RESUMEN
Objective: Psoriasis is a disease characterised by T-cell-mediated hyperproliferation of keratinocytes initiated by antigen-presenting cells on the skin. Environmental factors including streptococcus infections and multiple genetic components may be responsible for the pathogenesis of the disease. This study was performed to assess the association between antistreptolysin-O [ASO] serum level and chronic plaque psoriasis
Methods: Serum level of ASO was measured in 45 doctor-diagnosed psoriatic patients with an age range of 10-50 years attending the dermatology outpatient clinic in Al-Hussein Medical City in Kerbala Province - Iraq during the period from March 2014 through July 2015. Psoriatic patients with chronic plaque type were selectively recruited to the study. Another 20 age- and gender-matched persons were chosen as healthy control group. Serum level of ASO was estimated in all patients and control group using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]
Findings: Data revealed a significantly increased serum ASO level in the chronic plaque-type psoriatic patients compared to the healthy control group [P-value < 0.05]
Conclusion: The present study suggests that serum ASO level could be associated with the immunopathogenesis and/or susceptibility to this type of psoriasis