Psoriasis and alcohol abuse.

Introduction The association between psoriasis and alcohol abuse is generally mentioned only in the small print of standard texts, and is quoted only in relation to liver damage and the implication thereof for the use of methotrexate therapy to control the psoriasis. Delaney and Leppard found no association between liver disease, alcohol •... '" consumption, and psoriasis in a small study. However, '.Ill': Chap ut et al in a very large study found that whilst there was indeed no link between psoriasis and liver disease, there was a signficant association between psoriasis and alcohol abuse (disregarding the presence or absence of alcoholic liver disease) at the level of P < O.OOl. The Alcohol Treatment Unit (ATU) at QEMH Woolwich is permanently busy because it provides a global service, so that all complications of alcohol abuse are seen regularly. In recent times these complications have tended to occur in clusters, and we report one such series relating alcohol to psoriasis. For the purposes of clarity, it is worth stating that 1 unit of alcohol is taken as the equivalent of 1 half pint of , be her, 1 glaldss Hof wlinhe'Oor 1 I~p~rial mdeasurehof a sPirlit. T e Wor ea t rgamsatlOn a vlse t at regu ar consumption of 8 units of alcohol per day for a man, or 5 units for a woman, poses particular risks to health through the dangers of alcohol abuse. The risk of delirium tremens begins after regular consumption of 12 units of alcohol per day.