Psoriasis and Cardiometabolic Diseases: The Impact of Inflammation on Vascular Health

Abstract

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory condition associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Psoriasis confers a dose-dependent increase in risk for the metabolic syndrome and its components. The metabolic syndrome and its components have been associated with higher coronary atherosclerosis in psoriasis and cardiovascular events in the general population. In this review, we discuss the role of inflammation and psoriasis in cardiometabolic diseases with a focus on the metabolic syndrome and its components. We highlight the relationship between psoriasis and important cardiovascular risk factors encompassed by obesity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance and hypertension. Furthermore, we briefly highlight literature on anti-inflammatory therapies and their impact on the components of the metabolic syndrome as well as directly quantified coronary atherosclerosis burden.

Keywords:

• psoriasis
• inflammation
• metabolic syndrome
• atherosclerosis

Abbreviations

ApoA-II, apolipoprotein A-II; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; IL-17, interleukin 17; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; TNF, tumor necrosis factor.

Disclosure

Dr. Mehta is a full-time US government employee and has received research grants from AbbVie, Janssen, Novartis Corp, and Celgene, outside the submitted work. The other authors have no conflicts of interest in this work.