title: Risk factors of hypertension, diabetes and obesity in Italian psoriasis patients: a survey on socio-demographic characteristics, smoking habits and alcohol consumption.
abstract: We evaluated risk factors such as socio-demographic characteristics, smoking habits and alcohol consumption, associated with hypertension, diabetes and obesity in psoriasis patients, in order to plan health education programs that could prevent the onset or progression of co-morbidities. The study population consisted of 1376 patients with psoriasis who were consecutively recruited at 21 Italian Departments of Dermatology. Information concerning socio-demographic variables, smoking and alcohol consumption, and the presence of chronic disorders such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes and obesity was collected. The risk of co-morbidities according to the various exposure variables was calculated using logistic regression models. Psoriasis patients living in extremely urban areas showed the highest risk of diabetes (OR = 1.99, 95% CI 1.06-5.23) and obesity (OR = 2.60, 95% CI 1.10-16.12), as compared to patients living in rural areas. The OR for hypertension was higher for smokers (> 15 cigarettes per day, OR = 1.37, 95% CI 1.01-2.03) and drinkers (> 2 glasses/day of wine, OR = 2.11, 95% CI 1.31-3.40). The OR for diabetes or obesity was higher for drinkers: 1 drink/day (OR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.01-3.67) and > 1 drink/day of spirits (OR = 2.90, 95% CI 1.43-5.82), respectively. The results of our survey highlight the need to detect psoriasis patients with different susceptibilities to co-morbidities in order to plan specific health campaigns aimed at changing people's lifestyles with respect to smoking, drinking and diet.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Public Health, University of L'Aquila, Coppito-Delta 6, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Altobelli
authors.forename: Reimondo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Petrocelli
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maccarone
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Altomare
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Argenziano
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giannetti
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peserico
authors.forename: Gino A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Vena
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tiberti
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chimenti
authors.forename: Ketty
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Peris
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D003710:Demography; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011153:Population; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult