Psoriasis and cardiovascular risk: correlation between psoriasis and cardiovascular functional indices

Evidence suggests that psoriasis together with other cardiovascular (CV) risk factors is associated with increased vascular morbidity but it is not clear if psoriasis is an independent risk factor. Consecutive patients (n = 33; 35.6 ± 5.7 years; 13 females) with mild psoriasis (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index – PASI – <10) without comorbidities and 33 healthy subjects (36.3 ± 5.9 years; 15 females) were enrolled. Both groups underwent echocardiography, speckle tracking (2D-SE) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) testing. Clinical and conventional echocardiographic characteristics were comparable between both groups. Global Longitudinal Strain (GLS) was significantly lower (p=0.002) in the psoriasis group (22.39 ± 2.28%) than in controls (24.15 ± 2.17%). PWV was significantly lower (p=0.004) in controls (8.06 ± 1.68 m/sec) than in the psoriasis group (9.23 ± 1.53 m/sec). Significant correlations between GLS and disease duration (r=-0.66, p<0.0001) and between GLS and patient age at diagnosis (r=0.48, p=0.0043) were found. Psoriasis may be an independent CV risk factor, causing cardiac and vascular impairment. 2D-SE and PWV may be useful tools for the screening of CV risk in these patients.