According to a new study, two disorders that may seem disconnected, psoriasis and type 2 diabetes, may be linked by a common element—inflammation.

The researchers found that having psoriasis, an autoimmune skin disorder, may increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, this association was independent of other traditional risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes like being overweight.

In addition, they found that the more severe the psoriasis, the greater the risk for type 2 diabetes.

Study Details

The researchers compared health data from 108,000 people with psoriasis to more than 430,000 people without the skin disorder.

They found that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes was 11% higher for those with mild psoriasis and 46% higher for those with severe psoriasis, compared to those who did not have the condition.

As a result of their findings, the researchers suggest that patients with severe psoriasis should be screened for diabetes. What’s the Connection?

Both psoriasis and diabetes are partially caused by inflammation in the body, said researchers. In recent years other studies have found a connection between psoriasis and other serious health problems linked to inflammation including: cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

"For years, it [psoriasis] was thought only to be a disease of the skin," said psoriasis researcher and dermatologist Joel Gelfand, MD. "In fact, it's an inflammatory disease caused by the immune system, and people with it are more likely to have systemic measures of inflammation."

For example, researchers at Harvard Medical School in Boston found that patients with moderate to severe psoriasis had a 28% increased risk of coronary heart disease and a nearly 12% greater risk of stroke.

Psoriasis Awareness

If you have psoriasis, the take-home message for you is to carefully monitory important markers of inflammation and keep them in the normal range.

• Body Weight
• Cholesterol
• Blood Pressure
• Blood Sugar

For more information about psoriasis including National Psoriasis Awareness Month activities near you, visit the National Psoriasis Foundation.

Sources:

Health Finder

American Medical Association

If you have psoriasis, recent studies suggest you may also be at risk for several health conditions that contribute to heart disease. Experts recommend that psoriasis patients should be screened for cardiovascular disease.

The studies, which involved more than 4,000 patients, found that the more surface area of skin affected by psoriasis, the more likely a patient is to have metabolic syndrome. This syndrome consists of several conditions associated with an increased risk of heart disease: insulin resistance, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and elevated triglyceride levels.

Research Findings

Researchers uncovered several distinct patterns among psoriasis patients:

• Psoriasis patients have LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol that consists of smaller and denser cholesterol particles, a pattern observed in patients with diabetes. These smaller and denser particles are more likely to promote hardening of the arteries and cause heart attacks.
• Psoriasis patients also have impaired function of HDL (or “good”) cholesterol, which may not allow HDL to remove cholesterol from the cells in the arteries.
• One study found patients with severe psoriasis may die about five years younger than patients who do not have the disease, and 50% of this excess mortality is due to cardiovascular disease.
• More studies have linked more severe cases of psoriasis to higher rates of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks.

While researchers have only found an association between psoriasis and cardiovascular risk, not a cause-and-effect relationship, many experts believe that inflammation may be the common link. Excessive inflammation is a critical feature of psoriasis. Chronic inflammation also plays a role in abnormal cholesterol levels, insulin resistance, obesity and cardiovascular disease.

Tips for Patients with Psoriasis:

• Eat a healthy, balanced diet.
• Lead an active lifestyle.
• Avoid smoking.
• Limit alcohol consumption.
• Maintain an ideal body weight.
• Reduce stress.
• Get routine screenings for cardiovascular risk factors:
  • Blood pressure.
  • Blood sugar.
  • Cholesterol.

Sources:

Health Finder

American Academy of Dermatology

An estimated 3% of the United States population struggles with an uncomfortable disease that can affect our ability to walk, sleep and in some cases, go to work everyday. It affects just as many males as females and while there is no one cure for this inherited disease, there are a variety of treatments and therapies that affected individuals may undergo.

Psoriasis is the most prevalent autoimmune disease in the country, affecting as many as 7.5 million Americans. The month of August is dedicated to promoting awareness of this skin disorder and the need for more research to better understand, treat, and ultimately, find a cure for disease.

What are the signs of psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a non-contagious, chronic skin disease usually seen in adults that causes itchy or sore patches of thick, red skin with silvery scales. They typically appear on your elbows, knees, scalp, back, face, palms and feet. This occurs when skin cells rise to quickly from below the surface of the skin and pile up on the surface before they have a chance to mature. Normally, this turnover takes about a month, but in psoriasis it may occur in only a few days. Nearly 80 percent of people with the disease have plaque psoriasis—the most common form—which appears as red, raised patches.

If you develop psoriasis, this could be a sign of an issue within your immune system. In many cases, there is a family history of psoriasis. Researchers have studied a large number of families affected by psoriasis and identified genes linked to the disease.

Psoriasis can last a lifetime, with recurring symptoms over a long period of time. However, depending on the severity of the diagnosis, your healthcare provider may suggest the following types of treatment using a stepped or combination approach:

• Step 1 – Topical treatments (creams and ointments applied to the skin)
• Step 2 – Phototherapy (or light therapy)
• Step 3 – Systemic therapy (prescriptions taken by mouth or injection)

This year, the National Psoriasis Foundation is presenting the first film festival for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis to honor National Psoriasis Awareness Month. Learn more about how to participate at: www.psoriasis.org/pam.

Sources:

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

National Psoriasis Foundation