Although dermatologists are taught to avoid systemic steroids because of psoriasis flare risk, the rates and severity of flaring are “very low”, US researchers say.

The team from a health system in Wisconsin analysed a cohort of 1970 adults with psoriasis and exposure to at least one systemic corticosteroid from 2012-18.

They obtained detailed medical records for a subset of 516 patients (mean age 50, 56% female), some of whom had a psoriasis consultation either during the period when they were taking the steroids or in the three months after discontinuation.

Some 11% were receiving concurrent systemic psoriasis therapies and the median corticosteroid dose was 40mg per day, for a median of between six and nine days.