"Currently, there is no complete cure, so managing psoriasis is crucial in the treatment strategy," said Dr. Bui Long, Deputy Director of Huu Nghi Hospital, at the opening ceremony of the hospital's specialized psoriasis clinic on 25/6.

The Ministry of Health records approximately 2 million Vietnamese living with psoriasis. While not fatal, the disease significantly impacts patients' mental well-being and quality of life.

Psoriasis manifests as red patches of skin with white scales, appearing scattered or widespread across the body. The three main issues in psoriasis progression are recurrence, an increased incidence of comorbidities, and the development of psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriasis severely affects the skin, causing stigma, despite the fact that it is not contagious. For some patients with severe cases, the first task upon waking is to clear scales from their bed sheets, making their lives feel as burdensome as "end-stage cancer".

Furthermore, cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome are the most common and dangerous comorbidities in psoriasis patients. The chronic inflammation in psoriasis can affect blood vessels and the heart, increasing the risk of hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. The combination of these factors is known as metabolic syndrome, which raises the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke.

"If co-existing conditions are not well-controlled, psoriasis will worsen, the risk of complications will increase, treatment efficacy will decrease, and the patient's mental state will be affected," Dr. Long said.

Associate Professor Dr. Le Huu Doanh examines a psoriasis patient at Huu Nghi Hospital on 25/6. Photo: Minh Huyen

Associate Professor Dr. Le Huu Doanh, Director of the National Hospital of Dermatology and Venereology, stated that while psoriasis cannot be completely cured, early and proper treatment can allow patients to live nearly normal lives.

Currently, medicine offers four groups of treatment methods: topical medications, systemic phototherapy, oral medications, and biological drugs. Biological drugs are the newest treatment method, targeting specific pathways with high safety and efficacy. Many biological drugs cost from 150 million to 250 million dong per year for treatment, with a portion covered by health insurance.

The specialized clinic for psoriasis and autoimmune skin diseases at the National Hospital of Dermatology and Venereology was established in 2014. It manages nearly 6,000 psoriasis patients, with about 1,000 currently undergoing treatment with biological drugs. To standardize psoriasis treatment nationwide, the hospital has supported healthcare facilities in establishing specialized clinics over the past two years.

Huu Nghi Hospital is currently the 30th unit in the national network of specialized psoriasis clinics and the 13th general hospital to establish such a clinic. Healthcare facilities with specialized psoriasis clinics help patients manage the disease, reduce negative psychological impacts, and prevent and minimize complications.

Le Nga