Severe psoriasis associated with increased risk of deathDecember 18, 2007Patients with severe psoriasis appear to have an increased risk of death compared with patients without the skin condition, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Psoriasis is a common inflammatory disorder that affects the skin and joints, according to background information in the article. The condition has been associated with various other factors, including smoking, alcohol use and diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. "In addition, certain systemic therapies for psoriasis may rarely be associated with mortality [death] due to chronic cumulative drug toxicity or idiosyncratic reactions, and the disease itself may lead to death in rare instances," the authors write. Joel M. Gelfand, M.D., M.S.C.E., and colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, analyzed records from a database of patients who visited general practitioners in the United Kingdom between 1987 and 2002. They identified 133,568 patients with mild psoriasis, defined as having a diagnosis of psoriasis but no history of treatment for the condition, and 3,951 patients with severe psoriasis, who did receive medications or other therapies. These patients were matched with up to five control patients who visited the same practice at around the same time but did not have psoriasis, including 560,358 matched to those with mild psoriasis and 15,075 matched to those with severe psoriasis. During the study period, patients with severe psoriasis had a 50 percent increased risk of death compared with patients who did not have psoriasis (21.3 deaths per 1,000 individuals per year vs. 12 deaths per 1,000 individuals per year, respectively). Mild psoriasis was not associated with increased risk of death. Men with severe psoriasis died an average of 3.5 years younger than men without the condition, while women with severe psoriasis died 4.4 years earlier than women without psoriasis. "Further studies are necessary to determine the cause of excess morality in patients with severe psoriasis, how the extent of skin disease affects morality risk and whether the risk of mortality in patients with severe psoriasis is altered by various systemic therapies," the authors conclude. "Patients with severe psoriasis should receive comprehensive health assessments to enhance preventive health practices, improve overall health and decrease the risk of mortality." JAMA and Archives Journals |
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| Related Psoriasis Current Events and Psoriasis News Articles Multiple health concerns surface as winter, vitamin D deficiences arrive A string of recent discoveries about the multiple health benefits of vitamin D has renewed interest in this multi-purpose nutrient, increased awareness of the huge numbers of people who are deficient in it, spurred research and even led to an appreciation of it as "nature's antibiotic." Curry-cure? Spicing up the effectiveness of a potential disease-fighter Scientists are reporting development of a nano-size capsule that boosts the body's uptake of curcumin, an ingredient in yellow curry now being evaluated in clinical trials for treatment of several diseases. Skin-disease patients show brain immunity to faces of disgust People with psoriasis - an often distressing dermatological condition that causes lesions and red scaly patches on the skin - are less likely to react to looks of disgust by others than people without the condition, new research has found. Gene variation is 'major genetic determinant of psoriasis' A specific genetic region that has been increasingly identified as the strongest genetic link to psoriasis has an even more significant role in the chronic skin disease than has been suspected, University of Utah medical researchers show in a new study. Drug rescues memory lost to Alzheimer's disease A drug similar to one used in clinical trials for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis has been found to rescue memory in mice exhibiting Alzheimer's symptoms. Post-transplant combo can replace toxic immune-suppressing drugs in monkeys Transplant patients rely on drugs to prevent graft rejection, but at the cost of serious side effects. Psoriasis associated with cardiovascular disease and increased mortality The skin disease psoriasis is associated with atherosclerosis (a buildup of plaque in the arteries) characterized by an increased prevalence of ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral artery disease and an increased risk of death. Scientists discover new genetic immune disorder in children Your immune system plays an important function in your health-it protects you against viruses, bacteria, and other toxins that can cause disease. Study finds unexpected bacterial diversity on human skin The health of our skin - one of the body's first lines of defense against illness and injury - depends upon the delicate balance between our own cells and the millions of bacteria and other one-celled microbes that live on its surface. Vitamin D may halt lung function decline in asthma and COPD Vitamin D may slow the progressive decline in the ability to breathe that can occur in people with asthma as a result of human airway smooth muscle (HASM) proliferation, according to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania. More Psoriasis Current Events and Psoriasis News Articles |
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