Psoriasis Carries an Increased Risk of Venous Thromboembolism: A Danish Nationwide Cohort Study

Psoriasis is an immunoinflammatory disease associated with cardiovascular risk factors, atherothrombotic events, and hypercoagulability. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is potentially lethal and shares risk factors with psoriasis, but the risk of VTE associated with psoriasis is unknown. The present study investigated the potential association between psoriasis and VTE.Information from nationwide prospectively recorded registers of hospitalization, drug dispensing from pharmacies, socio-economic data, and causes of death was linked on an individual level. In an unselected nationwide cohort, we used multivariate Poisson regression models controlling for age, gender, comorbidity, concomitant medication, socio-economic data, and calendar year, to assess the risk of VTE associated with psoriasis. A total of 35,138 patients with mild and 3,526 patients with severe psoriasis were identified and compared with 4,126,075 controls. Patients with psoriasis had higher incidence rates per 1000 person-years of VTE than controls (1.29, 1.92, and 3.20 for controls, mild psoriasis, and severe psoriasis, respectively). The rate ratio (RR) of VTE was elevated in all patients with psoriasis with RR 1.35 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21–1.49) and RR 2.06 (CI 1.63–2.61) for mild and severe psoriasis, respectively. Exclusion of patients with malignancies, and censoring of patients undergoing surgery did not alter the results.This nationwide cohort study indicates that patients with psoriasis are at increased risk of VTE. The risk was highest in young patients with severe psoriasis. Physicians should be aware that patients with psoriasis may be at increased risk of both venous and arterial thromboembolic events

Psoriasis and Hypertension Severity: Results from a Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic studies have provided new insights into the association between psoriasis and cardiovascular diseases. Previous population studies have examined hypertension frequency in psoriasis patients. However, the relationship between severity of hypertension and psoriasis has not been characterized. OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate whether patients with psoriasis have more difficult-to-manage hypertension compared to non-psoriatic hypertensive patients. APPROACH: We performed a case-control study using the University of California Davis electronic medical records. The cases were defined as patients diagnosed with both psoriasis and hypertension, and controls were defined as patients with hypertension and without psoriasis. In this identified population, 835 cases were matched on age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) to 2418 control patients. KEY RESULTS: Treatment with multiple anti-hypertensives was significantly associated with the presence of psoriasis using univariate (p < 0.0001) and multivariable analysis, after adjusting for diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and race (p < 0.0001). Compared to hypertensive patients without psoriasis, psoriasis patients with hypertension were 5 times more likely to be on a monotherapy antihypertensive regimen (95% CI 3.607.05), 9.5 times more likely to be on dual antihypertensive therapy (95% CI 6.68-13.65), 16.5 times more likely to be on triple antihypertensive regimen (95% CI 11.01-24.84), and 19.9 times more likely to be on quadruple therapy or centrally-acting agent (95% CI 10.58-37.33) in multivariable analysis after adjusting for traditional cardiac risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Psoriasis patients appear to have more difficult-to-control hypertension compared to non-psoriatic, hypertensive patients

Derivatization and Detection of FAMEs in Ancient North American Soapstone Artifacts

Presentation by Natalie Prodanovich ('18) and Stephen Carmody delivered at the Rhodes College Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Symposium (URCAS).Prior to the production of pottery 3000 years ago, humans would often carve large bowls out of rock, usually soapstone. Samples of such an artifact from the Thrash site, a Late Archaic period (3,000-1000B.P,) site in Pike Country, Alabama, have been subjected to a three step process for identifying fatty acids, the primary substance of foodstuffs. We used gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) to analyze samples from the artifact along with samples of natural soapstone. The presence of different fatty acids can provide information about prehistoric dietary habits, whether from fish, mammals and/or plants. For the analysis, however, the fatty acids must be converted (derivatized) to fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs). We used a method that converts triacylglycerides into FAMES in a one step process. These fatty acids will be correlated to a range of plants and animals that came into an extended period of contact with the artifact

Inpatient dermatology. A prescription for survival

Currently, only a minority of dermatologists participate in the primary hospital care of patients with severe skin disease. However, an opportunity exists to alter this course. We believe the current course is a detriment to our specialty, and as a specialists we should provide the care for the full spectrum of dermatologic diseases. Moreover, by not delivering complete dermatology care, our specialty also stands to lose respect from both our patients and peers. Our experience at UM suggests that the creation of a cadre of dermatology hospitalists at selected academic medical centers would allow improved patient hospital care, education, and research

Cardiovascular risk factors and myocardial infarction in patients with psoriasis

Evaluation of: Gelfand JM, Neimann AL, Shin DB, Wang X, Margolis DJ, Troxel AB. Risk of myocardial infarction in patients with psoriasis. JAMA 296(14), 1735-1741 (2006). Neimann AL, Shin DB, Wang X, Margolis DJ, Troxel AB, Gelfand JM. Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in patients with psoriasis. J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 55(5), 829-835 (2006).Psoriasis is a chronic disease characterized by systemic inflammation and inappropriate self-reactivity of the T helper cell (Th)1-mediated immune system. It is well known that, for patients, psoriasis has a significant impact on the quality of life, but recent data also suggest that psoriasis produces significant morbidity and possibly even mortality related to associated cardiovascular effects. We review two recent papers, which provide analysis of cardiovascular risk factors and myocardial infarction rates in patients with mild and severe psoriasis in a large-scale population-based study in the UK. These investigators use multivariate analysis to determine the true independent associations of these risk factors with psoriasis and to examine psoriasis as an independent risk factor for myocardial infarction

TREATMENT OF PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED FOR PSORIASIS

In general, patients with psoriasis present with a mild-to-moderate degree of disease involvement. These patients usually are not hospitalized for their skin condition, and most respond well to the various forms of outpatient therapy. A small percentage of patients, however, can progress to one of the more severe forms of psoriasis—some of which may even be life-threatening—and require hospitalization and a more intensive assortment of treatments. Box 1 lists criteria for hospitalization of patients with psoriasis. 16 Box 1 Criteria for Hospitalization of Patients With Psoriasis Data from Bohm ML, Voorhees JJ: White paper on hospitalization for psoriasis care. J Am Acad Dermatol 10:842–851, 1984. Severe forms of psoriasis may have devastating consequences on every aspect of patients' lives. Life quality of patients can be greatly improved after appropriate inpatient therapy. 40 In an effort to better understand how to treat these disorders and improve quality of life for these patients, this article explores several aspects of inpatient treatment available for patients with psoriasis. Special attention is given to Goeckerman regimen, combination therapies, and some innovative approaches that may shorten the hospital stay and prolong remission periods of the disease

Psoriasis: an opportunity to identify cardiovascular risk

Psoriasis is highly prevalent and is associated with skin-associated complaints as well as arthritis, depression and a lower quality of life. Recently, it has been demonstrated that not only do patients with psoriasis have an increased prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, but an increased risk of myocardial infarction, and for those with severe disease, increased mortality. Dermatologists and other health professionals need to be cognizant of this association and ensure that cardiovascular risk factors are evaluated and treated appropriately in those patients with psoriasis. We review the association between psoriasis, atherosclerosis and inflammation, as well as some treatable cardiovascular risk factors that may prove beneficial in reducing a patient's cardiovascular risk