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INTRODUCTION: Globally, the epidemiology of psoriasis is poorly understood, and most countries lack essential epidemiologic data regarding disease burden and its determinants. This study sought to estimate the prevalence of psoriasis among adolescents in Kuwait and assess its association with different risk factors, including obesity, sibship size, breastfeeding, and exposure to household secondhand smoke (SHS) and pets. METHODS: Schoolchildren aged 11-14 years (n = 3864) were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Lifetime and current (past 12 months) prevalence of psoriasis were ascertained according to ever having a history of doctor-diagnosis plus current active lesion(s) and/or current use of treatment of psoriasis. Associations were assessed using Poisson regression with robust variance estimation, and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated. RESULTS: The lifetime and current prevalence of psoriasis were estimated to be 3.6% (136/3806) and 1.1% (42/3806), respectively. Commonly reported anatomical sites affected by psoriasis included scalp (47.6%) and the extensor surface of the knees (50%) and elbows (38.1%). Household SHS exposure was associated with increased lifetime psoriasis (aPR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.07-1.98), and showed a trend for association with current psoriasis (1.77, 0.89-3.53). Similarly, cat-keeping during infancy was associated with lifetime psoriasis (1.96, 1.14-3.37), and demonstrated a trend for association with current psoriasis (1.49, 0.52-1.98). In contrast, breastfeeding was associated with a decreased lifetime psoriasis (0.62, 0.44-0.89), but was not associated with current psoriasis. Trend analyses showed that the prevalence of lifetime and current psoriasis increased with increasing numbers of total, older, and younger siblings. CONCLUSIONS: Psoriasis affects a considerable proportion of schoolchildren in Kuwait. Interestingly, psoriasis prevalence was related to risk factors also found in allergic diseases, such as exposure to SHS, cat-keeping in infancy, breastfeeding, and sibship size, possibly suggesting a role of immune dysregulation.
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Background: Findings on the associations between household pet-keeping and allergic diseases, including asthma, rhinitis, and eczema, have been contradictory, with investigations reporting positive, negative, and null associations. This study sought to estimate the prevalence of pet-keeping among families in Kuwait and to assess the associations between pet-keeping and symptoms of allergic diseases among adolescents. Methods: Schoolchildren aged 11-14 years (n = 3,864) were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The children's parents completed questionnaires regarding their child's environmental exposures, including pet-keeping in the past 12 months, and clinical history and symptoms of allergic diseases. Associations were assessed using Poisson regression with robust variance estimation, and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. Results: Pet-keeping in the past 12 months was reported by 42.8% of the participating families. Birds, cats, rabbits, fish, and dogs were kept by 28.3, 13.2, 7.8, 3.9, and 3.1% of all households, respectively. Current cat ownership was significantly associated with current wheezing (aPR 1.29, 95% CI 1.05-1.58), current rhinitis symptoms (aPR 1.18, 95% CI 1.02-1.36), and ever doctor-diagnosed eczema (aPR 1.25, 95% CI 1.03-1.50). Current rabbit-keeping was positively associated with multiple symptoms of asthma (e.g., study-defined current asthma: aPR 1.38, 95% CI 1.04-1.82) and eczema (e.g., severe eczema: aPR 1.94, 95% CI 1.02-3.71). Similarly, current bird-keeping was associated with study-defined current rhinitis (aPR 1.19, 95% CI 1.05-1.41) and current itchy rash (aPR 1.27, 95% CI 1.10-1.46). Conclusions: Household pet-keeping is very common and diverse in Kuwait and was found to be positively associated with symptoms of allergic diseases among adolescents. The findings of associations between rabbit-keeping and symptoms of asthma and eczema add to the existing literature and further highlight the importance of considering the pet type when assessing such associations.
