Adipokines in psoriasis

Summary Psoriasis is a common inflammatory, immune‐mediated disease that mostly affects skin and joints. Metabolic syndrome (which includes type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity, and is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease), is more common in people with psoriasis. Levels in the blood of chemicals called adiopkines are altered in people with psoriasis, and this might in part explain the link between psoriatic lesions and metabolic syndrome. This study, from Greece, reviewed the medical literature for studies that investigated possible differences in the blood levels of hormones called leptin, adiponectin and resistin, in people with psoriasis, before and after any treatment intervention. After treatment, blood concentrations of leptin and adiponectin were similar to before treatment, but blood concentrations of resistin were significantly lower after treatment. There is therefore no evidence that treatment for psoriasis modifies leptin and adiponectin concentrations. In the opposite way, treatment intervention reduces resistin concentrations, a finding that is expected to be of clinical importance.