Evaluation of Atherosclerosis Risk in Patients with Psoriasis

Background: Psoriasis is a systemic inflammatory disease with a chronic course that is not limited to the skin. Atherosclerosis can cause serious cardiovascular events such as cerebrovascular stroke and myocardial infarction, which can result in death. This study aimed to examine the atherosclerosis risk in psoriasis patients by measuring the carotid intima media thickness (CIMT), an important marker of atherosclerosis. Methods: The study included 70 plaque psoriasis patients (41 male and 29 female) and 50 healthy volunteers (30 male and 20 female) between the ages of 18 and 65, from the Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine Department of Dermatology who did not use any systemic treatment in the previous 6 months. Clinical parameters were recorded. The presence of subclinical atherosclerosis was investigated by measuring carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). CIMT was measured manually by the same cardiologist using B-mode ultrasonography. Results: The median value of the CIMT measured individuals in the patient group was 0.8 mm (min: 0.5-max:1.4), and individuals in the control group was 0.6 mm (min: 0.4-max: 0.95). CIMT value in the patient group was statistically significantly higher than in the control group (p