Materials and Method: We performed a retrospective review of 508 psoriasis cases and evaluated 89 patients, older than 65-years-old, with psoriasis. Patients were divided into two groups according to the age at disease onset: early-onset psoriasis (before age 40) and late-onset psoriasis (after age 40). All data were compared for the two groups.
Results: Elderly patients with psoriasis comprised 17.6% of all patients. The median age was 70-years-old, with a male to female ratio of 1.4. Past family history was known for 25% of patients. The primary subtype was plaque-type psoriasis and 78.7% of patients had moderate-severe psoriasis. The two common comorbidities were hypertension (57.3%) and diabetes mellitus (33.7%). In total, 32.5% had early-onset psoriasis and 67.5% had late-onset psoriasis. Patients with early-onset psoriasis had a significantly higher prevalence in their family history (p=0.020). There was no significant difference between clinical subtypes, disease severity, nail and joint involvement, or treatment modalities, according to the age at disease onset. Nevertheless, we found a statistically significant correlation between late-onset psoriasis and hypertension (p=0.014).
Conclusion: This study underlined epidemiological and clinical features of psoriasis in the elderly. Excluding hypertension, the age at disease onset did not show an impact on disease characteristics or comorbidities.
Keywords : Risk Factors; Comorbidity; Aged; Psoriasis; Age of Onset