ABSTRACT
Background: Psoriasiform dermatoses is a common presentation of a wide spectrum of underlying diseases from a relatively harmless disease like chronic dermatitis to a detrimental disease like mycosis fungoides. Psoriasiform reaction pattern is a commonly encountered denominator in a wide variety of unrelated disorders. They include several unrelated disorders of the integument, which either in the beginning or in the course of progression/resolution, exhibit lesions resembling psoriasis. Aims: This study was designed and conducted to enlist clinical parameters, histopathology and clinicohistopathological co-relation of psoriasiform disorders. Methodology: 100 cases of psoriasiform dermatoses over a period of two years were studied. Their history, age, sex as well as morphology, distribution and histopathology of skin lesions were analysed. Results: Psoriasis is the commonest of all psoriasiform dermatoses (31%) followed by lichen planus (23%),lichen nitidus(9%), pitryasis rosea (7%) , seborrheic dermatitis (6%). The remaining dermatoses like lichenoid drug eruptions ,parapsoriasis , Reiter’s disease , mycosis fungoides , pitryriasis rubra pilaris and lichen striatus, lichen simplex chronic etc were uncommon. There was a slight male preponderance. (M: F: 1.3:1). Lesions were more common in limbs. There was a wide age variation for example lichen striatus was seen in 5 year male and mycosis fungoides in a 69 year old male. A good clinicopathological co-relation filled up the lacunae of both, the clinical approach as well as that of histopathology and helped in pinpointing the diagnosis (62 cases). In 10 cases, there was no co-relation between clinical and histopathological diagnosis. Conclusion: As the morbidity of these disorders ranges from a trifling affliction to a life threat, thorough clinico-pathological co-relation and prompt institution of specific treatment results in a better prognosis.