Hidradenitis suppurativa was associated with depression and anxiety. Dermatologists treating patients with HS should be aware of this important association.

Psoriasis is associated both with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Future studies on comorbidities in patients with psoriasis should focus on ulcerative colitis.

Our study supports previous reports of an association between psoriasis and diabetes. Dermatologists taking care of patients with psoriasis should be aware of this association and advise the patients to reduce additional risk factors such as smoking, hypertension or dyslipidemia.

In the present study, LP was found to be associated with dyslipidaemia.

BackgroundThe study goal was to assess indices of continuity of care in the primary care setting and their association with health outcomes and healthcare services utilization, given the reported importance of continuity regarding quality of care and healthcare utilization.MethodsThe study included a random sample of enrollees from Clalit Health Services 19 years-of-age or older who visited their primary care clinic at least three times in 2009. Indices of continuity of care were computed, including the Usual Provider Index (UPC), Modified Modified Continuity Index (MMCI), Continuity of Care Index (COC), and Sequential Continuity (SECON). Quality measures of preventive medicine and healthcare services utilization and their costs were assessed as outcomes.Results1,713 randomly sampled patients were included in the study (mean age: 48.9 ± 19.2, 42% males). Continuity of care indices were: UPC: 0.75; MMCI: 0.81; COC: 0.67; SECON: 0.70. After controlling for patient characteristics in a multivariate analysis, a statistically significant association was found between higher values of UPC, COC, and SECON and a decrease in the number and cost of ED visits. Higher MMCI values were associated with a greater number and higher costs of medical consultation visits. Continuity of care indices were associated with BMI measurements, and inversely associated with blood pressure measurements. No association was found with other quality indicators, e.g., screening tests for cancer.ConclusionsSeveral continuity of care indices were associated with decreased number and costs of ED visits. There were both positive and negative associations of continuity of care indices with different aspects of healthcare utilization. The relatively small effects of continuity might be due to the consistently high levels of continuity in Clalit Health Services.

Previous reports showed associations between psoriasis and chronic diseases. Little is known about the association between osteoporosis and psoriasis. The goal of the study was to assess the association between psoriasis and osteoporosis in a population-based case-control study, utilizing the database of a large health-care provider organization in Israel, Clalit Health Services. Patients (aged 51-90 years) diagnosed with psoriasis were compared with a sample of age- and sex-matched enrollees without psoriasis regarding the prevalence of osteoporosis. Data on health-related lifestyles and other comorbidities were collected. The study included 7,936 psoriasis cases and 14,835 controls. The prevalence of osteoporosis was significantly greater in males with psoriasis compared with the control group (3.1 vs 1.7%, P<0.001, odds ratio (OR)=1.86, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.44-2.39) and slightly greater in females with psoriasis (22.3 vs 20.2%, P=0.008, OR=1.13, 95% CI: 1.03-1.25). A multivariate logistic regression model demonstrated that after controlling for confounders, psoriasis was significantly associated with osteoporosis in males (adjusted OR=1.70, 95% CI: 1.31-2.19, P<0.001). The weak association between psoriasis and osteoporosis in females lost statistical significance in a multivariate model (adjusted OR=1.09, 95% CI: 0.98-1.21, P=0.100). Psoriasis was found to be associated with osteoporosis among males, but not among females.

Patients with psoriasis have a greater prevalence of CD than matched controls. Recent studies showed a possibility of undiagnosed CD among patients with psoriasis. Therefore, physicians treating patients with psoriasis should be aware of this possible association.

In this large, population-based case-control study, psoriasis was found to be associated with COPD. Dermatologists caring for patients with psoriasis should be aware of this association, consult an internist or pulmonologist, and advise the patients to stop smoking and reduce additional risk factors for COPD.