BACKGROUND Severe forms of psoriasis can be complicated by systemic microvascular hyperpermeability. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) possesses potent vascular permeability activity. We suggest that VEGF enters the systemic circulation and acts on microvessels to mediate hyperpermeability. OBJECTIVES To quantify renal microvascular permeability and circulating VEGF concentration in s...

UNLABELLED Psoriasis is a common, chronic, genetically determined, T-cell-mediated inflammatory dermatosis. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of delayed-type hypersensitivity to contact allergens in palmo-plantar psoriasis and their importance in provoking and/or perpetuating the same. MATERIALS AND METHODS 101 patients with different clinical forms of psoriasis were include...

Background. Psoriasis is a common inflammatory and immune-mediated skin disease. There is growing controversy as to whether cardiovascular risk is elevated in psoriasis. A number of studies suggest a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors as well as cardiovascular diseases in psoriasis patients. Objective. The objective of this study was to estimate cardiovascular risk score in psoriasi...

BACKGROUND Psoriasis is associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is associated with visceral fat accumulation. There is no study on the accumulation of visceral fat in patients with psoriasis. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare the visceral fat accumulation in patients with psoriasis and controls. SUBJECTS AND METHODS 46 patients with psoriasis and 46 s...

OBJECTIVES To establish whether patients with inflammatory arthritis plus psoriasis have a different outcome from those who do not have psoriasis. METHODS Seventy-nine patients with inflammatory arthritis plus psoriasis were recruited by the Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR) in 1990-94 and followed for 5 yrs. Their outcome was compared with the remainder (n = 755) of the NOAR cohort. We then ...

Background. Chronic plaque psoriasis is frequently associated with obesity. The effect of a low-calorie diet on psoriasis has not been investigated. Objective. The objective was to investigate whether moderate weight loss increases the therapeutic response to topical treatment in obese patients with chronic stable plaque-type psoriasis. Material and Method. A 24-week clinical trial was conducte...

Background: An elevated homocysteine level is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disorders. Psoriatic patients have an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases; In addition, hyperhomocysteinemia is a complication of methotrexate treatment. We undertook a study to evaluate the plasma levels of homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folate in patients with psoriasis before and after short-term...

BACKGROUND Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease that not only affects the skin but can also have systemic implications such as obesity and nutritional deficiencies. Carotenoids are vitamin A provitamins with anti-oxidant properties that are present in human tissues including skin. OBJECTIVES To determine whether psoriasis is associated with lower levels of skin carotenoid levels. METHODS In...

Introduction Psoriasis is a frequent inflammatory skin disease affecting ~2%-3% of the population in western countries. Scaling of the psoriatic lesions is the most impairing symptom in patients with psoriasis. In contrast to conventional keratolytic treatment concepts containing salicylic acid or urea, a dimeticone-based medical device (Loyon®) removes scales in a physical way without any phar...

BACKGROUND Facial involvement of psoriasis is known to be one of the clinical manifestations that indicate the severity of the psoriasis and thought to be more closely associated with certain distribution. Centrofacial (CF) psoriasis has been suggested to be related with severity of systemic disease while peripherofacial (PF) psoriasis has been thought to have connection with scalp psoriasis. ...