Obesity in childhood significantly increases the risk of developing psoriasis, and psoriasis may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease later in life by increasing cholesterol levels, researchers reported Wednesday. Patients with psoriasis early in life should be monitored for early signs of cardiovascular disease and given therapy to reduce the risk of later heart attacks and stroke, a team from Kaiser Permanente reported in the Journal of Pediatrics.
Psoriasis is a common autoimmune condition characterized by skin redness and irritation. Most patients have thick red skin with flaky, silver-white patches called scales. The disorder is genetic in origin, but can be exacerbated by a number of environmental factors, including excessive exposure to sunlight, excess alcohol consumption, stress, dry air or skin, certain drugs and many infections. Most subjects develop their first symptoms between age 15 and 35. An estimated 7 million Americans suffer from the disorder.
Previous studies have shown that adults with psoriasis have a higher risk of developing metabolic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart attack and stroke. Conversely, obesity in adults has also been linked with a higher risk of developing psoriasis. The new study suggests that the same factors that increase risk in adults may be operating in children as well.