| ORIGINAL RESEARCH REPORT |
|
| Year : 2016 | Volume
: 13
| Issue : 3 | Page : 137-142 |
|
|
Clinical pattern of psoriasis in patients seen at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria
Olusola Ayanlowo, Ayesha Akinkugbe
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
Correspondence Address:
Olusola Ayanlowo
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos
Nigeria
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/2468-6859.185251
|
|
|
Background and Objectives: Psoriasis is a chronic, papulosquamous disorder of the skin with variable morphology, characterized by periods of remission and reactivity. Psoriasis is less common in the tropics and in dark-skinned persons. Prevalence in West Africans has been noted to be similar to that of the African-Americans suggesting a similarity in genetic ancestry. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of psoriasis and precipitating factors in Nigerian patients. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study of all dermatology patients with features of psoriasis who attended the dermatology outpatient clinic of the hospital between January 2007 and May 2012. Data were obtained from the patients' clinic notes and protocol for psoriasis, which documented patients' demographic data, clinical presentations, and precipitating factors. Results: Psoriasis was found in 1.13% (124/11,015) of the study population. There was a male preponderance with a male to female ratio of 1.34:1. The majority of patients seen were in the fourth decade of life. Stress, alcohol, and drugs were the most reported predisposing factors to psoriasis. All types of psoriasis were found, and plaque psoriasis was the most common. Conclusion: This study confirms the increasing frequency of psoriasis among dermatology patients in Nigeria, which may either be due to an increased proficiency in diagnosing the condition by physicians or increase prevalence of environmental factors. The current trend in the management of psoriasis is focused on treating the inflammatory process as well as managing the modifiable environmental triggers. |
|
|
|
| [FULL TEXT] [PDF]* |
|
 |
|
