Clinic-based Group Multi-professional Education Causes Significant Decline in Psoriasis Severity: A Randomized Open Label Pilot Study

BACKGROUND: The evidence for efficacy of psychoeducational interventions in psoriasis is not well researched. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the benefits of a group, multi-professional, psychoeducational training in psoriasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adults with moderate-to-severe psoriasis were randomized into psychoeducational intervention plus treatment (intervention arm [IA]) and treatment as usual alone (control arm [CA]) groups using random number tables. The primary efficacy measures were mean changes in Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) at 6months from the end of intervention. The secondary efficacy measures were the mean changes in the WHO-5 well-being index (WHO-5) and the subsets of the patient health questionnaire (PHQ), namely, PHQ-9, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)-7, andPHQ-15. Datawere analyzed by intention-to-treat analysis. RESULTS: One-hundred and three participants were randomized into IA (n = 54) and CA (n = 49). The prevalence of psychiatric disorders in the entire population was 26.2% and was similar in both groups. Following intervention, there was statistically significant improvement in the mean scores in PASI, DLQI, and WHO-5 in the IA unlike that seen in the CA. There was statistically significant improvement in PHQ-9 scores in IA and CA. The scores on PHQ-15 and GAD-7 did not show any change. Intergroup comparisons showed that PASI was reduced significantly in IA as compared to CA. More participants in CA dropped out of the study than in the IA. LIMITATIONS: Modest sample size and lack of blinding of the participants and the administrators were the limitations of this study. CONCLUSION: Group psychoeducational intervention resulted in overall improvement in both clinical and psychological outcome measures in psoriasis patients.