Psoriasis vulgaris in the Guinea Savanah region of Nigeria.

Psoriasis vulgaris is an uncommon skin disease among Nigerians. There were only 44 cases out of a total of about 5,250 skin patients (0.8%) seen during the 7-year period from 1977 to 1984 at the consultant skin clinic, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Kaduna, Nigeria. Males were predominant. The age range was 1 1/2 months to 65 years, with a mean age of 29.8 years. The peak incidence was in the 21-30-year group. Clinical features were the same as in Europeans, but morbidity was very low. Arthropathy and nail involvement were rare, comprising only 4.5 and 15.9% of cases, respectively.