Background: Psoriasis is a common chronic and recurrent
inflammatory skin disease associated with increased risk of
cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular risk factors such
as obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hyperhomocysteinemia. Psoriasis also associated with increased risk of
atherothrombosis.
Objective: Evaluation of serum levels of inflammation
and thrombophilia markers in psoriatic patients.
Patients and Methods: Thirty patients with psoriasis and
twenty gender and age-matched controls were included in
this study. All of them were subjected to: History taking,
clinical assessment, body mass index (BMI) calculation, blood
pressure (BP) measurement and calculation of PASI score.
Laboratory investigations to determine the following: High
sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), Homocysteine (Hcy),
folic acid and vitamin B 12, Antithrombin III (AT-III), Prothrombin time (PT) and Activated partial thromboplastin time
(APPT).
Results: The marker of inflammation (hs-CRP) was significantly increased in the patients group compared with the
control group and it positively correlated with PASI score. In
the patients' group there was significant increase in serum
Hcy level with significant positive correlation between Hcy
level and PASI score. There was significant decrease in serum
level of antithrombin III, PT, folic acid and VB 12 levels in
patients group when compared to control group.
Conclusion: Increased concentration of inflammatory
markers and homocysteine may play a role in the atherothrombotic state which may increase cardiovascular risk in psoriatic
patients.