Nineteen months into the pandemic, what have we learned about COVID-19-related outcomes in patients with psoriasis?

Background: The impact of psoriasis on the outcomes of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is yet to be precisely delineated. Objectives: To assess the risk of COVID-19, COVID-19-associated hospitalization, and mortality among patients with psoriasis as compared with age-, sex-, and ethnicitymatched control subjects. In addition, we aim to delineate determinants of COVID-19-associated hospitalization and mortality in patients with psoriasis. Methods: A population-based retrospective cohort study was performed to longitudinally follow patients with psoriasis and their matched controls with regard to COVID-19-related outcomes. The risk of COVID-19 infection, COVID-19-associated hospitalization, and mortality were assessed using uni- and multi-variable Cox regression analyses. Determinants of COVID-19-associated hospitalization and mortality were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: The study population included 144304 patients with psoriasis and 144304 age- and sex-matched control individuals. Patients with psoriasis displayed a slightly elevated risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (fully-adjusted HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.03-1.08; p <0.001). Relative to controls, patients with psoriasis had comparable multivariate risk of COVID-19-associated hospitalization (fully-adjusted HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.99-1.18; p = 0.065) and COVID-19-associated mortality (fully-adjusted HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.73-1,05; p = 0.162). When evaluating individuals hospitalized due to COVID-19, patients with psoriasis were more likely to have type-2 diabetes mellitus (adjusted OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.03-1.50; p = 0.027) and obesity (adjusted OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.13-1.65; p = 0.001) relative to controls. Conclusions: While patients with psoriasis are at a higher risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 infection, they are not more susceptible to the complications of COVID-19.

Automated summary

Patients with psoriasis have a slightly higher risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 infection, but they are equally susceptible to COVID-19-related hospitalization and mortality compared to the control group. Patients with psoriasis are more likely to have type-2 diabetes mellitus and obesity when hospitalized due to COVID-19.