Pediatric psoriasis: Should we be concerned with comorbidity? Cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dermatology
• Metabolic Health
• Chronic Disease Comorbidity

Background:

• Recent research indicates a link between pediatric psoriasis and various comorbidities, similar to adult psoriasis.
• Understanding these associations is vital for comprehensive patient care.
• This study aims to describe comorbidities in children with psoriasis and their relationship to disease characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe comorbidities associated with pediatric psoriasis.
• To investigate the relationship between comorbidities and psoriasis characteristics/severity.
• To conduct a literature review on pediatric psoriasis comorbidities.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted.
• The study included Moroccan children diagnosed with psoriasis.
• Data was collected between 2014 and 2016.

Main Results:

• 64 children had metabolic comorbidities (abdominal obesity, overweight, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia).
• 7 children had non-metabolic comorbidities (atopy, epilepsy, celiac disease, vitiligo, alopecia ariata, valvular cardiopathy).
• Extended psoriasis vulgaris (>10% BSA), severe forms (pustular, erythroderma), nail/face involvement, resistance to treatment, and altered quality of life were significantly associated with metabolic comorbidity.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric psoriasis is frequently associated with numerous comorbidities.
• Investigating and identifying these comorbidities is essential for effective psoriasis management and preventing treatment failure.
• Regular follow-up is recommended for pediatric psoriasis patients at risk of metabolic comorbidity.