A single-center retrospective cohort study found that nearly three-quarters of patients with psoriasis also developed autoimmune diseases, with hypothyroidism and alopecia areata being the most common. The study, conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, reviewed 1098 patient medical records and found that 76.4% had documented autoimmune diseases. The most associated autoimmune conditions were hypothyroidism (6.8%), alopecia areata (3.6%), atopic dermatitis (2.9%), and hyperthyroidism (2.6%), with similar distributions among males and females, except for hypothyroidism, which was more common in females.

The study highlighted the high tendency of psoriasis to coincide with other autoimmune diseases, emphasizing the need for further research to understand these associations better. While the pathogenesis of psoriasis is not fully understood, it is believed to be linked to a T-cell immune-mediated process. The researchers acknowledged limitations, including the single-center design and reliance on medical record documentation, suggesting that larger, multicenter studies are necessary to confirm these findings and understand the full extent of autoimmune diseases associated with psoriasis in the region.

Reference: Steinzor P. Autoimmune Diseases Prevalent Among Patients With Psoriasis, Study Finds. AJMC. Published June 21, 2024. Accessed July 12, 2024. https://www.ajmc.com/view/autoimmune-diseases-prevalent-among-patients-with-psoriasis-study-finds