Psoriasis as an Independent Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) manifests across multiple organ systems, yet cutaneous and mucocutaneous abnormalities often remain underrecognized. This study evaluated and compared the frequency, spectrum, and severity of skin, hair, nail, and mucosal changes in adult CKD patients versus healthy controls, assessing the impact of maintenance hemodialysis on these clinical features.Materials & Methods: This prospective observational case-control study was conducted at Shaheed Monsur Ali Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, from July 2025 to June 2026. A total of 47 adult CKD patients (case) and 47 age- and sex-matched non-CKD individuals (control) were enrolled using purposive sampling. Detailed clinical examinations, medical history, and relevant laboratory evaluations were recorded. Statistical comparative analyses were performed using Chi-squared and Fisher’s exact tests, with significance set at P < 0.05.Results: Both cohorts showed comparable age (59.5 vs. 57.8 years) and gender distributions, though cases had higher rates of diabetes (83.0% vs. 10.6%) and hypertension (78.7% vs. 8.5%). cutaneous and mucocutaneous involvement was near-universal in CKD cases compared to controls (P < 0.05), marked by xerosis (100.0% vs. 14.9%), pruritus (97.9% vs. 10.6%), pachyonychia (100.0% vs. 0%), brittle hair (74.5% vs. 0%), mucosal ulceration (100.0% vs. 2.1%), and mucosal jaundice (100.0% vs. 0%). Subgroup analysis by dialysis status revealed that hemodialysis patients (n = 15) exhibited significantly higher frequencies of ecchymosis (93.3% vs. 28.1%), skin infections (93.3% vs. 6.3%), acquired perforating disease (80.0% vs. 12.5%), oral thrush (86.7% vs. 12.5%) and mucosal xerostomia (60.0% vs. 18.8%) compared to non-dialysis CKD patients.Conclusion: Cutaneous & mucocutaneous manifestation are widespread in CKD, with hemodialysis significantly compounding the burden of infectious, vascular access-related, and mucosal complications. Integrating routine dermatological screenings into standard nephrology care can aid early symptom management and decrease secondary infection risks.