The heart in psoriasis


 * Associate Editor-In-Chief:

Overview
There is some data to suggest an association between psoriasis and echocardiographic findings of heart disease. One such study evaluated 216 patients with psoriasis versus 216 control patients. The following echocardiographic abnormalities were more frequent among patients with psoriasis: left ventricular hypertrophy, left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, wall motion abnormalities and valvular pathologies, particularly mitral valve and tricuspid valve prolapse. In particular, tricuspid valve prolapse was more frequent among patients with psoriasis vulgaris. Valvular pathologies in general were more frequent with palmo-plantar psoriasis. Finally a longer duration of psoriatic disease was associated with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and systolic and diastolic blood pressures.