Psoriasis patients at increased risk of metabolic syndrome, study finds

China: Patients with psoriasis are at an increased risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS), states the review findings published in The Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. The systematic review considered the prevalence of this association on a global scale. Findings suggest that screening for the metabolic disease should be considered for psoriasis patients.

Globally, Psoriasis is a serious problem affecting people of all ages and in all countries. Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated disease that affects the skin and Metabolic syndrome is a set of risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing heart disease, diabetes, stroke, or other health issues. Previous reports have suggested some common links and associations between psoriasis and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is the most common comorbidity of psoriasis. The severity of psoriasis may influence the risk of metabolic syndrome.

Liu Liu, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China, and his team performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the global prevalence of MetS among patients with psoriasis.

Researchers searched five databases from inception through September 2021 and used the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) tools to assess observational study quality. the data analysis was performed using Stata SE 15.1. Interstudy heterogeneity was evaluated using Subgroup, meta-regression, and sensitivity analyses. Publication bias was evaluated using Egger's and Begg's linear tests. Finally, 45 studies were included in the analysis.

Review results showed that,

• The global prevalence of MetS in patients with psoriasis was 32%. 

• The prevalence in adults was 32%, while that in children and adolescents was 9%.

• Latin America had the highest prevalence of 47%, whereas North America had the lowest prevalence of 26%.

• In regards to psoriasis type and severity, patients with psoriasis Vulgaris (29%) or severe psoriasis (37%) had a higher prevalence of MetS than those with other psoriasis types.

• Prevalence findings showed the influence of Metabolic syndrome diagnostic criteria, studies using NCEP-ATP III criteria indicated the highest (55%) and studies using IDF indicated the lowest (15%).

Researchers believed that the study findings provide significant evidence of the prevalence of metabolic syndrome being high among individuals with psoriasis. They suggest that due to the serious complications associated with metabolic syndrome, this frequent comorbidity should be appropriately recognized and managed in patients with psoriasis.

To illustrate the mechanisms underlying the coexistence of MetS in patients with psoriasis, more population-based prospective observational studies are needed, the authors, suggested.

Reference:

Liu Liu,Xiao-ce Cai,Xiao-ying Sun,Ya-qiong Zhou,Meng-zhu Jin,Jiao Wang,Tian Ma,Bin Li,Xin Li. First published: 06 June 2022   https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.18296