Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 14, 2025
Author Spotlight: Self-Assessment Protocol for Predicting Psoriatic Arthritis in Psoriasis Patients
Published on: March 1, 2024
Screening for Comorbid Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Pediatric Psoriasis Among Iraqi Patients: A Case-Control Study
Samer A Dhaher1, Farah Alyassiry2
1Dermatology, College of Medicine, University of Basrah, Basrah, IRQ.
Insights
Pediatric psoriasis patients show higher risks for cardiovascular issues, including obesity, hypertension, and abnormal lipid profiles, particularly with severe disease. Early detection of these risk factors is crucial for long-term health management.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Cardiology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Psoriasis is a complex immune-mediated skin disease with significant comorbidities.
- Childhood-onset psoriasis affects one-third of adult cases, highlighting the need for early intervention.
- Identifying comorbidities in pediatric psoriasis can mitigate future health impacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess cardiovascular event risks in Iraqi children and adolescents with psoriasis.
- To examine the correlation between psoriasis severity and cardiovascular risk factors.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, case-control, cross-sectional study involving 150 pediatric psoriasis patients and 150 controls.
- Psoriasis severity was evaluated using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score.
- Measurements included blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), fasting blood sugar (FBS), and lipid profiles.
Main Results:
- Psoriatic children exhibited higher rates of overweight/obesity (40% vs. 8%) and hypertension (5.3% vs. 0%).
- Abnormal lipid profiles were significantly more prevalent in psoriatic patients (62% vs. 30%), including elevated cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, and triglycerides.
- Metabolic syndrome (65% vs. 2%) and elevated FBS (8% vs. 2.6%) were also more common in the psoriatic group, correlating with disease severity.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric psoriasis patients, especially those with moderate to severe disease, present an atherogenic lipid profile.
- Increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors is evident in Iraqi pediatric psoriasis patients.
- These findings underscore the importance of monitoring cardiovascular health in children with psoriasis.
Background:
Psoriasis is a polygenic multifactorial immune-mediated skin disease associated with comorbidities. As one-third of adult psoriasis starts during childhood, early detection of these comorbidities might help to mitigate their impact on future health.
Objectives:
To investigate the risk for cardiovascular events and their relationship with psoriasis severity among Iraqi children and adolescents.
Patients And Methods:
A prospective, case-control, cross-sectional study on 150 patients with psoriasis and 150 age and sex-matched individuals. The study was carried out at the Department of Dermatology/Basra Teaching Hospital from December 2018 to December 2020. Psoriasis severity was assessed by PASI (psoriasis area severity index) score, and in both groups, blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) were measured. Laboratory tests including fasting blood sugar (FBS) and lipid profile were also done.
Results:
More patients were overweight and obese in the psoriatic group compared to the control group (26.7% and 40% versus 11% and 8%), 5.3% of psoriatic patients who had stage 2 hypertension (defined as any blood pressure [BP] measurement higher than 99th plus 5 mm of mercury applied to BP levels for boys and girls by age and height percentile charts), none of the control group was hypertensive, and the difference was statistically significant (p-value<0.05). A significantly higher proportion of the psoriatic patients had abnormal lipid profiles compared with the control group, 62% versus 30% (p<0.05), 15.3% versus 6.7% had elevated cholesterol (p<0.05), 24.7% versus 8% had raised low-density lipoprotein (LDL, p<0.05), 18% versus 8.6% had low high-density lipoprotein (HDL, p<0.05), and 12.6% versus 6% had elevated very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and triglyceride (TG, p<0.05), 8% patients had elevated FBS (more than 100 mg per deciliter) versus 2.6% (p<0.05), and metabolic syndrome in 65 versus 2% (p<0.05). These changes were related to the severity of psoriasis.
Conclusions:
Pediatric psoriatic patients in our population may have an atherogenic lipid profile with an increased prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, especially those with moderate to severe psoriasis.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
01:27Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-IV: Assessement and Diagnostic Studies
Medical History
01:27Psychoneuroimmunology: Cardiovascular Disease
A key area of focus in PNI is the relationship between stress and coronary...
01:21Rheumatic Heart Disease III: Medical Management
01:29Assessment of the Cardiovascular System II: Inspection
Head and Neck
01:21Peripheral Arterial Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Evaluation