title: Chronic plaque psoriasis is associated with increased arterial stiffness.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerosis. Arterial stiffness is a measure of endothelial dysfunction and an independent predictor of cardiovascular events.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether chronic plaque psoriasis is associated with an increased arterial stiffness.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study on 39 adult patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis and 38 control patients with skin diseases other than psoriasis was conducted. Arterial stiffness was assessed by carotid-femoral and carotid-radial pulse wave velocity (PWVcf, PWVcr).
  
  
  RESULTS
  PWVcf was significantly higher in patients with psoriasis than in controls (means +/- SD; 8.88 +/- 1.96 vs. 7.57 +/- 1.34 m/s; p = 0.001). Difference was still significant after adjustment for age, gender, smoking status, hypertension and body mass index (8.78 +/- 1.98 vs. 7.78 +/- 2.0 m/s; p = 0.03). There was a positive correlation between PWVcf and years of psoriasis duration (r = 0.58; p = 0.0001), but not with disease severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis may be independently associated with increased arterial stiffness. Psoriasis duration could be a risk factor for arterial stiffness and atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Biomedical and Surgical Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. paolo.gisondi@univr.it
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gisondi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fantin
authors.forename: Micol
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Giglio
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valbusa
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zamboni
authors.forename: Giampiero
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Girolomoni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014655:Vascular Resistance
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014280:Triglycerides; D006710:Homocysteine; D002784:Cholesterol