Systemic steroids unlikely to cause psoriasis flares: study

US researchers say their findings question the dogma in clinical guidelines
Reuters Health Staff writer
man with plaque psorasis on shoulder and torso

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.