New Delhi: A recent study has revealed that even when psoriasis patients achieve clear or nearly clear skin through biologic therapies, many continue to experience systemic inflammation, which could increase their risk for serious health conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and fatty liver disease.
Published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, the study highlights that psoriasis, a chronic autoimmune skin condition, is more than just a surface-level disease. Due to its systemic inflammatory nature, patients often face long-term health risks that are not fully addressed by current skin-targeted treatments.
Researchers assessed 209 psoriasis patients across three international cohorts—in Spain, the US, and Sweden—who had stable and effective control of their skin symptoms through biologic therapies. Despite the apparent success of these treatments, the study found that 36.3% of patients still exhibited signs of residual systemic inflammation.
This lingering inflammation was significantly associated with factors such as a higher body mass index (BMI), metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), elevated baseline systemic inflammation, and increased adipose tissue. These associations suggest that systemic inflammation persists in a substantial subset of psoriasis patients, putting them at heightened risk for related comorbidities.
“Despite excellent control of skin disease, a substantial percentage of psoriasis patients demonstrate residual systemic inflammation,” said Dr. Joel M. Gelfand from the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. “These findings emphasize that just treating the skin signs of psoriatic disease is not sufficient.”
Lead investigator Dr. Álvaro González-Cantero from Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal in Spain added that the study underscores a critical unmet need to address the broader inflammatory burden in psoriasis patients. He suggested that interventions targeting obesity and metabolic dysfunction, along with more intensive cardiovascular risk assessments, could improve long-term health outcomes.
The researchers advocate for closer monitoring of inflammatory markers, liver function, and metabolic parameters, and recommend integrating lifestyle and weight management strategies into the care plans for psoriasis patients. Further studies are needed to confirm the findings and explore more effective, holistic treatment approaches.