Dyslipidemia and Psoriasis: A Case Control Study.

Objective: To compare the mean values of lipid profile in psoriatic patients and healthy controls.

Study Design: Case control study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Department of Dermatology, PNS Shifa, Karachi, from November 2012 to April 2013.

Methodology: Patients with psoriasis fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected from Dermatology Outpatient Department (OPD) of PNS Shifa, Karachi. After fasting for 14 hours, 5 ml of venous blood was drawn in sterile syringe and submitted to the Hospital Laboratory for lipid profile, by enzymatic method on Hitachi (Roshe(®)) using reagents by the same firm. The mean values lipid profile in psoriatic patients versus healthy controls were recorded and compared.

Results: Atotal of 256 patients (128 in each group) were enrolled. Mean lipid profile in both groups revealed cholesterol (mg/dl) value of 203.43 ±1 1.43 in cases and 173.64 ± 13.65 in controls. Triglyceride (mg/dl) was 178.87 ± 43.60 and in cases 144.23 ± 34.01 in controls, HDL-C (mg/dl) was 37.81 ± 10.78 in cases and 41.41 ± 9.72 in controls while LDL-C (mg/dl) was 139.52 ± 13.71 in cases and 109.44 ± 13.80 in controls. Each parameters had p-value < 0.05 which was significant.

Conclusion: Dyslipidemia was found in a high percentage of psoriatic patients than healthy controls. Psoriatic patients require thorough lipid and cardiovascular examinations as they should be considered as individuals with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.