RESEARCH ARTICLE


Endothelial Function and Inflammatory Activity in Patients with Recent Onset of Severe Plaque Psoriasis



Lotus Mallbris*, a, John Pernowbb, Mona Ståhlea
a Units of Dermatology and Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
b Units of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden


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Creative Commons License
© 2008 Mallbris et al.

open-access license: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0), a copy of which is available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

* Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Medicine, Dermatology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, SE-171 76, Stockholm, Sweden; Tel: +46-7-336 698 59; Fax: +46-8- 517 778 51; E-mail:lotus.mallbris@ki.se


Abstract

Background:

Psoriasis is associated with premature atherosclerosis and cardiovascular co-morbidity and mortality.

Objective:

To determine endothelial function in severe psoriasis at onset compared to that of matched healthy controls

Methods:

Using high-resolution ultrasound, we measured the diameter of brachial artery at rest, during reactive hyperemia, and after sublingual nitroglycerin. We compared twenty adult individuals at psoriasis onset to matched healthy controls. Demographic characteristics, lipid profile and high-sensitive C-reactive protein were assessed.

Results:

There were no significant differences in endothelium-dependent and -independent dilatation between psoriasis patients and control individuals. Patients with psoriasis had significantly higher concentration of high-sensitive Creactive- protein, reflecting the systemic inflammatory response.

Conclusion:

This is the first pilot study evaluating endothelial function in individuals with early plaque psoriasis. The study shows that patients with severe psoriasis at onset do not exhibit endothelial dysfunction compared to control individuals.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, disease onset, endothelial function, psoriasis.