Incidence and prevalence of psoriasis in Israel between 2011 and 2017

Background: Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease associated with a heavy burden of morbidity, disability and cost. The occurrence of the disease in Israel has not been previously investigated. Objectives: To provide standardized estimates of trends in psoriasis incidence, prevalence and mortality among patients in Israel between 2011 and 2017. Methods: Using electronic health records from Clalit Health Services, the largest nationwide public health provider in Israel, we conducted a population-based study investigating trends in the annual incidence and prevalence of psoriasis between the years 2011 and 2017. We report age- and sex-adjusted rates, using the standard European population as a reference. Results: We identified 71 094 incident psoriasis cases. The mean (SD) age of onset was 42.4 (21.0) years with a bimodal distribution, peaking in the early ‘30s and early ‘60s. Late-onset psoriasis, occurring after 40 years of age, accounted for 51.1% of incident cases. The annual psoriasis incidence rate was constant throughout the study period (280/100 000 person-years). Psoriasis prevalence rose from 2.5% in 2011 to 3.8% in 2017. Conclusions: Psoriasis prevalence is increasing in Israel, although its incidence is stable. Clinicians and policymakers should plan to address the growing demands in the clinical, economic and societal burden of psoriasis.