Sci. & Tech.
Smoking 'raises risk of psoriasis'

New York (PTI): Here's another reason why you should quit smoking -- it not only takes its toll on your body from the inside, but if a new study is to be believed, it also affects your skin on the outside.

Researchers in the United States have carried out the study and found that puffing increases the risk of psoriasis, which causes symptoms such as inflammation, redness, itching, and scaling of the skin.

"These findings, along with well-established hazardous health effects of smoking, provide clear incentives for smoking cessation in those at risk for and suffering from psoriasis," lead researcher Hyon K. Choi of Harvard Medical School was quoted by the 'WebMD' as saying.

The researchers came to the conclusion after looking at the relationship between smoking and psoriasis in more than 78,500 female registered nurses. The women were followed for 14 years, and during that period 887 cases of psoriasis were reported.

They measured lifetime smoking exposure in pack-years. A pack-year is the number of packs smoked per day multiplied by the number of years a person has smoked.

The results showed that smoking not only increased the risk of psoriasis, but heavier smoking raised that risk further. For example, compared with women who never smoked, the risk of psoriasis was 60 per cent higher for those with a smoking history of 11-20 pack-years and more than two times high for those with 21 or more pack-years of smoking.

Exposure to secondhand smoke during pregnancy or childhood also increased the risk of psoriasis (21 per cent and 18 per cent increased risk respectively), they found.

However, the researchers discovered that the risk of psoriasis decreased after quitting smoking, with the risk of psoriasis among former smokers comparable to non-smokers 20 years after quitting.

The results of the study have been published in the 'American Journal of Medicine'.

Sci. & Tech.

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