Publication:

High sensitivity C-reactive protein, a predictor of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, and psoriasis: a case control study

Background Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory disease, is associated with systemic comorbidities. The blood levels of various inflammatory markers are increased in psoriasis. One of them is high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). The serum level of hs-CRP is increased in many inflammatory diseases like psoriasis, cardio vascular diseases, infections, arthritis and others. The objectives of the study were to determine serum level of hs-CRP in psoriasis in relation to its PASI score, which is a subjective method to determine severity of the disease, whereas hs-CRP is an objective and more reliable method. And to have a better idea of systemic inflammatory process caused by psoriasis, serum level of hs-CRP was evaluated in psoriasis patients.

Methods A case control study was conducted including 38 patients of chronic plaque psoriasis from dermatology outpatient department of Maharaja Agrasen Medical College (MAMC), Agroha, India, and 38 healthy controls.

Results The serum level of hs-CRP was significantly raised in psoriasis patients (p<0.001). The mean hs-CRP level in psoriasis patients was 6.824±8.562 mg/l whereas it was 1.072±0.929 mg/l in controls. Two observations were noticed, one, the increase in hs-CRP level correlated with PASI score and second, it was much higher in psoriatic patients as compared to controls.

Conclusions The much higher hs-CRP levels in psoriasis as compared to controls and its correlation with severity of psoriasis has led us to propose that this much high hs-CRP is a biomarker of systemic inflammatory process of psoriasis as well as inflamed cutaneous lesions.