National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Generalized pustular psoriasis



Other Names:
Psoriasis 14, pustular; GPP
Categories:
This disease is grouped under:

Generalized pustular psoriasis is a severe inflammatory skin condition that can be life-threatening. Affected people develop episodes of red and tender skin with widespread pustules throughout their body. This is generally accompanied by fever, chills, headache, rapid pulse rate, loss of appetite, nausea and muscle weakness. The condition generally resolves within days or weeks; however, relapses are common.[1] Some cases of generalized pustular psoriasis are caused by changes (mutations) in the IL36RN gene and are inherited in an autosomal recessive manner.[2] Possible triggers for sporadic forms of the condition include withdrawal from corticosteroids, exposure to certain medications, and/or infection; however, in many cases, the underlying cause is unknown. Generalized pustular psoriasis can be life threatening, so hospitalization and a specialist's care is usually required. Affected areas are treated with topical (on the skin) compresses with emollients and/or steroid creams. Certain medications may also be recommended to manage non-skin-related symptoms.[1]
Last updated: 11/11/2015

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Cholangitis
Bile duct inflammation
0030151
Furrowed tongue
Grooved tongue
0000221
Geographic tongue 0025252
Nail dysplasia
Atypical nail growth
0002164
Nail dystrophy
Poor nail formation
0008404
Oligoarthritis 0040313
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Autosomal recessive inheritance 0000007
Epidermal acanthosis
Thickening of upper layer of skin
0025092
Erythema 0010783
Fever 0001945
Parakeratosis 0001036
Psoriasiform dermatitis 0003765
Pustule
Pimple
0200039
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources


Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease


Living with a genetic or rare disease can impact the daily lives of patients and families. These resources can help families navigate various aspects of living with a rare disease.

Financial Resources

  • Good Days provides help to patients with life-altering conditions. Assistance includes help with the cost of medications and travel.
  • The Assistance Fund provides various services, including education and financial aid, to help patients with a chronic or serious illness cover the cost of FDA-approved medications. Patients must be U.S citizens or permanent residents.

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains information on Generalized pustular psoriasis. This website is maintained by the National Library of Medicine.

In-Depth Information

  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Generalized pustular psoriasis. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.


  1. Generalised pustular psoriasis. DermNetNZ. September, 2014; http://dermnetnz.org/scaly/pustular-psoriasis.html. Accessed 10/27/2015.
  2. PSORIASIS 14, PUSTULAR. OMIM. November 2014; http://www.omim.org/entry/614204.