黑棘皮病一般与肥胖或高胰岛素血症相关。[2]Schwartz RA. Acanthosis nigricans. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1994 Jul;31(1):1-19.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8021347?tool=bestpractice.com[7]Brickman WJ, Binns HJ, Jovanovic BD, et al. Acanthosis nigricans: a common finding in overweight youth. Pediatr Dermatol. 2007 Nov-Dec;24(6):601-6.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18035980?tool=bestpractice.com是肥胖最常见的皮肤表现。[15]Yosipovitch G, DeVore A, Dawn A. Obesity and the skin: skin physiology and skin manifestations of obesity. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2007 Jun;56(6):901-16.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17504714?tool=bestpractice.com随着全球肥胖患者比例的升高,黑棘皮病的发生率也在逐渐增长。[7]Brickman WJ, Binns HJ, Jovanovic BD, et al. Acanthosis nigricans: a common finding in overweight youth. Pediatr Dermatol. 2007 Nov-Dec;24(6):601-6.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18035980?tool=bestpractice.com黑棘皮病在黑色皮肤人群中较为多见,但在白人中非常罕见。[16]Maitra SK, Rowland Payne CM. The obesity syndrome and acanthosis nigricans. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2004;3:202-210.在美国,黑棘皮病在选定的成人群体中有21%-74%发病率,在都市居住的青少年发病率为18%。[17]Kong AS, Williams RL, Smith M, et al. Acanthosis nigricans and diabetes risk factors: prevalence in young persons seen in southwestern US primary care practices. Ann Fam Med. 2007 May-Jun;5(3):202-8.http://www.annfammed.org/cgi/content/full/5/3/202http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17548847?tool=bestpractice.com[18]Hud JA Jr, Cohen JB, Wagner JM, et al. Prevalence and significance of acanthosis nigricans in an adult obese population. Arch Dermatol. 1992 Jul;128(7):941-4.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1626961?tool=bestpractice.com[7]Brickman WJ, Binns HJ, Jovanovic BD, et al. Acanthosis nigricans: a common finding in overweight youth. Pediatr Dermatol. 2007 Nov-Dec;24(6):601-6.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18035980?tool=bestpractice.com一项在美国西南部进行的对1133名患者的调查表明,2型糖尿病患者伴发黑棘皮病的患病率为1.97。[17]Kong AS, Williams RL, Smith M, et al. Acanthosis nigricans and diabetes risk factors: prevalence in young persons seen in southwestern US primary care practices. Ann Fam Med. 2007 May-Jun;5(3):202-8.http://www.annfammed.org/cgi/content/full/5/3/202http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17548847?tool=bestpractice.com有高胰岛素血症的儿童患黑棘皮病的几率是胰岛素正常儿童的4.2倍。[19]Mukhtar Q, Cleverly G, Voorhees RE, et al. Prevalence of acanthosis nigricans and its association with hyperinsulinemia in New Mexico Adolescents. J Adolesc Health. 2001 May;28(5):372-6.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11336866?tool=bestpractice.com在一项对618名城镇青少年的研究中,BMI大于第98百分位的个体中有62%有黑棘皮病,而且在少数民族中更为常见,23%的西班牙裔,19%的黑人以及4%的白人受累。[7]Brickman WJ, Binns HJ, Jovanovic BD, et al. Acanthosis nigricans: a common finding in overweight youth. Pediatr Dermatol. 2007 Nov-Dec;24(6):601-6.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18035980?tool=bestpractice.com虽然确切的发病率尚且未知,但恶性黑棘皮病发病非常罕见,约在12 000例癌症患者中出现2例。[20]Houpt KR, Cruz PD. Acanthosis nigricans. In: Freedberg IM, Eisen AZ, Wolff K, et al, eds, Fitzpatrick's dermatology in general medicine, 6th ed. New York, NY; McGraw Hill: 2003: 1796-1801.目前全球有超过1000例的相关病例报道。[21]Sedano HO, Gorlin RJ. Acanthosis nigricans. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol. 1987 Apr;63(4):462-7.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3554094?tool=bestpractice.com最常见于40岁以上的成年人,没有性别或种族倾向。[9]Moore RL, Devere TS. Epidermal manifestations of internal malignancy. Dermatol Clin. 2008 Jan;26(1):17-29.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18023768?tool=bestpractice.com