Associations of Sleep Pattern and Genetic Risk with Late-Onset Psoriasis: A Large Prospective Cohort Study

Area of Science:

• Dermatology and Sleep Medicine

Background:

• Sleep disturbances are increasingly recognized as potential contributors to various health conditions.
• The interplay between sleep patterns, genetic predisposition, and the risk of developing psoriasis remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between sleep disturbance and incident psoriasis risk.
• To examine the interaction effect of sleep patterns and genetic risk on psoriasis development.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study involving over 500,000 participants from the UK Biobank (2006-2010).
• Sleep patterns were assessed based on chronotype, duration, insomnia, snoring, and daytime sleepiness.
• A weighted genetic risk score for psoriasis was constructed and categorized.
• Interaction effects between sleep patterns and genetic risk factors were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Poor sleep patterns were significantly associated with a higher risk of incident psoriasis (HR=1.656).
• This association was more pronounced in female participants (HR=2.050).
• The combined effect of high genetic risk and poor sleep significantly increased psoriasis risk (HR=3.620).
• An interaction effect between sleep pattern and genetic risk was detected, with population attributable fractions comparable for both factors.

Conclusions:

• Poor sleep is a significant risk factor for developing psoriasis, particularly in women.
• Genetic predisposition and sleep patterns interact to influence psoriasis risk.
• Addressing sleep disturbances may be a potential strategy for psoriasis prevention, especially in genetically susceptible individuals.