Depression and sleep quality in psoriatic patients: impact of psoriasis severity

Background: Psoriatic patients often display depression and sleep disturbances. In previous research, we found high rates of depression and poor sleep quality among psoriatic patients, unrelated to psoriasis severity. However, these results referred to a sample mainly composed of patients under remission. Aim: To compared the prevalence of depression and sleep disturbances in patients suffering from mild versus moderate-tosevere plaque psoriasis, also investigating the association between psoriasis severity and psychopathological variables.Keypoints Psoriasis affects the patients’ psychophysical health. Depressive symptoms and/or sleep disturbances are frequent among psoriatic patients. This study investigates these issues comparing the sub-populations of mild and moderate-to-severe psoriatic patients, with special attention to the association between sleep and pruritus. In clinical practice, the link between psychopathological disturbances and psoriasis should not be underestimated.