Cigarette Smoking, Body Mass Index, and Stress
as Psoriasis Risk FActors
Title: Cigarette smoking, body mass index, and
stressful life events as risk factors for psoriasis: results from
an Italian case-control study.
Authors: Naldi L, et al.
Publication: J Invest Dermatol. 2005 Jul;125(1):61-7.
The authors conducted a study to analyze the association of psoriasis
with smoking habits, body mass index (BMI) and stressful live
events. A total of 560 patients (with median or statistical average
age of 38) with recent breakout of psoriasis (recent episodes
less than 2 years after onset of disease) were enrolled. 690 patients
(median age 36) with other types of skin diseases were enrolled
as controls.
The authors found that the risk of psoriasis was only slightly
higher in ex- and current smokers (relative risk estimates of
1.9) than in those who never smoked (relative risk estimates of
1.7). Smoking was also strongly associated with pustular lesion
(32 patients, relative risk estimates of 5.3).
The frequency of psoriasis is also only slightly higher in those
with higher BMI, stressful life event, and history of psoriasis
in the immediate family members. The authors noted that these
factors act independently of each other and do not have significant
outcome when compared to smoking as a risk factor.