Prevalence of psoriasis in Spain in the age of biologics

Introduction The prevalence of psoriasis in Spain was estimated to be 1.4% before the advent of biologic agents. Fifteen years later, new therapeutic options based on biologic agents have led to greater awareness of the disease and better understanding; case detection and diagnosis may have improved as a result. Objective To investigate the current prevalence of psoriasis in Spain and compare the results with those of an earlier study that used the same methodology. Material and methods Population-based cross-sectional survey. Information was collected through computer-assisted telephone interviews with a randomly selected representative sample of the Spanish population (12,711 individuals from 4,754 households). Interviews were conducted by trained personnel using a questionnaire. Results The prevalence was 2.3% and there were no statistically significant differences between the sexes. Prevalence increased with age (range with highest prevalence, 60-69 years). Central Spain - a region with a cold, dry climate - had the highest prevalence, but differences between regions were not significant. Conclusions Psoriasis is substantially more prevalent in Spain than was previously estimated. The increase in prevalence may reflect greater awareness and better diagnosis of the disease rather than a true increase in number of cases. © 2013 Elsevier Espana, S.L. y AEDV.