Association between psoriasis and metabolic syndrome – correlation with vitamin D deficiency in both conditions

Psoriasis is a chronic, systemic, inflammatory disease which affects the skin and joints. Metabolic syndrome is represented by the presence of a combination of certain conditions: obesity (increased abdominal circumference), high serum glucose levels (diabetes mellitus), high serum cholesterol, high serum triglycerides, and arterial hypertension (cardiovascular disease). The relation between psoriasis and metabolic syndrome, is a bidirectional one, in that, psoriasis can be a risk factor for metabolic syndrome and metabolic syndrome predisposes to psoriasis. Both conditions have a component of vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is an essential hormone implicated in the pathophysiology of chronic inflammation. This specific vitamin deficiency is frequently observed in patients with both psoriasis and metabolic syndrome or in individuals with either of the two conditions. Vitamin D deficiency has become a common problem in several disorders and in the general population, it worsens the risk factors for developing certain disease conditions.