Original Research Article
Year: 2017 | Month: October | Volume: 7 | Issue: 10 | Pages: 14-21
Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Newly Diagnosed Psoriasis Patients: A Case Control Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Assam
Prof. Debeeka Hazarika, Dr. Raj Pavan
Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, Guwahati, Assam- 781032
Corresponding Author: Prof. Debeeka Hazarika
ABSTRACT
Background: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory and proliferative condition of the skin, characterized by scaly, sharply demarcated, indurated plaques, present particularly over extensor surfaces and scalp. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors including central obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension and glucose intolerance, and is a strong predictor of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and stroke. Recent studies have shown that the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in psoriasis is significantly elevated.
Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among newly diagnosed psoriasis patients.
Methods: The study comprised sixty new cases of psoriasis patients attending the outpatient of Department of Dermatology and Venereology from June 2012 to May 2013 and sixty healthy individuals as controls. Venous samples were taken at the first visit after the subjects had fasted overnight (at least 8 hours). Plasma glucose and lipid profile were estimated. Waist circumference and blood pressure were recorded. Participants with 3 or more criteria were defined as having metabolic syndrome according to South Asian Modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III.
Results: In the psoriasis group, 16(26.66%) patients had metabolic syndrome, where as in the control group only 5 (8.33%) had metabolic syndrome, which showed a significant association with P= 0.016.
Conclusion: There was a significantly higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with psoriasis, which could play a relevant role in accelerating atherosclerosis. The association was not limited to severe cases but also occurs with mild cases. Therefore, the study emphasized the fact that for the better management and to prevent the future risk of cardiovascular complications, all patients must be screened for cardiovascular risk factors at the disease onset, irrespective of the severity of psoriasis. All patients with psoriasis should be encouraged to correct aggressively their modifiable cardiovascular risk factors.
Key words: psoriasis, metabolic syndrome, obesity, atherosclerosis