Insulin resistance in patients with psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease accompanied by an activation of skin dendritic cells with accumulation in the inflammatory foci of interleukin-23 and activated Th-1 lymphocytes (Th-17, Th-22). In recent years, there has been a large number of evidence linking psoriasis with other inflammatory diseases, including obesity, diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, hypertension, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, benign prostatic hyperplasia, etc. All of these conditions are associated with systemic inflammation and insulin resistance induced by it. Psoriasis is the most common chronic dermatosis and affects 1–2% of the population in developed countries. Psoriasis as a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease is often associated with metabolic syndrome and its components such as obesity, hypertension, insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. The risk of developing metabolic syndrome in patients with psoriasis is 40% higher than in the general population. Psoriasis and metabolic syndrome share some pathogenic mechanisms such as chronic low-grade systemic inflammation and an increased level of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Systemic inflammation causes obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus type 2. These conditions increase the risk of mortality among patients with psoriasis. There is a positive correlation between the severity of psoriasis and metabolic syndrome, which is manifested by a severe rash, reduction of the remission and higher risk of psoriatic arthritis development. The carriers of the risk allele of FTO gene are characterized by a more severe psoriasis, the presence of psoriatic arthritis and increased body mass index. A review of the literature focuses on the relationship between insulin resistance and the pathogenesis of psoriasis.