Study shows why psoriasis patients may be at risk of obesity, fatty liver disease
While patients with psoriasis -- a chronic skin condition -- respond well to treatment with biologics, inflammation can linger
- NEW DELHI — While patients with psoriasis -- a chronic skin condition --
respond well to treatment with biologics, inflammation can linger, leading to
broader health implications such as obesity and cardiovascular and fatty liver
disease, according to a study.
-
- Psoriasis, with its systemic inflammatory nature, high
risk of cardiovascular disease, and frequent use of biologic drugs, could
provide a valuable framework for studying residual inflammation.
-
- The study, published in the Journal of Investigative
Dermatology, could lead to more targeted and effective treatments that address
the systemic aspects of psoriasis, beyond just the skin.
-
- "Despite excellent control of skin disease, a
substantial percentage of psoriasis patients demonstrate residual systemic
inflammation," said Joel M. Gelfand, Department of Dermatology, at the
University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine, US.
-
- "These findings emphasise that just treating the
skin signs of psoriatic disease is not sufficient, and patients often need
additional approaches to lowering systemic inflammation," Gelfand added.
-
- For the observational study, the team assessed residual
inflammation in 209 psoriasis patients across three international cohorts
(Spain, the US, and Sweden) who had achieved a no or mild psoriasis on stable
biologic therapy.
-
- They found that residual inflammation was present in 36.3
per cent of these patients and was significantly linked to higher body mass
index (BMI), metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD),
increased baseline systemic inflammation, and greater adipose tissue.
-
- "The findings underscore a critical unmet need to
address the systemic inflammatory burden beyond skin symptoms in psoriasis,
potentially requiring interventions targeting obesity and metabolic dysfunction
to improve overall patient outcomes," said lead investigator Álvaro
González-Cantero, from the Department of Dermatology at Hospital Universitario
Ramón y Cajal in Spain.
-
- The researchers suggest a more intensive cardiovascular
risk assessment and management of psoriasis patients.
