Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. It is assumed that the plaque phenotype of psoriasis is associated with T helper (Th) 1 immune response activation, while the guttate phenotype is associated with the Th17 immune response. Previous investigations of differences in the serum levels of cytokines relative to the clinical psoriatic phenotype have yielded conflicting results. This st...

BACKGROUND There is a great body of evidence indicating that some inflammatory skin diseases, such as psoriasis, are mediated by oxidative stress. Trace metals have been shown to be involved in oxidative stress response. Altered trace metal homeostasis in psoriasis has been studied. However, limited number of studies has focused on the involvement of metal binding proteins in psoriasis. MATER...

BACKGROUND Systems for determining psoriasis severity in clinical trials have not been sufficiently validated against patients' perceived quality of life. OBJECTIVE To validate three systems of physician-determined psoriasis severity (the Lattice System Physician's Global Assessment [LS-PGA], Psoriasis Area and Severity Index [PASI] and static Physician's Global Assessment [sPGA]). METHODS ...

BACKGROUND Clinical characteristics of psoriasis vary between different races and climates. There are few data on Latin American and even fewer on Chilean patients with psoriasis. OBJECTIVES To assess that clinical characteristics and quality of life (QoL) of a group of Chilean patients with psoriasis. METHODS A cross-sectional, observational and analytic study was conducted at the Dermatol...

Accumulating evidence indicates that body weight, alcohol and smoking are associated with psoriasis. However, these factors have scarcely been investigated in relation to onset and disease activity at onset of psoriasis. A population-based case-control study was performed including 373 cases with onset of first-time plaque psoriasis within 12 months and matched healthy controls. Psoriasis activ...

INTRODUCTION Recent studies have suggested a strong association between psoriasis and obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, resistance to insulin and metabolic syndrome. AIM To assess the prevalence of selected metabolic syndrome components in patients with psoriasis and the effect of the abnormalities on the disease activity. MATERIAL AND METHODS Two hundred and forty-six patients diagnosed...

BACKGROUND Estimates of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) prevalence among psoriasis patients vary widely (5-40%). The time to development of PsA in patients with plaque psoriasis also remains unclear. OBJECTIVES To examine whether length of time since diagnosis of psoriasis affects risk of developing PsA, and to assess differences in quality of life (QoL), work-related issues, comorbidities and heal...

BACKGROUND To date, there is no global consensus on the definition of the severity of psoriasis. The REFlective evaLuation of psoriasis Efficacy of Treatment and Severity (REFLETS) questionnaire has recently been developed to provide a better understanding of plaque-type psoriasis severity and treatment efficacy from both patient and clinician perspectives. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to devel...

BACKGROUND Etanercept, a tumour-necrosis-factor inhibitor, has shown efficacy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis are disease states in which tumour necrosis factor, a proinflammatory cytokine, is present in increased concentrations in joints and in the skin. Therefore, psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis may be appropriate therapeutic targets for etanercep...

BACKGROUND Psoriasis is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular morbidities, especially in severe cases. Severity of the disease has been known to be associated with higher prevalence of these risk factors. However, in the absence of robust measurements, studies to date relied mostly on treatment spectrum as a proxy for the severity. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the relationship between pso...