Clinical and epidemiological characterization of elderly patients with psoriasis: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Psoriasis is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory disease of the skin, characterized by hyper proliferation and abnormal differentiation of epidermal keratinocytes, which can also affect joints and nails. It presents a genetic predisposition and is influenced by environmental factors, with possible participation of stimuli, such as infections, psychological and emotional factors. There is a bimodal distribution of the age of diagnosis of the disease: in young adults between 20-30 years and between 50-60 years. There is a very well established association between psoriasis and other comorbidities, such as systemic arterial hypertension, type II diabetes mellitus, obesity and dyslipidemia, characterizing the metabolic syndrome. Studies have shown that psoriasis is an independent risk factor for the development of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. In Brazil, the number of individuals over 60 years of age has been increasing, as has the prevalence of psoriasis in this contingent. However, there are few epidemiological studies of psoriasis in the elderly. This project aims to characterize elderly patients with psoriasis, both clinically and epidemiologically, emphasizing the presence of comorbidities and psychological involvement. Data will be used to collect data: a form with clinical-demographic information, a clinometric index to evaluate the extent of the disease area (PASI), percentage of the body surface affected by psoriasis (BSA), global assessment by the physician (PGA), questionnaire of disease-related quality of life for patients with dermatological diseases (Skindex-16), handgrip strength measurement and bio-impedancemetry. The variables referring to the elderly with psoriasis will be compared to young patients with psoriasis and elderly without psoriasis (paired by sex and age). 180 participants (60 each group) will be evaluated and, subsequently, submitted to statistical analysis.