Epidemiology of Psoriasis in Poland: Prevalence, Incidence, and Mortality Rates

Abstract

Background: Although the data on psoriasis epidemiology included in the Global Psoriasis Atlas (GPA) provide valuable information on psoriasis prevalence worldwide, the GPA database is still incomplete. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess the prevalence, incidence, and mortality rates of psoriasis and its types in Poland based on the data registered by the National Health Fund (NHF). Methods: The study included psoriasis patients registered at least twice in the Polish NHF database between 2010 and 2023. Results: At the end of 2023, 639,662 living psoriasis patients had been registered in the Polish NHF database, which constituted 1.70% of the Polish general population. The percentage of female psoriasis patients was found to be higher (54.95%) than male patients (45.05%). Of all the Polish NHF-registered psoriasis patients, plaque psoriasis affected 95.66%, pustular psoriasis 3.05%, psoriatic arthritis 7.20%, and guttate psoriasis 0.27%. In comparison to the general Polish population, psoriasis prevalence was observed to be lower in children (0.84%). The all-cause mortality rate among psoriasis patients was found to be higher in comparison to the general Polish population, with a higher mortality rate noted in male psoriasis patients. Conclusions: The NHF database we studied suggests a direct relationship between the prevalence, incidence, and all-cause mortality rates in psoriasis and patients' age and sex. However, the study also revealed a decrease in mortality rates and a slow increase in the prevalence of psoriasis in the Polish population, which calls for further studies.