Factors Influencing Korean Psoriasis Patients: An analysis in relation to Extent and Disease activity

Yoon, Jai Il; Park, Byung Soon; Kim, Sang Duck

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a chronic relapsing disorder which is influenced by various external factors. A study involving a large number of patients with objective assessment methods may help us to elucidate correlations between external factors and the course of psoriasis.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to investigate the basic demographic data of psoriasis in a large number of Korean patients and to correlate disease activity, area of involvement with various external factors known to improve or worsen psoriasis.
METHODS
Epidemiological and clinical data with particular reference to the extent and activity of the condition in 1,600 psoriasis patients between 1982 and 1998 were collected and analysed.
RESULTS
1. Patients in their twenties were most common(28.7%). There were no sexual predominance in our patients. 2. With reference to the extent of this skin condition, 43.4% of patients were mild cases, 38.3% were moderate and 18.3% were severe. 3. With reference to the activity, 42.9% of patients were mild cases, 26.5% were moderate and 30.6% were severe. 4. The most common morphological features were nummular types(55.8%), followed by large plaque types(23.4%) and guttate types(14.5%). 5. 57% of patients experienced a11eviation of their lesions in summer while 65% of patients experienced aggravation in winter. 6. 55% of the patients experienced improvement of their lesions in sunlight exposure whereas 7% of the remainder experienced aggravation. 7. 64% of the patients replied that their lesions tend to aggravate after a stressful event. 8. Among those who experienced pregnancy, 40% replied that their lesions improved while being pregnant. On the other hand, 19% experienced aggravation. 9. Severe forms were overwhelming in large plaque types in relation to extent and activity (p<0.05). 10. Among the external factors investigated, stress showed statistically signficant association with the severity of psoriasis classified by extent and severity(p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
We investigated the epidemiological and clinical features of psoriasis in a large number of Korean patients in relation to various external factors. The condition in more than half of the patients was moderate or severe with reference to the extent and activity. Among external factors, stress seemed to have significant correlations with increased frequency in severe psoriasis patients.