Table 1.
Summary of recommendations on psoriasis management by international and US organizations during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, as of April 1, 2021a
| Status of Infection | International Recommendation: IPC and the EADV Psoriasis Task Force/SPIN | US Recommendation: NPF |
|---|---|---|
| No active COVID-19 infection, on systemic therapy (ie, biologics or oral medications) | Continue taking systemic therapy (EADV) | Continue taking systemic therapy |
| High-risk group, on immunomodulatory agents | Consult a health care provider regarding these risk factorsb (EADV) | Consult a health care provider regarding these risk factorsc |
| No active COVID-19 infection, being considered to initiate immunomodulatory agents | No statement at the time of writing | Consult a health care provider |
| COVID-19 infection, on systemic therapy (ie, biologics or oral medications) | Discontinue or postpone taking immunosuppressant treatment (IPC, EADV) | Consult a health care provider |
| Recovered from COVID-19 | No statement at the time of writing | Consult a health care provider |
| Professional Organization | Resource |
|---|---|
| IPC | https://www.psoriasiscouncil.org/blog/Statement-on-COVID-19-and-Psoriasis.htm |
| EADV Psoriasis Task Force/SPIN | https://www.eadv.org/cms-admin/showfile/7_PSORIASIS-SPIN%20TF%20Recommandations_Covid-Corner.pdf |
| NPF | https://www.psoriasis.org/advance/coronavirus |
Abbreviations: EADV, European Association of Dermatology and Venereology; IPC, International Psoriasis Council; NPF, National Psoriasis Foundation.
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) also issued recommendations for biologics, but they are not specific to a particular disease state. They are recommendations for all patients with dermatologic diseases on immunosuppressive agents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For EADV, high-risk is defined as advanced age (60 or older), have underlying health conditions (ie, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, asthma), and those who live in an area of high incidence of COVID-19 or those who have close contacts of confirmed persons with COVID-19.
For NPF, high risk is defined as advanced age (65 years or older) and having comorbidities such as chronic lung, heart, or kidney disease and metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity.