Incidence trends in paediatric psoriasis 1990-2021: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Abstract

Background: Paediatric psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that poses unique challenges in diagnosis and management. While studies from high-income countries have reported increasing trends in incidence, data regarding the incidence of paediatric psoriasis worldwide remain scarce.

Objective: To provide a comprehensive description of the incidence of paediatric psoriasis at the global, regional and national levels.

Methods: We used data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 to analyse trends in the incidence of paediatric psoriasis between 1990 and 2021. Incidence rates were stratified by age, sex and sociodemographic index (SDI). The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was used to quantify the temporal trends.

Results: In 2021, there were 664 100 cases of paediatric psoriasis globally, with an incidence rate of 33.0 per 100 000 children. Over the study period, the global incidence increased by 0.21% (95% confidence interval 0.18-0.25%) per year, with more pronounced increases observed in regions categorized as low SDI and middle SDI. The highest incidence rates were recorded in regions categorized as high SDI, such as High-income North America (70.5 per 100 000) and Western Europe (67.5 per 100 000). Notably, the largest increases in incidence occurred in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa. At the national level, 189 countries/territories experienced significant increases in the incidence of paediatric psoriasis, while only 5 countries saw a decline. Incidence was higher in girls across all age groups, and the most pronounced increase was seen in children aged less than 5 years.

Conclusions: The incidence of paediatric psoriasis has increased significantly in recent years, particularly in regions categorized as low SDI and middle SDI, underscoring the need for improved diagnosis, early intervention and targeted public health strategies.