Association between Psoriasis Vulgaris and Coronary Heart Disease in a Hospital-Based Population in Japan

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with an immune-genetic background. It has been reported as an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) in the United States and Europe. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between psoriasis and CHD in a hospital-based population in Japan. METHODS: For 113,065 in-hospital and clinic patients at our institution between January 1, 2011 and January 1, 2013, the diagnostic International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes for CHD, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and psoriasis vulgaris were extracted using the medical accounting system and electronic medical record, and were analyzed. RESULTS: The prevalence of CHD (n = 5,167, 4.5%), hypertension (n = 16,476, 14.5%), dyslipidemia (n = 9,236, 8.1%), diabetes mellitus (n = 11,555, 10.2%), and psoriasis vulgaris (n = 1,197, 1.1%) were identified. The prevalence of CHD in patients with hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and psoriasis vulgaris were 21.3%, 22.2%, 21.1%, and 9.0%, respectively. In 1,197 psoriasis patients, those with CHD were older, more likely to be male, and had more number of the diseases surveyed by ICD-10 codes. Multivariate analysis showed that psoriasis vulgaris was an independent associated factor for CHD (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01–1.58; p = 0.0404) along with hypertension (adjusted OR: 7.78; 95% CI: 7.25–8.36; p < 0.0001), dyslipidemia (adjusted OR: 2.35; 95% CI: 2.19–2.52; p < 0.0001), and diabetes (adjusted OR: 2.86; 95% CI: 2.67–3.06; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Psoriasis vulgaris was independently associated with CHD in a hospital-based population in Japan.