title: Psoriasis registry in public health hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Institute of Dermatology Thailand in cooperation with the hospitals across the country had conducted the psoriasis patient registry in Thailand between 2005 and 2008.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore the epidemiology of psoriasis, distribution of disease and type of psoriasis in Thailand, and establish the systematic psoriasis database in Thailand.
  
  
  METHODS
  This patient registry recorded the demographic, severity and quality of life of psoriasis patients. The patients will be assessed for the severity and asked to complete the questionnaire only one time of enrollment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There have been 11,548 patients enrolled from 32 dermatological centers across Thailand. The male:female ratio was 1.3:1. The chronic plaque type is the majority of psoriasis type (85.6%). The average age of onset is 32.88 years and females have an earlier age of onset than males. Mostly is early onset type of psoriasis (64.2%). Head, body, and leg are the first three ranks of area of skin lesion at first onset. Twenty-five percent of patients have been rated as moderate-to-severe psoriasis as rated by BSA. Fifty-six point six percent of patients report that psoriasis has an impact to their quality of life. The most exacerbating factors are weather, stress, and alcohol drinking. About half of the population reported that they feel embarrassed and are distressed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This registry establishes the first systematic psoriasis patient database in Thailand. With it, the epidemiology of psoriasis in Thailand is better understood.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dermatology, Department of Medical Services, Ministry of Public Health, Bangkok, Thailand. akaraphanth@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Rutsanee
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Akaraphanth
authors.forename: Oraya
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kwangsukstid
authors.forename: Pimonpun
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gritiyarangsan
authors.forename: Narumol
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Swanpanyalert
mesh_terms: D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011634:Public Health; D012042:Registries; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology