Psoriasis Patients at Higher Risk of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Conditions, Study Shows

"The risk was notably higher in patients aged 30-40 and 50-70 years, with males and those with early-onset psoriasis being more affected. These findings highlight the importance of integrated management strategies to address psoriasis and its associated comorbidities effectively," the researchers wrote in Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology.

Psoriasis is a chronic systemic inflammatory disorder often accompanied by multiple comorbidities, significantly impacting patient quality of life and complicating treatment approaches. Wenjuan Chen, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, and colleagues examined the demographic characteristics, prevalence, age distribution, and gender differences in comorbid conditions among hospitalized patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis at a single center. Using network analysis, researchers also explored the interconnections between psoriasis and its associated comorbidities, providing insights into their complex relationships and the need for a comprehensive management approach.

For this purpose, the researchers conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study using electronic medical records from the Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital between 2021 and 2023. After eliminating duplicate entries, they analyzed data from 506 patients diagnosed with plaque psoriasis. They collected detailed information on demographics, medical histories, laboratory indices, and comorbid conditions.

To explore the coexistence patterns of psoriasis with other diseases, the researchers applied the Phenotypic Comorbidity Network (PCN) method, providing valuable insights into the complex associations between psoriasis and its comorbidities.

The study led to the following findings:

• 79.64% of patients had at least one comorbidity, with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), hypertension, hyperlipidemia, overweight/obesity, and hyperuricemia being the top five common comorbidities.
• The prevalence of these comorbidities increased substantially in the 30– 40 and 50– 70 age cohorts, notably in hepatic dysfunction and metabolic syndrome.
• Male patients showed a slightly higher propensity for comorbidities compared to females.
• Early-onset psoriasis (EOP) patients showed a higher risk for specific conditions than late-onset psoriasis (LOP) patients.
• PCN analysis identified hepatic dysfunction, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, NAFLD, obesity, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes as strongly associated with psoriasis.

The researchers highlighted that psoriasis is a systemic condition linked to various comorbidities, emphasizing the importance of understanding these connections for better patient care. Their findings stress the need for an interdisciplinary approach that goes beyond skin treatment to address associated health risks.

Through network analysis, the study reinforces the value of a holistic management strategy that includes targeted screening and preventive measures. By identifying key comorbidities, clinicians can implement timely interventions, ultimately improving patient outcomes and helping to reduce the overall disease burden," the researchers concluded.

Reference:

Chen W, Zheng J, Wang X, Li X, Ding Y, Peng C, Shi Y. Comorbidity Pattern in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis: Network Analysis of a Hospitalized Database in China. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2025;18:491-501. https://doi.org/10.2147/CCID.S509739