Psoriasis is associated with psychiatric comorbidities, but the connection between psoriasis and suicidality has not been fully understood. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to explore this relationship, examining literature from 1946 to 2017 across multiple databases. The study included 18 studies with a total of 1,767,583 participants, 330,207 of whom had psoriasis. The analysis found that patients with psoriasis had a significantly higher risk of suicidal ideation (odds ratio [OR] 2.05) and suicidality (attempted and completed suicides, OR 1.26), with younger age and more severe psoriasis associated with an even higher likelihood of suicidality.

The findings suggest that individuals with psoriasis are at increased risk for suicidal thoughts, attempts, and completions. Subgroup analysis revealed that patients with more severe psoriasis were more likely to attempt suicide (OR 1.32) and complete suicide (OR 1.20). However, the study also noted a lack of research specifically focusing on the severity of psoriasis in relation to suicidality. Overall, the study highlights the need for increased attention to the mental health of patients with psoriasis, especially those who are younger or have more severe forms of the disease.

Reference: Singh S, Taylor C, Kornmehl H, et al. Psoriasis and suicidality: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2017 Sep;77(3):425-440.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2017.05.019. PMID: 28807109.