Psoriasis. Modes of presentations among children in southern Iraq.

OBJECTIVE To elucidate on the presentation of psoriasis among children in southern Iraq. METHODS This is an outpatient based, cross sectional clinical study, that was carried out in the Dermatology Department of Basra Teaching Hospital, Basra, Iraq, from April 2004 to June 2007, where a total of 104 psoriatic children were enrolled in the study. They were 59 females and 45 males, with a mean age of 6.8 years. RESULTS Among 104 psoriatic children, the study showed that scalp (20.2%), guttate (17.3%), and flexural psoriasis involving the napkin area (14.4%) or one or more of the body flexures, were the common modes of presentation reported in most cases. Many other atypical forms were also reported, and many aggravating factors were recognized. CONCLUSION Psoriasis should be considered in any child with chronic recurrent skin lesion with poor response to treatment, particularly if it is atypical.