Risk for appendicitis, cholecystitis, or diverticulitis in patients with psoriasis

Numerous comorbidities have been associated with psoriasis; however, no studies have considered the relationship between psoriasis and appendicitis, cholecystitis, or diverticulitis. To determine the incidence rate and hazard risk (HR) ratio of appendicitis, cholecystitis, or diverticulitis in patients with psoriasis, we compared psoriasis patients with healthy controls from the Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) health network. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to examine the risk for appendicitis, cholecystitis, or diverticulitis. Patients with psoriasis had a 1.16 times greater risk for developing diverticulitis compared to controls (P < .01). There was no significant difference in risk for developing appendicitis or cholecystitis. Patients with psoriasis may have an elevated risk for diverticulitis compared to the general population and therefore might require additional monitoring by clinicians.