Obesity in children with psoriasis contributes to comorbidities

Tollefson and colleagues used data from the Optum Laboratories Data Warehouse, which includes data for 150 million privately insured and Medicare Advantage enrollees, to conduct a retrospective cohort study of 29,957 children diagnosed with psoriasis between 2004 and 2013 (affected children; average age, 12.0 years; 53.5% girls) and 29,957 children without psoriasis who were matched by age, sex and race. "Children with psoriasis have higher rates of obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, polycystic ovarian syndrome, nonalcoholic liver disease and elevated liver function enzyme levels than children who do not have psoriasis," the authors concluded. Data have shown higher rates of heart attacks and strokes, metabolic syndrome, evidence of vascular inflammation on imaging, arthritis, and higher rates of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, obesity, depression and anxiety. Because many of these risks are seen in even younger adults, it has directed interest in assessing what comorbidities may be seen in children and adolescents with psoriasis.