A groundbreaking study reveals that psoriasis patients may continue experiencing systemic inflammation even after successful skin treatment. Researchers found that over one-third of patients still show inflammatory markers despite using biologic drugs. The study highlights the complex nature of psoriasis and its potential broader health implications beyond skin symptoms. Medical experts now recommend more comprehensive health monitoring and lifestyle interventions for psoriasis patients.
May 21, 2025
Study shows why psoriasis patients may be at risk of obesity, fatty liver disease
"Just
treating the skin signs of psoriatic disease is not sufficient" - Joel M.
Gelfand, University of Pennsylvania
While
patients with psoriasis -- a chronic skin condition -- respond well to
treatment with biologics, inflammation can linger, leading to broader health
implications such as obesity and cardiovascular and fatty liver disease,
according to a study.
Key
Points
1 Psoriasis patients show residual inflammation
despite biologic treatments
2 36.3% of patients exhibit systemic inflammatory
markers
3 Study highlights need for comprehensive health
management
4 Inflammation linked to higher BMI and liver
disease risks
Psoriasis,
with its systemic inflammatory nature, high risk of cardiovascular disease, and
frequent use of biologic drugs, could provide a valuable framework for studying
residual inflammation.
The
study, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, could lead to
more targeted and effective treatments that address the systemic aspects of
psoriasis, beyond just the skin.
"Despite
excellent control of skin disease, a substantial percentage of psoriasis
patients demonstrate residual systemic inflammation," said Joel M.
Gelfand, Department of Dermatology, at the University of Pennsylvania's
Perelman School of Medicine, US.
"These
findings emphasise that just treating the skin signs of psoriatic disease is
not sufficient, and patients often need additional approaches to lowering
systemic inflammation," Gelfand added.
For
the observational study, the team assessed residual inflammation in 209
psoriasis patients across three international cohorts (Spain, the US, and
Sweden) who had achieved a no or mild psoriasis on stable biologic therapy.
They
found that residual inflammation was present in 36.3 per cent of these patients
and was significantly linked to higher body mass index (BMI), metabolic dysfunction-associated
steatotic liver disease (MASLD), increased baseline systemic inflammation, and
greater adipose tissue.
"The
findings underscore a critical unmet need to address the systemic inflammatory
burden beyond skin symptoms in psoriasis, potentially requiring interventions
targeting obesity and metabolic dysfunction to improve overall patient
outcomes," said lead investigator Álvaro González-Cantero, from the
Department of Dermatology at Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal in Spain.
The
researchers suggest a more intensive cardiovascular risk assessment and
management of psoriasis patients.
This
could involve closer monitoring of inflammatory markers like high-sensitivity
C-reactive protein, as well as parameters related to liver health, by integrating
lifestyle modifications or weight management strategies, potentially leading to
earlier detection and intervention for associated comorbidities, the team said,
while also calling for further studies to confirm the findings.
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