Characteristics and pattern of childhood psoriasis in Saudi Arabia

Background Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory, immunologically mediated disorder in which one-third of patients suffer under the 18 years of age (childhood psoriasis). Although, the exact pathogenesis of the disease is unknown but the clinical information on disease has been the significant value to understand the nature of disease. Patients and methods In this study, we present our experiences with 36 children having childhood psoriasis who visited the dermatology and phototherapy unit from January 1999 to December 2006. All the cases were diagnosed clinically. Results Of 36 children, 12 (33.3%) had the generalized (plaque type) psoriasis, 8 (22.2%) had the guttate psoriasis, 4 (11.1%) had the mixed guttate and plaque type; while 6 (16.7%) had the localized lesions on elbows and knees, 4 (11.1%) had the localized lesions on hands and feet and 1 (2.8%) had on scalp. One child (2.8%) had erythematous lesions all over the body since birth (congenital psoriasis). The age of children ranged from 8 months to 18 years (mean=11.27 years).  The duration of the disease ranged from 2 months to 11 years (mean=3.04 years). The number of male patients was 15 and the females were 21, hence the male and female ratio was 1:1.4. The family history was positive in 10 (27.8%) children. All patients were treated by giving the various types of topical medications and/or narrow-band ultraviolet B phototherapy treatment. Conclusion Childhood psoriasis is more common in girls than in boys and plaque type psoriasis is the most common in Arabs. At present, the narrow-band ultraviolet-B phototherapy is safe and effective in moderate and severe cases especially in those children who do not respond to topical protocol treatments.