Increased amount of visceral fat in patients with psoriasis contributes to metabolic syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Psoriasis is associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is associated with visceral fat accumulation. There is no study on the accumulation of visceral fat in patients with psoriasis.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to compare the visceral fat accumulation in patients with psoriasis and controls.


METHODS
46 patients with psoriasis and 46 sex- and age-matched control patients were included in this study. The abdominal fat area [visceral fat area (VFA), subcutaneous fat area (SFA) and total fat area (TFA)] at the level of the umbilicus was evaluated by computed tomography.


RESULTS
The mean VFA value and VFA/SFA ratio of the psoriasis patients were significantly higher compared with the control patients (123.4 +/- 80.3 vs. 81.2 +/- 59.8 cm(2) and 0.734 +/- 0.593 vs. 0.491 +/- 0.336; p = 0.005 and p = 0.017, respectively). Fasting blood sugar levels were also found to be significantly higher in psoriasis patients, compared with the control patients (101.8 +/- 43.5 vs. 83.4 +/- 9.1 mg/dl; p = 0.005). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that waist-to-hip ratio, age, body weight, the presence of psoriasis and metabolic syndrome were significantly associated with VFA.


CONCLUSIONS
Psoriasis patients had a higher amount of VFA, compared with the control patients.
Balci
Ali
A
Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mustafa Kemal University, Antakya, Turkey. didemaltiner @ yahoo.com
Balci
Didem Didar
DD
Yonden
Zafer
Z
Korkmaz
Inan
I
Yenin
Julide Zehra
JZ
Celik
Ebru
E
Okumus
Nese
N
Egilmez
Ertugrul
E
D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055105:Waist Circumference
D001786:Blood Glucose