Comparative Analysis of Small and Large Plaque Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a common chronic skin disorder with an estimated prevalence in populations of approximately 2%. Psoriatic skin lesions start with initial pinhead-sized macules and then coalesce into plaques of varying sizes in diameter from one to several centimeters.

Despite the great strides in the studies for psoriasis, it is still unclear why psoriatic skin lesions start with small macules and then spread peripherally. The occurrence of psoriasis is thought to be the pathological consequence of an exaggerated immune response as activated T cells, monocytes, neutrophils, and dendritic cells produce inflammatory cytokines that drive the additional recruitment of inflammatory cells, further elaboration of proinflammatory mediators, and the proliferation of keratinocytes. However, pathogenetic mechanism for peripheral spreading of psoriasis needs to be further elucidated.

To study peripheral spreading of psoriasis, investigators plan to study "small plaque psoriasis" and compare it to "large plaque psoriasis" in the Korean population.

Psoriasis vulgaris, so-called "large plaque psoriasis", is the most common form of psoriasis, seen in approximately 90% of all psoriasis patients. Red, scaly, symmetrically distributed plaques are usually larger than 5 cm in diameter and characteristically localized to the extensor aspects of the extremities, particularly the elbows and knees, along with scalp, lower lumbosacral, buttocks, and genital involvement. Approximately 1/4 to 1/3 of large plaque psoriasis participants have involvement of over 5% of their body surface area (BSA), and disease of this extent is frequently painful and physically and/or socially debilitating to a degree comparable with other chronic medical conditions.

On the other hand, "small plaque psoriasis" is the common or typical form of psoriasis that occurs in adults particularly in Korea and other Asian countries. Korean small plaque psoriasis, even when chronic, remain <2 cm in size and widely distributed on upper trunk and proximal extremities. Small plaque psoriasis is less severe than large plaque psoriasis, as it usually responds to phototherapy and more potent therapies are rarely needed.

It is also noteworthy that there are well-known human leukocyte antigen (HLA) differences in Caucasians in comparison with Asian participants with psoriasis, and a unique HLA haplotype has been described in Korean participants with psoriasis. Furthermore, an allele of an HLA-related gene, known as major histocompatibility complex I chain-related gene A, is known as a susceptibility marker in Korean and Chinese participants with psoriasis, but not in Spanish participants.

For a more comprehensive analysis of the difference between small and large plaque psoriasis, investigators plan to compare these two different types of psoriasis only in the Korean population. The study of a genetically homogeneous cohort, characterized by the relatively high prevalence of small plaque psoriasis in the Korean population, may filter out spurious signals while allowing for significant associations to emerge from a relatively low number of participants. By comparing Korean psoriasis participants in two geographically separated locations (Seoul, Korea vs. New York, NY, USA), it will also be interesting to understand the interactions between genetics and the environment that are still not well defined.

It is anticipated this study could lead to new understanding of the mechanisms involved in the spreading of psoriatic plaques and provide new insight into psoriasis pathogenesis.