ARE LIPOPROTEIN PROFILE AND LIPOPROTEIN (A) LEVELS ALTERED IN MEN WITH PSORIASIS

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that patients with psor iasis may have an increased risk of a variety of noncutaneous diseases , including arterial and venous occlusive diseases. Changes in plasma lipid and lipoprotein composition in patients with psoriasis may be th e reason for the increased risk of atherosclerosis in these patients. Lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) is a genetically determined lipoprotein associ ated with an increased prevalence of atherosclerotic and thrombotic ca rdiovascular diseases. Objective: The aim of this prospective study wa s to determine the lipid profile and to define the significance of Lp( a) levels in men with psoriasis. The other purpose was to learn whethe r a correlation exists between psoriasis area and severity index score and serum Lp(a) or other lipids. Methods: Serum Lp(a) levels were mea sured with a commercially available noncompetitive enzyme-linked immun osorbent assay in 32 men with psoriasis and in 13 healthy men. Total s erum cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, apolipoprotein A-I and apolipoprotein B levels, and ather osclerotic risk factors other than hyperlipidemia were determined. Sec ondary hyperlipidemia from various diseases and drugs was ruled out in both groups. Results: Serum Lp(a) levels were higher in men with psor iasis than in healthy male subjects, but the difference was not signif icant (p = 0.063). Serum fasting glucose levels were also found to be higher in the psoriasis group (p < 0.05). Higher serum Lp(a) and fasti ng glucose levels tended to occur in patients with extensive and sever e skin involvement. No statistical differences were observed in the to tal cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, low-density l ipoprotein, apolipoprotein A-I, and apolipoprotein B levels between th e two groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Our results suggest that the incr eased Lp(a) level might be a factor involved in occlusive vascular dis orders in patients with psoriasis and that patients with extensive and se were skin involvement are more predisposed to relatively high Lp(a ) levels.