Liver dysfunction of psoriatic patients: low serum total protein and albumin increase hospital stays

Psoriasis as a systemic inflammatory disease may be associated with some liver dysfunctions. We conducted a seven-year retrospective study focusing on the detailed indexes of liver functions and searching for some differences among different types of psoriasis. We investigated the liver functions and medical records of first-time hospitalization inpatients (n=211) with psoriasis including serum Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), Gamma Glutamyl Transpeptidase (GGT), Total Bilirubin (TBIL), Indirect Bilirubin (IBIL), Direct Bilirubin (DBIL), Total Protein (TP), Albumin (ALB) and Globulin (GLB). We also analysed the correlation between serum TP, ALB values and hospital stays. We found 123 moderate-to-severe Psoriasis vulgaris (PV) had high incidence rates of liver damage including abnormal ALT, GGT, and GLB, which had no significant differences compared with 55 Erythrodermic Psoriasis (EP) and 33 Generalized Pustular Psoriasis (GPP). PV had high abnormality rates of TP and ALB, however, the abnormality rate of ALB of PV was clearly lower than that of EP and GPP. EP had clearly higher LDH values and significantly lower TBIL, IBIL, TP and ALB compared with PV. GPP had markedly higher ALP and significantly lower TP and ALB in comparison with PV. The correlation between serum TP, ALB values and hospital stays were significantly negative. Taken together, close attention should be paid to the liver function of psoriatic patients including PV, EP and GPP. Low serum TP and ALB might increase hospital stays and economic burden of psoriatic patients.