Obesity, hypertension, diabetes often accompany psoriasis diagnosis

the Clinical Advisor take:

Pediatric patients with psoriasis and atopic eczema show different and specific patterns of comorbidity, according research published in Dermatology.

“Juvenile psoriasis differs from psoriasis beginning in adulthood and is characterised by an increased rate of guttate psoriasis following infections, particularly with streptococci, or psychosocial stress situations,” noted Matthias Augustin, PhD, of the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany, and colleagues.

It is estimated that 30% to 60% of children with juvenile psoriasis develop plaque psoriasis, according to the researchers.

To characterize the profiles of comorbidity in children with psoriasis and atopic eczema, the investigators reviewed health insurance data of 293,181 children, aged up to 18 years, with psoriasis. Of the pediatric patients, 0.45% (n=1,313) had a diagnosis of psoriasis and 10.35% (n=30,354) had a diagnosis of atopic eczema.

Obesity, hyperlipidaemia, arterial hypertension and diabetes were more often diagnosed in children with psoriasis in comparison to all children without psoriasis and to those with atopic eczema, reported the scientists.

“Children with psoriasis show increased comorbidity associated with obesity. In contrast, atopic eczema in children is associated with significantly increased rates of atopic comorbidity such as allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma,” concluded the researchers.

“It can be assumed that the basic outcomes of the study both on the disease prevalence and the prevalence of comorbidity are valid for the German population.”