BackgroundActinic prurigo (AP) is an idiopathic photodermatosis. Although its initial
manifestations can appear in 6 to 8-year-old children, cases are diagnosed
later, between the second and fourth decades of life, when the injuries are
exacerbated.ObjectiveTo identify risk factors associated with clinical manifestations of AP such
as skin and mucosal lesions.MethodsThirty patients with AP and 60 controls were included in the study, the
dependent variable was the presence of skin or labial mucosal lesions, the
independent variables were age, sex, solar exposure, living with pets or
farm animals, exposure to wood smoke, smoking habit, years smoking, and
hours spent per day and per week in contact with people who smoke.ResultsOf the 30 diagnosed AP patients, 66.7% were female. Patients age ranged from
7 to 71 years and the mean age was 35.77 ± 14.55 years. We found
significant differences with the age and cohabitation with farm animals.
Those who lived with farm animals presented 14.31 times higher probability
of developing AP (95% CI 3-78.06).Study limitationsThis is a case-control study; therefore, a causal relationship cannot be
proven, and these results cannot be generalized to every population.ConclusionsThe identification of factors related to the development of AP increases our
knowledge of its physiopathology. Moreover, identifying antigens that
possibly trigger the allergic reaction will have preventive and therapeutic
applications in populations at risk of AP.