An Epidemiologic Study of Taiwanese Psoriatic Patients in a Single Clinic

Abstract

An observational, analytic, cross-sectional, unicenter study was carried out in our hospital between May 1996 and December 1997. A questionnaire detailing the clinical and epidemiologic fea- tures were given to consecutive psoriatic patients and a dermatologist in his clinic then examined all patients. Both statistical and descriptive analyses were performed. Available data were obtained from 608 patients. The prevalence rate of psoriasis was 1.4% in the dermatology clinic at our hospital. The male to female ratio of our psoriatic patients was 2.1:1. The onset of age was younger in women, and the distribution curve of age at onset was different between men and women. A positive family history was reported in 20.4% of our patients, but no sex difference was found. Chronic plaque-form psoria- sis was the most common clinical type of psoriasis, and nearly 50% of the patients developed their first lesion on the scalp. The most common sites of current cutaneous involvement were the extremi- most frequent trigger factors were staying late at night, busy work, emotional stress, infections or common colds,trauma, and alcohol intake. (Dermatol Sinica 21:216-224, 2003)