Remote cardiovascular events in patients with psoriasis, coronary heart disease and their combination

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-inflammatory dermatological disease that affects not only the skin, but can also cause systemic inflammation, increasing cardiovascular endpoints. Aim: To examine long-term cardiovascular endpoints in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), psoriasis and their combination in a prospective observational study. Material and Methods. 3 groups of patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis ( n = 30), coronary artery disease (CHD) ( n = 32) and psoriasis + coronary artery disease ( n = 28) were enrolled in the study. They were observed for 48 months in terms of unfavourable endpoints (exacerbation of psoriasis, cardiac vascular hospitalizations, death, heart attacks and strokes). Results. The CHD group had a higher frequency of diabetes mellitus (DM) (30 vs. 3.6%, p = 0.008) and worse systolic blood pressure (SBP) control (142 (134.0–149.8) vs. 136 (128.0–144.6) mmHg, p = 0.048) compared with the CHD comorbidity group. Cardiovascular mortality was higher in patients with CHD compared with the group with psoriasis ( p = 0.027) and CHD with psoriasis ( p = 0.040). The rate of cardiovascular hospitalizations did not differ in pairs with CHD versus CHD and exacerbations of psoriasis in the groups with psoriasis and psoriasis with CHD ( p > 0.05), but the total rate of both types of hospitalizations was higher in the group of patients with CHD and psoriasis ( p = 0.009). Conclusion. In case of comorbidity of psoriasis with CHD, the frequency of cardiovascular hospitalizations and exacerbation of psoriasis increased. CHD reduced the time to the first exacerbation of psoriasis.