Rosuvastatin May Reduce Cardiovascular Risk in Psoriasis Patients: Study

A new study published in the journal of Perspectives in Clinical Research showed that rosuvastatin can be considered as an additional therapy for patients with plaque psoriasis who possess intermediate or high cardiovascular risk, potentially aiding in lowering cardiovascular risk in conjunction with conventional psoriasis treatment.

Psoriasis is a persistent inflammatory condition linked to an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). While statins are known to improve lipid profiles and cardiovascular outcomes, their effectiveness in psoriasis beyond cardiovascular protection remains unclear, as previous research has yielded inconsistent findings regarding their impact on disease severity. Rosuvastatin exhibits anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and endothelial-protective effects. Thus, this study assessed the impact of rosuvastatin on disease severity as well as inflammatory and angiogenic biomarkers in patients with chronic plaque psoriasis who are at cardiovascular risk.

In this nonrandomized, assessor-blinded clinical study, patients with plaque psoriasis were assigned to either the rosuvastatin add-on group (n = 24) or the standard therapy group (n = 24) based on their initial cardiovascular risk. The primary endpoint was the average change in the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score at 12 weeks compared to baseline. Additional outcomes included PASI 50 and PASI 75 responses, changes in dermatology life quality index (DLQI) scores, lipid profile, serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, vascular endothelial growth factor, and interleukin-17 levels.

At 12 weeks, the average (standard deviation) change from baseline PASI was −2.34 (2.81) in the rosuvastatin group and −1.93 (3.33) in the standard therapy group (P = 0.38). The rosuvastatin group showed an earlier and consistent reduction in disease severity; 3 (17.64%) patients treated with rosuvastatin reached PASI 50 at 4 weeks, whereas none in the standard group did. The difference in average change in DLQI and biochemical markers between the two groups was not statistically significant. Both groups demonstrated a similar safety profile.

Overall, the administration of rosuvastatin as an adjunct to conventional psoriasis therapy resulted in a more rapid reduction in disease severity and enhanced quality of life. Additionally, the medication demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic effects, which may disrupt the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of the disease. 

Reference:

Siwach, S., Mittal, N., Dayal, S., Goel, N., Asija, M., & Mishra, A. (2026). Effect of rosuvastatin as add-on to standard treatment on disease severity, inflammatory, and angiogenic biomarkers in chronic plaque psoriasis patients having cardiovascular risk: A nonrandomized, assessor blind, controlled clinical trial (RoSInA-P3 trial). Perspectives in Clinical Research, 17(4), 224–229. https://doi.org/10.4103/picr.picr_146_25