Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease often accompanied by various comorbidities, but its relationship with frailty remains understudied. The Frailty Index (FI), calculated based on 49 health deficits across multiple systems (e.g., cognition, function, comorbidities, laboratory values) was used as a continuous measure.
Objectives
We investigated the association between psoriasis and the Frailty Index (FI), providing evidence to support the implementation of frailty screening and potential interventions in patients with psoriasis.
Design and setting
This cross-sectional study used data from the 2003-2006 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) including 6532 participants.
Measurements
We analyzed the psoriasis-FI relationship using weighted nested regression, supplemented by subgroup analyses and restricted cubic spline regression to test for nonlinear relationships.
Results
The FI was significantly higher in patients with psoriasis (n = 162) than in those without (n = 6370; P < 0.001). Weighted nested regression analysis showed a significant positive association between FI and psoriasis (OR 2.22; 95% CI 1.14-4.35; P = 0.02). The association was stronger for male patients, those with normal body mass index, hypertension, and diabetes. Nonlinear relationships were observed between FI and psoriasis.
Conclusions
The present study validates the association between psoriasis and frailty using a nationally representative sample and provides empirical support for integrating frailty evaluations into psoriasis care. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that chronic inflammatory pathways may underlie the association between psoriasis and frailty.
