Increased Amount of Visceral Fat in Patients with Psoriasis Contributes to Metabolic Syndrome

Abstract

Background: Psoriasis is associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is associated with visceral fat accumulation. There is no study on the accumulation of visceral fat in patients with psoriasis. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the visceral fat accumulation in patients with psoriasis and controls. Subjects and Methods: 46 patients with psoriasis and 46 sex- and age-matched control patients were included in this study. The abdominal fat area [visceral fat area (VFA), subcutaneous fat area (SFA) and total fat area (TFA)] at the level of the umbilicus was evaluated by computed tomography. Results: The mean VFA value and VFA/SFA ratio of the psoriasis patients were significantly higher compared with the control patients (123.4 ± 80.3 vs. 81.2 ± 59.8 cm² and 0.734 ± 0.593 vs. 0.491 ± 0.336; p = 0.005 and p = 0.017, respectively). Fasting blood sugar levels were also found to be significantly higher in psoriasis patients, compared with the control patients (101.8 ± 43.5 vs. 83.4 ± 9.1 mg/dl; p = 0.005). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that waist-to-hip ratio, age, body weight, the presence of psoriasis and metabolic syndrome were significantly associated with VFA. Conclusion:Psoriasis patients had a higher amount of VFA, compared with the control patients.

Metabolic Syndrome and Selective Inflammatory Markers in Psoriatic Patients

“…Balci et al 2010 demonstrated that visceral fat area (VFA) is increased in psoriatic patients and is associated with the presence of psoriasis [21]. They also demonstrated that VFA is associated with the presence of metabolic syndrome in patients with psoriasis.…”

Weight Reduction Alone May Not Be Sufficient to Maintain Disease Remission in Obese Patients with Psoriasis: A Randomized, Investigator-Blinded Study

“…Intra-abdominal obesity is directly linked to the metabolic syndrome, and visceral fat is an endocrine organ capable of secreting multiple bioactive adipocytokines promoting inflammation and affecting glucose metabolism and vascular endothelial biology. Psoriasis patients have a higher amount of visceral fat, compared with the control patients [26]. Adipose tissue TNF-α mRNA correlates with BMI, percentage of body fat and hyperinsulinemia [27].…”

“…In particular, there are reports of remission of severe psoriasis as a result of gastric bypass surgery [14,15,16], or in patients forced to severe dietary restriction [33]. Fasting periods, vegetarian diets and diets rich in n–3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from fish oil have been associated with psoriasis improvement in some noncontrolled studies [26,33]. More recently, we have shown in a randomized controlled study that obese patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis increase their response to low-dose cyclosporine if a calorie-controlled diet is included in the treatment regimen [17].…”

Cardiovascular and metabolic risks in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: pragmatic clinical management based on available evidence: Table 1

“…However, it has recently been suggested that treatment with tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor or hydroxychloroquine may reduce the risk of diabetes in both psoriasis and RA, although formal trial evidence is lacking 23. Consistent with the greater risk of diabetes, patients with psoriasis appear to have increased amounts of visceral fat 24. Furthermore, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is almost twice as prevalent in patients with psoriasis compared with BMI-matched controls without psoriasis 25.…”