Publication:

Association of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in papulosquamous diseases

Background Metabolic syndrome (MetS), insulin resistance (IR) and papulosquamous diseases with shared pathophysiology leads to conglomeration of risk factors of non-communicable diseases like cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) causing high mortality worldwide. The objective is to study the association of MetS and IR in papulosquamous diseases.

Methods It is a hospital-based case-control study conducted on 200 age-sex matched cases and controls with consent. Subjects were administered a pre-validated questionnaire, diagnosis of papulosquamous diseases was based on clinical examination and skin biopsy. MetS was diagnosed based on national cholesterol education program's- adult treatment plan iii with Asian modification for abdominal circumference criteria. Fasting serum insulin levels (FI) was used as a surrogate marker of IR.

Results Mean serum HDL- C level was low and statistically significant (p=0.017). Mean fasting plasma glucose level was significantly higher in patients (p=0.008). Mean FI level was significant between cases and controls (p=0.013). IR was found in 76% of cases which was significantly higher than in controls (p<0.05). IR was highest in psoriasis 29% followed by LP 22%, PRP 19%, and LS 6% which was statistically significant (p<0.05). MetS was mostly found in psoriasis (17%), LP (9%) and least in PRP, LS.

Conclusions This study intends clinicians to do periodic MetS and IR evaluation in papulosquamous diseases. Thus, subclinical cases of non-communicable diseases can be detected and potential co-morbidities can be prevented.