Psoriasis in North India. Geographical variations.

Analysis of 162 psoriasis patients revealed a distinct male preponderance with a sex ratio of 2.5:1. The mean age of males (31.44) was 6 years higher than that of females (25.73). More than half the patients were in their 3rd to 4th decade and the mean age of onset was lower among the females than the males by approximately 5 years. Two-thirds had onset before the age of 30 years. Familial occurrence was recorded in 13.6% of the cases. Itching appeared to be a prominent feature and only a fourth of the total patients showed traditionally quoted worsening in colder months. The scalp and the extremities were the commonest sites of involvement and a large majority (74%) showed nail changes of one type or another. Psoriatic arthropathy and especially mutilating arthritis were rare.