Psoriasis is a chronic, non-fatal disease, for which there are many local and general treatments. But did you know that certain forms of psoriasis can lead to critical situations, hospitalizations, and life-threatening conditions?
Summary
Other people often have unhelpful things to say about psoriasis, like "it's nothing serious", "it won't kill you", "it's all in your head", and "they're only red plaques". It is true that psoriasis is a chronic, non-fatal disease, for which there are many local and systemic treatments. While these treatments cannot currently cure psoriasis, they help manage the main symptoms and relieve the patient's discomfort, which is already a marked improvement on other diseases for which there are no solutions.
But did you know that some forms of psoriasis can leave patients in a critical condition, leading to hospitalization, or life-threatening events? Erythrodermic psoriasis is a very rare but extremely serious form of psoriasis. In erythrodermic psoriasis, over 90%, i.e. almost all of the skin, is affected by psoriasis, as if the entire skin was covered in a single, giant, red and scaly plaque. This condition is very dangerous for patients, and as with burn victims, in erythrodermic psoriasis, the skin no longer acts as a barrier which leads to a significant risk of superinfection, dehydration and various other disorders of the vital organs and bodily functions.
Cases of erythrodermic psoriasis vary widely. It can develop gradually (chronic form), but can also occur suddenly (acute form). Sometimes it is the patient's first psoriasis flare-up, other times it occurs when treatment is discontinued. It should also be noted that erythroderma can be associated with other diseases: eczema, reactions to drugs, cancer, etc.
In cases of erythrodermic psoriasis, hospitalization is required in order to closely monitor patients and to administer strong psoriasis treatment, most often by general route.
