title: Clinical effects of "pioglitazone", an insulin sensitizing drug, on psoriasis vulgaris and its co-morbidities, a double blinded randomized controlled trialx1.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of pioglitazone on psoriasis vulgaris and its comorbidities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis vulgaris were enrolled in this randomized double blinded placebo-controlled trial. Active treatment included: oral pioglitazone 30 mg daily for 10 weeks. Primary outcome (treatment success) was PASI-75. Secondary outcomes included changes in metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment success was achieved in 5/24 (21%) in the pioglitazone group compared to 1/24 (4%) in the placebo group; however, this difference was not significant (p = 0.081). Compared to placebo, no significant difference existed as regards high-sensitive C reactive protein. Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance were not affected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This short term (10 weeks duration) study revealed no effect of pioglitazone 30 mg daily neither on the clinical response of moderate-to-severe psoriasis nor on metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. Cardio-protective role appears to be more related to improvement of psoriasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short duration of treatment and small number of subgroups.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department .
authors.forename: Vanessa G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Hafez
authors.forename: Manal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bosseila
authors.forename: Mona R E
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Abdel Halim
authors.forename: Olfat G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Shaker
authors.forename: Manal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamal
authors.forename: Heba Sherif
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kareem
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077205:Pioglitazone; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012307:Risk Factors; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000077205:Pioglitazone
keywords: Cardiovascular risk; insulin resistance; metabolic syndrome; pioglitazone; psoriasis; randomized controlled trial