EDEN Papers

Smokers Report More Psoriasis, but Not Atopic Dermatitis or Hand Eczema: Results from a Norwegian Population Survey among Adults
Kristine Bø^a, Magne Thoresen^b, Florence Dalgard<sup>a, b

a</sup>Department of Dermatology and
^bInstitute of General Practice and Community Medicine, Ullevål University Hospital,
^cDepartment of Biostatistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

Address of Corresponding Author

Dermatology 2008;216:40-45 (DOI: 10.1159/000109357)

  Key Words

• Alcohol
• Cross-sectional study
• Self-reported skin diseases
• Smoking

  Abstract

Background: Many reports indicate that skin diseases are affected by lifestyle factors. Objective: To examine the relationship between reported skin diagnoses, smoking and alcohol consumption in an urban population. Methods: Cross-sectional questionnaire-based health study among 18,747 adults in Oslo. Results: For current smokers, odds ratio for reporting psoriasis was 1.49 (95% CI 1.11-2.00) for males, and 1.48 (95% CI 1.15-1.91) for females, as compared to never smokers. There was no association between reported atopic dermatitis or hand eczema and smoking. High consumption of cigarettes was associated with an increased reporting of psoriasis in men, but not women. Reporting drinking alcohol 4-7 times per week was crudely associated with reporting psoriasis in men, but not in the adjusted model. Conclusion: Cigarette smoking was associated with reported psoriasis, but not with atopic dermatitis or hand eczema.

Copyright © 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Kristine Bø, MD
Department of Dermatology
Ullevål University Hospital
NO-0407 Oslo (Norway)
Tel. +47 22 11 83 03, Fax +47 22 11 82 60, E-Mail kristine.bo@rikshospitalet.no

  Article Information

Received: February 13, 2007
Accepted: May 7, 2007
Number of Print Pages : 6
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 3, Number of References : 42