A survey a bout psoriasis patients in Yasuj, Iran

Aims: psoriasis is a common immune related skin disorder which affects 2-3% of worldwide people. It has different types and involves most parts of skin, and nail. It also sometimes affects joints and internal organs. Few studies have been conducted on the characteristics of psoriasis in Iran. The purpose of this study was to determine the disease characteristics of psoriasis patients in the general population in Yasuj, Iran. Materials and methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, using convenience sampling method, 164 psoriatic patients who were referred to a dermatology clinic in Yasuj in 2013-2014 participated. Demographic information and medical parameters were collected by a dermatologist through observation and using a researcher-made checklist. SPSS software version 19 was used for statistical analysis of data. Findings: Participants were consisting of 106 males and 58 females, 48.3% had mild, and 29.8% moderate and 22% sever disease. 87.7% of cases had common plaque type psoriasis. Sites of skin involvement were 80.4 on extremities. Nail involvement was 31.7% and arthritis was detected on 3% of cases. There was history of pruritus or burning sensation in 41.5% of cases. There was only 17.1% positive family history. The mean age of onset was 28.7 in females and in 29.8 males. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the prevalence of this disease is higher in men than women. These results are consistent with the results of other studies in terms of age of onset, severity and subtypes of the disease and involvement of different parts of the body. But unlike many studies, few participants reported a positive family history.