Disease concomitance in psoriasis: a clinical study of 61 cases

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Internal Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition.
• Understanding associated comorbidities is crucial for comprehensive patient care.
• Previous studies have explored comorbidities in psoriasis, but specific frequencies require ongoing investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of concomitant cutaneous and systemic diseases in patients with psoriasis.
• To compare the frequency of these conditions with age- and sex-matched controls.
• To identify potential associations between psoriasis severity and comorbidities like Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 61 patients diagnosed with psoriasis.
• Comparison with 61 age- and sex-matched control subjects.
• Data collection focused on documented cutaneous and systemic diseases, including Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection.

Main Results:

• The most frequent concomitant cutaneous diseases observed were lichen simplex chronicus (16.3%), verruca vulgaris (9.8%), and impetigo (4.9%).
• Among systemic disorders, diabetes (13.1%) and hypertension (8.1%) were most common in psoriasis patients.
• Two patients (3.2%) with psoriasis had Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection, presenting with severe and atypical lesions.

Conclusions:

• Psoriasis is frequently associated with specific cutaneous and systemic comorbidities.
• Diabetes and hypertension are significant systemic conditions co-occurring with psoriasis.
• The presence of severe, atypical lesions in psoriasis patients with HIV warrants further investigation into this specific comorbidity.