The relationship between pruritus and clinical variables in patients with psoriasis

BACKGROUND: Pruritus is the most commonly occurring subjective symptom of dermatological disease. Published data on both prevalence and intensity of pruritus in psoriasis is limited. OBJECTIVE: In this study we aimed to investigate the prevalence of pruritus and its relation with psoriasis area severity index, body mass index and presence of systemic disease in patients with psoriasis. METHODS: We analyzed data of psoriatic patients diagnosed in our psoriasis outpatient clinic between March 2013 and June 2014 collected retrospectively from PSR-TR registration system. RESULTS: In total, 880 patients were analyzed. Pruritus was more prominent in female patients. This difference was statistically significant. No significant associations were found between age of patients, clinical type of disease and pruritus. The itching was more common in patients with higher body mass index. Presence of pruritus was correlated significantly with severity of psoriasis. Five hundred and sixty of 880 patients had no systemic disease. The presence of pruritus was not related with presence of systemic disease. Existence of systemic disease with psoriasis has minimal effect on pruritus. STUDY LIMITATIONS: We did not evaluate intensity of pruritus. CONCLUSIONS: Pruritus is not mentioned within the classical symptoms of psoriasis. Pruritus in psoriasis is a very unpleasant symptom with great potential to impair patient's quality of life and may exacerbate psoriasis as a Koebner phenomenon.