title: Patients with psoriasis are at a higher risk of developing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease with many extracutaneous manifestations. Several recent studies have indicated an increased prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among patients with psoriasis. In the present study, we investigated the prevalence of NAFLD in a population of Iranian patients with psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  NAFLD was assessed and graded using ultrasonography in 123 patients with psoriasis and 123 healthy controls (HCs) matched by age, sex and body mass index (BMI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of NAFLD was significantly higher in the psoriatic group compared with the HC group (65.6% vs. 35%, P < 0.01, OR = 3.53). Median NAFLD grade was significantly greater in patients with psoriasis compared with HCs (grade 2 vs. grade 1, P < 0.01). In patients with psoriasis, NAFLD was associated with a higher frequency of hypertension (16.5%), abnormal liver function test (LFT) results (16.4%) and metabolic syndrome (46.6%). Moreover, patients with psoriasis and NAFLD tended to have significantly higher values for BMI, waist circumference (WC), Psoriasis Activity and Severity Index (PASI), and levels of serum triglyceride, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein and fasting blood sugar (FBS). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that WC, PASI, LFT abnormalities, hypertension and cigarette smoking were independent predictors of NAFLD grade.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings warrant a detailed assessment of metabolic comorbidities including NAFLD in patients with a primary diagnosis of psoriasis. Lifestyle modifications, including weight loss and smoking cessation, may be necessary for patients with psoriasis to decrease the risk and severity of NAFLD.
authors.affiliation: Autoimmune Bullous Diseases Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abedini
authors.affiliation: Autoimmune Bullous Diseases Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.affiliation: Autoimmune Bullous Diseases Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lajevardi
authors.affiliation: Autoimmune Bullous Diseases Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.|National Elites Foundation of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beygi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000150:complications*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index