Risk of psoriasis according to body mass index: A retrospective cohort analysis

• Published in: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology Vol. 86; no. 5; pp. 1020 - 1026
• Main Authors: Norden, Alexandra, Rekhtman, Sergey, Strunk, Andrew, Garg, Amit
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.05.2022
• Subjects: Body Mass Index; Cohort Studies; explorys; Humans; incidence; obese; obesity; Obesity - complications; Obesity - epidemiology; Overweight - epidemiology; psoriasis; Psoriasis - epidemiology; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Thinness - epidemiology; United States - epidemiology; weight; United States; IL; OR; TNF-a; body mass index; CI; weight; HR; explorys; obese; psoriasis; incidence; obesity; BMI
• ISSN: 0190-9622; 1097-6787
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2021.06.012

Psoriasis has been linked to obesity, although data on the incidence of psoriasis according to body mass index (BMI) are limited. To compare incidence of psoriasis among patients stratified by BMI category (normal or underweight, overweight, obese class 1, obese class 2/3). Retrospective cohort analysis of a demographically heterogeneous sample of over 1.5 million patients in the United States between January 1, 2008 and September 9, 2019. Crude incidence of psoriasis per 10,000 person-years was 9.5 (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.1-10.0) among normal or underweight patients, 11.9 (95% CI, 11.4-12.4) among overweight patients, 14.2 (95% CI, 13.6-14.9) among obese class 1 patients, and 17.4 (95% CI, 16.6-18.2) among obese class 2/3 patients. Compared to patients with BMI < 25.0, those who were overweight (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.12-1.27; P < .001), obese class 1 (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.43; CI, 1.34-1.53; P < .001) and obese class 2/3 (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.83; CI, 1.71-1.95; P < .001) significantly greater risks for developing psoriasis. Influence of obesity on psoriasis severity could not be measured. BMI independently influences the development of psoriasis. There appears to be a graded association between BMI and risk of psoriasis.