TOPLINE:

Psoriasis cases globally have nearly doubled from 1990 to 2021, reaching an estimated 43 million cases and 5.1 million new diagnoses in 2021.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers analyzed data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study covering 204 countries and regions from 1990 to 2021.
• Associations with risk factors including obesity, physical inactivity, air pollution, and ultraviolet exposure were assessed.
• Economic costs were estimated using healthcare expenditure databases and productivity loss models. A Bayesian age-period-cohort model was utilized to forecast global psoriasis burden trends from 2022 to 2040.

TAKEAWAY:

• Global psoriasis cases nearly doubled from 2.85 million in 1990 to 5.10 million in 2021, reaching 43 million cases in 2021 — resulting in 3.69 million years lived with disability. Cases were projected to rise through 2040.
• East Asia had the largest rise in incidence (average annual percentage change in age-standardized incidence rates [ASIRs], 0.74). Regions with the highest ASIR in 2021 were Western Europe (115.3 per 100,000 individuals, the highest), Andean Latin America (105), and high-income North America (103.5). A total of 23 countries had an ASIR over 100 per 100,000 people.
• Obesity, low physical activity, and air pollution were positively correlated with higher incidence of psoriasis, which was most common in people aged 50-70 years.
• The global economic burden reached $148.85 billion in 2021, which included healthcare costs of $95.15 billion and productivity losses of $53.7 billion. The costs increased with higher sociodemographic index [SDI], and the total cost in high SDI countries accounted for 85% of the global cost.

IN PRACTICE:

The study results, including the finding that new cases of psoriasis had nearly doubled between 1990 and 2021, the authors of the study wrote, “highlight the increasing global burden of psoriasis and the need for targeted strategies to address its risk factors and reduce healthcare inequalities.”

SOURCE:

The study was led by Jiehua Wei, Yi Wang, and Yuxuan Chen, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China, and was published online on September 8 in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

LIMITATIONS:

The Global Burden of Disease 2021 dataset had inherent methodological limitations. Burden estimates in developing countries might be underestimated. The study’s reliance on extrapolated healthcare cost data from a US-based study could introduce inaccuracies when applied to countries with different healthcare systems and economic conditions. Additionally, the assumption of stable labor force participation rates over time may not reflect actual conditions.

DISCLOSURES:

The study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the Huxiang Youth Talent Support Program. The authors reported having no conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.