Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis incidence in patients with psoriasis vulgaris

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a severe form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), characterized by hepatic inflammation and damage due to fat accumulation. Psoriasis patients show higher NASH incidence due to overlapping risk factors like obesity and insulin resistance. The study aimed to determine the incidence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in patients with psoriasis vulgaris.

This cross-sectional observational study included 80 adult patients diagnosed with psoriasis vulgaris. Psoriasis severity was assessed using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score. All participants underwent abdominal ultrasonography to assess liver steatosis. Those with significant findings suggestive of fatty liver were further evaluated with transient elastography (FibroScan, EchoSens, Paris, France) to determine liver stiffness and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) values.

Among psoriatic patient diagnosed with NASH, the mean PASI score was 8.8 ± 3.6 which was higher than those diagnosed with NAFLD and non-NASH non-NAFLD patients (6.7 ± 4.5 and 7.1 ± 3.9, respectively); however, this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.19). The percentage of moderate and severe psoriasis was higher in NASH patients (68.75%) compared to NAFLD and non-NASH non-NAFLD subjects (57.1% and 46.5%, respectively).

NASH and NAFLD are linked to psoriasis severity and systemic metabolic dysfunction. Future studies with larger cohorts and prospective designs are needed to validate these findings and explore underlying mechanisms.