Smokers report more psoriasis, but not atopic dermatitis or hand eczema: results from a Norwegian population survey among adults.
BACKGROUND
Many reports indicate that skin diseases are affected by lifestyle factors.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between reported skin diagnoses, smoking and alcohol consumption in an urban population.


METHODS
Cross-sectional questionnaire-based health study among 18,747 adults in Oslo.


RESULTS
For current smokers, odds ratio for reporting psoriasis was 1.49 (95% CI 1.11-2.00) for males, and 1.48 (95% CI 1.15-1.91) for females, as compared to never smokers. There was no association between reported atopic dermatitis or hand eczema and smoking. High consumption of cigarettes was associated with an increased reporting of psoriasis in men, but not women. Reporting drinking alcohol 4-7 times per week was crudely associated with reporting psoriasis in men, but not in the adjusted model.


CONCLUSIONS
Cigarette smoking was associated with reported psoriasis, but not with atopic dermatitis or hand eczema.
Bø
Kristine
K
Department of Dermatology, Ullevål University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. kristine.bo@rikshospitalet.no
Thoresen
Magne
M
Dalgard
Florence
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population