Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome In South Indian Patients with Psoriasis Vulgaris and the Relation Between Disease Severity and Metabolic Syndrome: A Hospital-Based Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin and joints with an increased cardiovascular risk. Previous studies have shown a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in psoriatic patients. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of MS in patients with psoriasis and healthy controls, and to determine the relation between disease severity and the presence of MS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a hospital-based case-control study on 118 adult patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 120 controls matched for age, sex and body mass index. MS was diagnosed by the presence of three or more of the South Asian Modified National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Panel III criteria. RESULTS: MS was significantly more common in psoriatic patients than in controls (44.1% vs. 30%, P value = 0.025). Psoriatic patients also had a higher prevalence of triglyceridemia (33.9% vs. 20.8%, P value = 0.011), abdominal obesity (34.7% vs. 32.5%, P value = 0.035) and elevated blood sugar. There was no difference in the high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels and presence of hypertension among patients with psoriasis and normal controls. There was no correlation between the severity and duration of psoriasis with MS. CONCLUSION: MS is frequent in patients with psoriasis. We have found no relationship between disease severity and presence of MS. Hence, we suggest that all patients must be evaluated for the MS, irrespective of the disease severity.