title: Impaired aortic elasticity in patients with psoriasis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psoriasis vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory disease involving 1-3% of the human population worldwide. Many systemic diseases including cardiovascular disturbances have been described in psoriatic patients. The effect of psoriasis on aortic elasticity parameters has not been well-defined previously. The aim of this study was to determine whether there was any change in aortic elasticity in psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven psoriatic patients without cardiovascular involvement and 22 healthy subjects were enrolled into the study. The severity of the disease was evaluated by the "Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI)". Aortic strain, distensibility and stiffness index were calculated from aortic diameters measured by echocardiography and blood pressures simultaneously measured by sphygmomanometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The aortic strain and distensibility in the psoriasis group were significantly lower than those in the control group. The aortic stiffness index in the psoriasis group was higher than that in the control group. There was a positive correlation between aortic stiffness index and PASI and longevity of psoriasis disease, whereas a negative correlation between aortic strain and PASI and longevity of psoriasis disease was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that in psoriatic patients without cardiac involvement, aortic elasticity was decreased and this decrease was correlated with the duration and the severity of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ministry of Health Dişkapi Yildirim Beyazit Research and Educational Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. asubicer@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Asuman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bicer
authors.forename: Sadik
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Acikel
authors.forename: Harun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kilic
authors.forename: Zeliha
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ulukaradag
authors.forename: Betul Banu
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Karasu
authors.forename: Bengu Cevirgen
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Cemil
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.forename: Kazim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baser
authors.forename: Goksel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cagirci
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Eskioglu
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Akdemir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004452:Echocardiography; D004548:Elasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology