Serum Visfatin Level in Psoriasis Patients: A Case-Control Study

Adipokines play imperative roles in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Among the adipokines, visfatin is attracting more attention in the clinical setting of dermatology.

The study aims to evaluate the serum visfatin level in psoriasis patients compared to the non-psoriasis individuals.

This case-control study involved 40 psoriasis patients and 40 non-psoriasis individuals from January to October, 2023, at the Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) Hospital of Dermato-Venereology. The diagnosis of psoriasis was based on clinical signs and symptoms. Visfatin level was spectrophotometrically measured using an Enzym-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit. Afterward, data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.

We recorded a significantly higher visfatin level in the psoriasis group than the controls (49.8 ± 26.04 versus 13.07 ±12.44, p-value <0.001). The cut-off threshold of visfatin level to differentiate psoriasis from non-psoriasis was 21.7 ng/ml with a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 85% (AUC = 0.929). We also found a positive correlation between visfatin level and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score (r = 0.704; p <0.001).

Our study indicated the link between serum level of visfatin and psoriasis. Visfatin is a potential biomarker in diagnosing psoriasis and classifying the disease’s severity. In further cohort studies and clinical trials, the adipokine can be validated for its use in psoriasis.