Psoriasis and associated risk factors: a cross-sectional analysis of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the association of psoriasis with cardiovascular risk factors and psychological aspects among participants of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study from the baseline data of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health cohort, collected between 2008 and 2010 in six state capitals of Brazil (i.e., Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, São Paulo, and Vitória). Participants were active and retired civil servants from college and research institutions, aged between 35 and 74 years. Exclusion criteria included the intention to quit working at the institution, pregnancy, severe cognitive impairment, and, if retired, residence outside of a study center's corresponding area. Psoriasis case identification was based on a previous medical diagnosis of psoriasis. Cardiovascular risk profile, psychological aspects, and sociodemographic variables were investigated. RESULTS: Data from 15,105 participants were analyzed (mean age of 52.3 years, 51.3% women). The prevalence of psoriasis was 1.6% (n=236). Psoriasis was associated with higher education (OR 1.94 [CI 1.07–3.52]), health insurance plan (OR 1.56 [CI 1.08–2.25]), central obesity (OR 1.63 [CI 1.10–2.40]), smoking status (former OR 1.40 [CI 1.03–1.88]; current OR 1.61 [CI 1.08–2.40]), and very bad self-perception of health (OR 7.22 [CI 2.41–21.64]), remaining significant even after multivariate adjustment. Self-reported Black participants were less likely to have psoriasis (OR 0.45 [CI 0.26–0.75]). CONCLUSION: In a sample of healthy workers, psoriasis was associated with central obesity, smoking, and a very bad self-perception of health, which may contribute to future cardiovascular disease.