Subclinical atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction are more prevalent among patients with psoriasis, according to results of a recent meta-analysis, prompting researchers to call for cardiovascular disease screening in this population.
Sameer Shaharyar, MBBS, DTCD, MCPS, DMRT, FCPS, from the Baptist Health Medical Group’s Center for Prevention and Wellness Research, in Miami Beach, Fla., and colleagues reviewed literature published through November 2012.
Twelve studies met inclusion criteria from an initial search result of 29 articles. The findings were published in Atherosclerosis.
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Of those 12 studies, two studies reported increased mean coronary artery calcification (CAC), and six studies showed increased carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in patients with psoriasis.
Overall, five studies examined flow mediated dilation (FMD), of which three showed decreased FMD in psoriasis patients. One study each demonstrated a decreased coronary flow reserve and increased arterial stiffness as assessed by pulse wave velocity.
“We observed that out of the 12 studies reviewed, individuals with psoriasis were consistently found to have a higher CIMT and had a higher burden of CAC, arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction,” Shaharyar and colleagues wrote. “This association persisted after accounting for traditional risk factors, suggesting that psoriasis itself confers increased CVD risk.”
