Metabolic syndrome in patients with psoriasis: A comparative study

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis patients are at increased risk of developing the metabolic syndrome (MS). Proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 that are increased in the psoriatic plaques are known to contribute to features of MS such as hypertension, dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. AIMS: (1) To establish the frequency of MS in patients with psoriasis. (2) To study the risk factors associated with MS in psoriasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A hospital based comparative study was conducted involving 40 adult patients with psoriasis and 40 age- and sex-matched controls. All participants were evaluated for components of MS. RESULTS: Both groups included 31 males and 9 females. The mean age of the cases and controls were 49.95 years and 49.35 years, respectively. Psoriasis patients with MS had a statistically significant higher mean age (56.31 ± 11.36 years) compared with those without MS (46.89 ± 11.51 years). MS was present in 13 out of 40 (32.5%) patients with psoriasis and 12 out of 40 (30%) controls; this difference was not statistically significant. Higher age and female gender correlated with the presence of MS in psoriasis patients. The presence of MS in psoriasis patients was statistically independent of psoriasis area severity index score, body surface area involvement or psoriatic arthropathy. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that there is no close correlation between psoriasis and MS in South Indian patients.