Comparison of pediatric-onset psoriasis with adult-onset psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic papulosquamous disorder, which affects about 2% of the population. Psoriasis is relatively common in childhood: more than 10% of cases start before the age of 10. Tha aim of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics between pediatric-onset and adult-onset psoriasis in Iranian patients.

In 2006 and 2007, clinical data were collected from all patients with psoriasis diagnosis referred to Razi Hospital. They were categorized into two groups: pediatric-onset psoriasis patients and adult-onset psoriasis patients. Clinical variables such as number of patients, gender, age of onset, family history, and stress as a precipitating factor, the first site of involvement, clinical type and involved sites were compared between the two group.

From total of 162 patients, 50 patients (33.2%) were considered as pediatric-onset group. The percentage of males in the pediatric-onset group was 48% compared with 58.9% in the adult-onset group. In the pediatric-onset group positive family history was 20% and in the adult-onset group was 12.5%. Stress as a precipitating factor was nearly the same in both groups. Plaque type psoriasis was the most common clinical presentation and the head and neck was the most common site of involvement in both groups.

Our findings, similar to previous studies showed that the involvement of female gender, family history and the onset of psoriasis on the scalp in children were more than adults.