The Relationship of Obesity With the Severity of Psoriasis

Abstract

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with obesity. The increased production of adipocytokines in central adiposity contributes to the systemic inflammation of obesity and perhaps to psoriasis. Objective: The objective of this systematic review is to determine the association of obesity with psoriasis severity. Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database for English-language papers involving human subjects for all years. We extracted data on age, sex, body mass index (BMI), proportion obese, and psoriasis severity index score (PASI). Results: We identified 254 articles in our search and included 9. The sample size was 134 823 psoriasis patients. Seven of the 9 studies found a statistically significant association of increased psoriasis severity with higher BMI. Conclusion: Increased severity of psoriasis appears to be associated with increased BMI. Most studies were cross-sectional or case-control, making it difficult to determine temporality. Dermatologists should consider recording BMI for psoriasis patients and offering them lifestyle counseling.