E.S. is a 15-year-old girl brought to the clinic for the fourth time in the last year with an inflammatory set of lesions on her back and chest, These lesions are surrounded by normal skin. They are highly irritated and the client complains that she can barely stand to wear clothing over these areas. The client’s mother states that this runs in the family.
Case Study
Considering the signs and symptoms presented what is the likely diagnosis for E.S.? Be specific.
The symptoms of the patient indicate that she is suffering from psoriasis which is an autoimmune disease and can run in the family just like the mother of the patient indicated.
What is the underlying pathophysiology of this inflammatory process?
The pathophysiology of psoriasis includes the uncontrollable production of keratinocytes. It includes hyper-proliferation and inflammation of the skin. An increase in DNA synthesis leads to hyper-proliferation and decreased rate of healthy cells in the epidermis. This decrease in the production of healthy skin cells leads to spread of the inflammation and causes psoriasis to spread (Price & Jackson, 2007).
What are the comorbidities for this disorder? Why?
Comorbidity is the presence of the disease along with another disease in the host’s body. The comorbidities of psoriasis are psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, psychological disorders and uveitis. Initially, it was believed that psoriasis was an independent cause of cardiovascular risk aggravation, however; recent studies found that it increases the risk of celiac disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver and erectile dysfunction. These risks can be reduced through the treatment of psoriasis. Other than that different lifestyles may also result in different comorbidities (de Oliveira et al., 2015).
How is this disorder treated, and what is the rationale for using these specific treatments?
The treatment of psoriasis aims to control the rapid growth of the skin cells and remove the scales. The treatments employed include tropical therapy, light therapy, oral medication and injections. Tropical therapy uses different ointments to heal the skin. Light therapy is used for severe cases; it involves controlled exposure to light and repeated treatments are required. If other treatments fail then medication is used to treat psoriasis. In some cases, these treatments are used in combination to eliminate the disease (Psoriasis – Diagnosis and Treatment – Mayo Clinic, n.d.)
Are we seeking a cure, or symptomatic relief with each treatment discussed?
The treatments seek to cure the disease but if one fails then others are used and in some cases, these treatments are combined to cure the severe cases of psoriasis.
References
de Oliveira, M. de F. S. P., Rocha, B. de O., & Duarte, G. V. (2015). Psoriasis: Classical and emerging comorbidities. Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia, 90(1), 9–20. https://doi.org/10.1590/abd1806-4841.20153038
Price, B. A., & Jackson, J. B. (2007). Psoriasis. In S. J. Enna & D. B. Bylund (Eds.), XPharm: The Comprehensive Pharmacology Reference (pp. 1–6). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-008055232-3.60794-9
Psoriasis—Diagnosis and treatment—Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/psoriasis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355845
