What is “psoriasis” (psoriasis)?

  Psoriasis, commonly known as psoriasis, is a common chronic inflammatory disease in dermatology that can involve the skin, nails and joints.  According to the 1984 epidemiological survey, the national prevalence rate was 0.123%. Most people, especially patients, believe that psoriasis is just a recurrent skin disease that does not cause internal organ damage.  Studies now consider the development of psoriasis not only as a skin disease but as a systemic inflammatory process, often accompanied by mental depression, obesity and metabolic syndrome.  Metabolic syndrome is a group of syndromes characterized by central obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension and abnormal glucose metabolism, the presence of which significantly increases the patient’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown a correlation between psoriasis and obesity, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.  In addition, the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease, atherosclerosis, and tumors is increased in patients with psoriasis compared to the normal population. The relationship between psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease is largely recognized, with the relative risk of inflammatory bowel disease in patients with psoriasis being 2.9, while patients with inflammatory bowel disease are seven times more likely to develop psoriasis compared to normal individuals.  British academics analyzed 130,000 psoriasis cases in the UK General Medical Institute research database and concluded that the incidence of obesity was higher in patients with psoriasis of all severities relative to the total population, that patients with severe psoriasis were more likely to be obese than those with mild psoriasis after adjustment for age, sex, and number of years in life, and that the incidence of other syndromes of the metabolic syndrome was higher in patients with moderate psoriasis , and an increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia compared to controls.  Patients with severe psoriasis are more likely to develop diabetes than those with moderate psoriasis. Domestic scholars have found that psoriasis combined with metabolic syndrome often occurs after many years of recurrent psoriasis, and the clinical manifestation is mostly moderate to severe psoriasis, and psoriasis patients with combined metabolic syndrome tend to be older and have a relatively long disease duration.  Therefore, psoriasis patients should pay more attention to risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and tumors. For example, attention should be paid to weight reduction, avoidance of smoking, balanced diet and nutrition, and active treatment of existing medical diseases. Treatment of hyperlipidemia can improve the condition of the patient’s psoriasis lesions.  Some studies have proven that better control of psoriasis can reduce mortality from cardiovascular disease and prolong life expectancy. Ongoing systemic therapy reduces the risk of cardiovascular death in patients with psoriasis.