03 Nov Psoriasis Linked To Increased Risk of Atherosclerosis

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Ellen Slevolden, MD  and Kristin Evensen,MD
Department of Dermatology
Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet,
Oslo, Norway

Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study?

Response: The main finding of our study is that psoriasis may be associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis and subsequent cardiovascular disease. We found that carotid intima-media thickness was increased in patients with psoriasis compared to healthy controls. Psoriasis patients also had a higher prevalence of carotid plaques.

Medical Research: What was most surprising about the results?

Response: The most surprising result was the significantly higher prevalence of carotid plaques in psoriasis patients with moderate to severe skin disease.

Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Response: It is important to treat psoriasis patients early and adequately due to their increased risk of developing atherosclerosis earlier than healthy individuals. Life-style factors and traditional cardiovascular risk factors should be monitored and treated adequately as early as possible.

Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: The assessment of subclinical carotid atherosclerosis using ultrasound should include both carotid IMT measurements and plaque detection. In future studies we will compare inflammatory markers in psoriasis patients with and without carotid plaques with findings in healthy controls.

Citation:

Increased subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with chronic plaque psoriasis
Evensen, Kristin et al.
Atherosclerosis , Volume 237 , Issue 2 , 499 – 503

Last Updated on November 3, 2014 by Marie Benz MD FAAD