Frequency of melanocytic nevi in psoriatic patients is related to treatment and not to disease severity.

BACKGROUND

Few data exist on the relationship between psoriasis and melanocytic lesions.

OBJECTIVES

We sought to investigate number of melanocytic nevi in psoriatic patients compared with control subjects and its relationship with disease severity and treatment.

METHODS

We performed a prospective study in 189 psoriatic patients and 189 control subjects. Sociodemographic and clinical data were recorded for all participants.

RESULTS

As compared with control subjects, patients had fewer nevi overall [χ(2)(5) = 52.24, P < .001], fewer nevi less than 5 mm [χ(2)(4) = 60.28, P < .001], and fewer congenital nevi [χ(2)(1) = 10.41, P = .002]; no differences in atypical nevi and family history of cancer, including melanoma, were observed. Among psoriatic patients, number of biologics used was a risk factor for a higher nevus count [odds ratio 1.35 (95% CI 1.04-1.76), P = .02] whereas disease severity did not correlate with number of nevi.

LIMITATIONS: Low number of psoriatic patients naïve to systemic therapies was a limitation.

CONCLUSIONS

Psoriatic patients have fewer nevi than control subjects. Frequency of nevi in psoriatic patients is related to treatment, not to disease severity.