Psoriasis and Cardiomyopathy: A Review of the Literature

Taimoor Hashim, MD; Amier Ahmad, MD; Ayesha Chaudry, MD; Rami Khouzam, MD

South Med J. 2017;110(2):97-100.

Abstract and Introduction

Abstract

Psoriasis is an idiopathic chronic immune-mediated skin condition in which the body's immune system undergoes several derangements, including increased antigen presentation by T cells and increased T-helper cell type 1 cytokines, resulting in skin lesions as well as arthritis. Despite that cardiovascular involvement in psoriasis is common and reported in up to 47% of cases, this association is not well recognized by physicians, dermatologists, and cardiologists. Psoriasis is considered the most prevalent autoimmune disease in the United States and affects approximately 7.4 million people. Although its exact etiology is unclear, inflammatory response to infectious agents has been proposed as one of the mechanisms. We present a concise review of the literature associating psoriasis with dilated cardiomyopathy and the proposed pathophysiologic processes for the main goal of increased awareness.

Introduction

Psoriasis is an idiopathic chronic immune-mediated skin condition in which the body's immune system undergoes several derangements, including increased antigen presentation by T cells and increased T-helper cell type 1 cytokines, resulting in skin lesions as well as arthritis.^[1,2] It is considered to be the most prevalent autoimmune disease in the United States, affecting approximately 3.2% of the US population.^[3] The worldwide prevalence is between 1% and 3% of the population (12 million people), according to the World Psoriasis Day Consortium.^[4] Of these individuals, approximately 11% to 30% have associated psoriatic arthritis (PA).^[5,6] Its etiology is unclear, but inflammatory response to infectious agents has been proposed as one of the mechanisms. Several other organ systems also are frequently involved in psoriasis, including the cardiovascular, renal, musculoskeletal, and endocrine systems.