title: Darwinian medicine and psoriasis.
abstract: Darwinian medicine, or evolutionary medicine, regards some pathological conditions as attempts by the organism to solve a problem or develop defense mechanisms. At certain stages of human evolution, some diseases may have conferred a selective advantage. Psoriasis is a high-penetrance multigenic disorder with prevalence among whites of up to 3%. Psoriatic lesions have been linked with enhanced wound-healing qualities and greater capacity to fight infection. Leprosy, tuberculosis, and infections caused by viruses similar to human immunodeficiency virus have been postulated as environmental stressors that may have selected for psoriasis-promoting genes in some human populations. The tendency of patients with severe psoriasis to develop metabolic syndrome may reflect the body's attempt to react to environmental stresses and warning signs by triggering insulin resistance and fat storage.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Dermatología, Corporación Sanitaria ParcTaulí, Sabadell, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España. Electronic address: jromani@tauli.cat.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Romaní de Gabriel
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001724:Birth Weight; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000235:genetics; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D056084:Genetic Fitness; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000209:etiology; D019683:Penetrance; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012874:Skin Diseases, Infectious / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control; D014945:Wound Healing
keywords: Chemical shield; Darwinian medicine; Escudo químico; Evolutionary medicine; Medicina darwiniana; Medicina evolutiva; Metabolic syndrome; Psoriasis; Síndrome metabólico