[Metabolic syndrome in patients with psoriasis]

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of skin, nail plates and joints, which shares similarities with other chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis. Recent studies indicated that patients with psoriasis are at greater risk for cardiovascular co-morbidities and metabolic syndrome. Published data demonstrates that there is a correlation between the severity of skin changes, cardiovascular co-morbidities and features of metabolic syndrome. Recent research showed that psoriasis plaque shares striking histological features with atherosclerotic one. Both plaques have an elevated level of activated T helper 1 and T helper 17 cells. T helper 1 cells show an overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines such as: TNF-alpha, INF-gamma IL-6 which result in endothelial dysfunction. IL-17 produced by T helper 17 cells have been known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and trigger inflammation in various tissues and organs. In addition, elevated level of serum IL-17 have been observed in unstable coronary artery disease (CAD) as well as in acute myocardial infarction (MI). Physical activity was proved to play a protective role in prevalence of cardiovascular co-morbidities. Recent studies showed that increased physical activity in patients with psoriasis reduce inflammation and risk of cardiometabolic co-morbidities.