most often it develops in people aged 15-30. What exactly causes this reaction remains unknown, but today we know that it can be triggered by emotional stress, infections, alcohol, some types of medication and skin lesions.
The reason why the skin forms a layer of scales is that the skin cells multiply 6 times faster than normal in psoriasis patients. Because of this, the cells in the different layers of skin will not mature and form the soft, smooth surface seen in skin with normal regeneration. When the skin cells multiply so quickly, the blood vessels expand and therefore, the scaly patches are often red and irritated. The current treatment of psoriasis varies a lot, ranging from creams, ointments and shampoos to injections, UV treatments and medications. A recent study from Manchester University has examined a new drug’s effect on 2,500 psoriasis patients and 90 % showed improvement. 40 % of the patients were completely clear of plaques after 12 weeks of treatment. Half the participants were given the new drug Ixekizumab while the other half were given either a placebo or a widely used psoriasis treatment called etanercept.
Around half of the patients treated with Ixekizumab showed improvement as early as week four of the trial and around 71 % showed significant improvement in their symptoms. The visible characteristics caused by psoriasis does not only affect a person physically, it also has a negative impact on the patient’s confidence and self-esteem. In addition to the physical improvements, the researchers behind the study also describe psychological improvements. Patients treated with Ixekizumab expressed improved quality of life as they felt more confident and suffered less from daily complications such as itching – far more improvement than in the two other groups.
The drug Ixekizumab is a cloned antibody neutralising the inflammatory effects of interleukin, a protein in the skin which carries signals to cells. This particular protein is increasingly becoming recognised as one of the causes of psoriasis, as it triggers the inflammatory response which causes the red, scaly patches. In March 2016, the drug was approved by the FDA for patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. FDA is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration which protects public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The FDA, however, does warn that the drug might reduce the body’s ability to fight infections as it affects the immune system.
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