Epidemiology of pediatric psoriasis: a population-based study using two Italian data sources

Abstract

Background

Psoriasis can be associated with certain comorbidities. This information is important for family pediatricians (FPs) and general practitioners (GPs) who have a key role in the identification and management of skin diseases. This study aimed to assess the incidence and prevalence rates of pediatrics psoriasis and its association with specific comorbidities.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was performed in patients aged less than 18 years registered in two Italian primary care databases (Pedianet and HSD) between 2015 and 2019. Prevalence and incidence of psoriasis were estimated, and a case-control design was adopted to assess specific comorbidities in psoriasis patients.

Results

The annual prevalence rate of psoriasis was 0.2% in Pedianet and between 0.5% and 0.7% in HSD. The incidence rate ranged from 0.47 to 0.58 and from 1.3 to 1.77 per 1000 person-years in Pedianet and HSD, respectively. Allergic rhinitis, asthma, celiac disease, other malabsorption disease and non-infective cutaneous diseases showed a statistically significant association with psoriasis in Pedianet, while no statistically significant difference was found in HSD.

Conclusion

Given the FP-GP transition of patients, there is a need for accurate registration of clinical correlates, enabling GPs to implement strategies to minimize the lifetime risk of psoriatic progression.

Keywords:

• psoriasis
• epidemiology
• incidence
• prevalence
• comorbidities

Transparency

Declaration of funding

This article was supported by Novartis Pharma Italy. The corresponding author had full access to all the data in the study and had final responsibility for the decision to submit it for publication.

Declaration of financial/other relationships

FL and EM provided consultancies in protocol preparation for epidemiological studies and data analyses for Abbvie, UCB and Janssen. CC provided clinical consultancies for Abbvie, UCB and Janssen. NC, EB, GAV and CG declared no conflict of interest. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Author contributions

FL, NC, GAV, EB, CG have made substantial contributions to conception and design, or acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data.

FL, EM, NC, GAV, EB, CG and CC have been involved in drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content.

CG and CC are responsible for the integrity of the work, and he given final approval of the version to be published. Each author should have participated sufficiently in the work to take public responsibility for appropriate portions of the content. FL agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Data availability statement

No individual patient-level data will be shared.

Ethics statement

This study followed the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and compliant with the ENCePP (European Network of Centres for Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacovigilance) Guide on Methodological Standards in Pharmacoepidemiology. The study protocol was approved by the Scientific Committee of the Italian College of General Practitioners and Primary Care.