Risk for incident suicidality among psoriasis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Previous meta-analyses have produced conflicting conclusions about suicidality risk among psoriasis patients. We aimed to update the evidence on the risk for the whole continuum of incident suicidality in psoriasis patients. We performed an update systematic review and meta-analysis and searched CENTRAL, PubMed, and Embase from January 1, 2017 to August 14, 2021 for relevant new cohort studies and incorporated new studies into our previous systematic review. Random-effects model meta-analysis was used to obtain pooled hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Subgroup analysis was conducted according to age and disease severity. A total of 12 studies were included in this meta-analysis. We detected no significant differences in the risk for incident completed suicide (HR 1.33, 95% CI 0.91-1.95), suicide attempt (HR 1.22, 95% CI 0.96-1.56), suicidal behavior (HR 1.08, 95% CI 0.98-1.19), and suicide ideation (HR 1.74, 95% CI 0.99-3.06) between psoriasis patients and non-psoriatic controls. In the subgroup analysis based on age, an increased risk for incident suicide ideation was observed in pediatric subgroup (HR 1.50, 95% CI 1.12-2.03). The updated evidence suggests no increased risk for whole continuum of incident suicidality spectrum in psoriasis patients but an increased risk for incident suicide ideation among pediatric psoriasis patients. Involving mental health professionals may be crucial in psoriasis management especially in young patients.

Keywords: Psoriasis; Suicidal behavior; Suicidality; Suicide; Suicide attempt; Suicide ideation.