National Psoriasis Foundation releases consensus statement on management of generalized pustular psoriasis

The statement, recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, features five consensus statements that underscore the urgency with which GPP should be treated and offers additional insight into management of the disease for clinicians, payors, and patients.

GPP is a rare and potentially life-threatening chronic neutrophilic skin disease characterized by flares of widespread eruptions of painful, sterile pustules across the body. Flares greatly affect a person's quality of life and can lead to hospitalization with serious complications, including heart failure, renal failure, sepsis, and death. In addition to the acute distress of a GPP flare, living with the uncertainty of the impact of the next flare can have a significant emotional burden on patients.

The authors reached a high consensus on the statement that GPP is a life-threatening skin disease that needs to be treated as quickly as possible, acknowledging that half of patients affected by GPP will require hospitalization as a result of GPP flares. The consensus also states that while GPP should be diagnosed based on an assessment of clinical features, a skin biopsy should not be required for diagnosis, as it may delay timely treatment.

Among other guidance outlined in the paper includes a strong group consensus on the need for timely access to FDA-approved therapies for GPP. “Delays can increase the risk of mortality in patients with this rapidly progressing disease,” the statement reads. “Timely access to approved therapies is critical to reducing morbidity and mortality in patients presenting with GPP."

“As a rare disease, GPP often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for many years. Even some dermatologists and healthcare providers are not familiar with its symptoms. Given what we know about the impact that GPP can have on patients’ physical and emotional wellbeing, having consensus on a standardized disease management and treatment approach that supports diagnosis and urgent treatment is vital,” said Claudia Beqaj, Executive Director, Dermatology Sales and Marketing, Boehringer Ingelheim.