Interleukin-17, Inflammation, and Cardiovascular Risk in Patients With Psoriasis

Publication date: Available online 2 March 2018
Source:Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
Author(s): Benjamin Lockshin, Yevgeniy Balagula, Joseph F. Merola
In addition to being recognized as a chronic inflammatory disease that manifests in the skin, psoriasis is increasingly understood to be a systemic disease that causes immune dysregulation throughout the body. The systemic nature of psoriasis is evidenced by the higher burden of comorbidities and shorter life expectancies of patients with psoriasis, particularly those with early onset and severe disease. Notably, psoriasis is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, which is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with psoriasis. In this review, we examine the association between psoriasis and cardiovascular disease and specifically focus on the role of interleukin-17–mediated inflammation as a potential mechanistic link between psoriasis and cardiovascular disease. Moreover, we describe potential treatment approaches to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease in patients with psoriasis, and discuss the clinical importance of the association of these 2 diseases with respect to patient management and education.