A study shows differences in the ethno-racial presentation of psoriasis. The results appeared in Dermatology Online Journal.
“Skin of colored patients with psoriasis are more likely to remain undiagnosed and experience a greater impact on quality of life than their white counterparts. A better understanding of the ethno-racial differences in the presentation of psoriasis can help address these disparities,” the researchers said.
In this study, researchers sought to compare psoriatic subtypes (plaque, guttate, pustular, erythrodermic, palmoplantar, and inverse) and lesion locations among Caucasian, Asian, and Hispanic/Latino patients. They conducted a cross-sectional, patient-reported, physician-reviewed survey comprised of 882 adult and 16 pediatric psoriasis patients seen by dermatologists between 2006 and 2016. The investigators used multivariate logistic regression to compare the prevalence of psoriasis subtypes among the respective ethnicities.
According to the findings, both Asians and Hispanics/Latinos had higher odds of having pustular psoriasis compared to their White counterparts (OR=4.36 [95%CI: 1.24-17.62], P=0.026; and OR=5.94 [95% CI, 1.03-31.03], P=0.036, respectively). Moreover, the analysis showed that Asians also had a higher frequency of erythrodermic psoriasis (OR=5.56 [95% CI, 1.41-27.17], P=0.018), but a lower frequency of inverse psoriasis compared to Caucasians (OR=0.26 [95% CI, 0.06-0.80], P=0.036).
“These differences may relate to genetic or environmental factors or access to care,” the researchers said of the findings. They concluded that: “Clinician awareness of ethno-racial differences in psoriasis subtype and lesion location can facilitate earlier diagnosis and therapeutic intervention.”
