Psoriasis Ups Risk for Vascular Disease, Venous Thromboembolism

There is an increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) and peripheral vascular disease (PVD) among patients with psoriatic disease, according to a review published online Dec. 1 in JAMA Dermatology.

Tai-Li Chen, M.D., from the Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation in Taiwan, China, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association between psoriasis and incident VTE and PVD.

In the review of 13 studies (12.4 million participants), the researchers observed a significantly increased risk for incident VTE (pooled hazard ratio [HR], 1.26) and PVD (pooled HR, 1.27) among patients with psoriasis. Specifically, there was an increased risk seen for incident VTE among participants with psoriatic arthritis (pooled HR, 1.24), women (pooled HR, 1.89), and those in Asia (pooled HR, 2.02) and Europe (pooled HR, 1.28).

"Typical presentations of VTE or PVD should not be overlooked in patients with psoriasis," the authors write. "Risk factors, such as obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, and varicose veins, should be identified and treated in patients with psoriasis, and medications like hormone-related therapies should be prescribed with caution."