Introduction Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory and immunemediatedskin disease that affects over 7.2 million U.S. adults. Currenttreatment has improved clinical outcomes. Vitamin D is believed toaffect the proliferation and regeneration of keratinocytes; therefore,its deficiency is a possible risk factor; however, there is still no definiteevidence. The objective of this study was to synthesize existing dataon the relationship between hypovitaminosis D and psoriasis. Methods. A meta-analysis of relevant studies was conducted bydoing a comprehensive search in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and theCochrane Central Register through July 2018 to identify relevantcohort studies and to assess serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels in adults with psoriasis. The primary outcome was the meandifference in serum 25(OH)D level between psoriatic patients andcontrols. Results The initial search identified 107 articles. Only ten studiesmet the criteria for full-paper review. Meta-analysis was conductedfrom ten prospective cohort studies involving 6,217 controls and 693cases. The pooled mean difference in serum 25(OH)D level betweenpsoriatic patients and controls was -6.13 ng/ml (95% CI, -10.93 to-1.32, p-value = 0.01). The between-study heterogeneity (I2) was98%, p < 0.00001. Conclusion Our meta-analysis was the first study to establish therelation between vitamin D and psoriasis. The result found a significantrelationship between low 25(OH) D levels and psoriasis, but didnot establish a causal relationship. Further studies will be requiredto establish whether vitamin D supplementation benefits patientswith psoriasis.

There are limited data regarding the immunogenicity of mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine BNT162b2 among immunosuppressed or obese adolescents. We evaluated the humoral immune response in adolescents with obesity and adolescent liver transplant recipients (LTRs) after receiving two BNT162b2 doses. Sixty-eight participants (44 males; mean age 14.9 ± 1.7 years), comprising 12 LTRs, 24 obese, and 32 healthy adolescents, were enrolled. Immunogenicity was evaluated by anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein immunoassay and surrogate viral neutralization tests (sVNT) against the Delta and Omicron (BA.1) variants. At 27.1 ± 3.2 days after the second dose, the antibody levels were 1476.6 ± 1185.4, 2999.4 ± 1725.9, and 4960.5 ± 2644.1 IU/mL in the LTRs, obese adolescents, and controls, respectively (p < 0.001). Among obese individuals, liver stiffness <5.5 kPa was associated with higher antibody levels. The %inhibition of sVNT was significantly lower for the Omicron than that for the Delta variant. Injection site pain was the most common local adverse event. Nine participants (three obese and six controls) developed COVID-19 at 49 ± 11 days after the second vaccination; four were treated with favipiravir. All infections were mild, and the patients recovered without any consequences. Our study supports the need for the booster regimen in groups with an inferior immunogenic response, including LTRs and obese individuals.

No abstract