Metabolic syndrome prevalence in psoriasis: a cross-sectional study in the Italian population.

Background: The pathogenesis of psoriasis is complex, with a significant role suggested for pro-inflammatory mediators. There is strong evidence of an association between psoriasis and the metabolic syndrome (MetS), a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors, which impose a substantial disease burden.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of MetS and to examine the implications of disease severity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease in a large cohort of Italian psoriatic patients representative of the whole population.

Treating psoriasis with etanercept in italian clinical practice: prescribing practices and duration of remission following discontinuation.

Background: conventional antipsoriatic therapies are often administered until remission, with treatment resumed in the case of relapse, in order to reduce the likelihood of cumulative, dose-dependent toxicities. Biological agents have been safely used in continuous therapy.

Objective: to assess the use of etanercept for psoriasis in clinical practice in Italy.