Association between mean platelet volume and disease severity in patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

INTRODUCTION: Mean platelet volume (MPV) is an important marker that shows the activation and function of the platelets, which is effective in the inflammatory diseases. AIM: To show the relationship between MPV and the development of psoriatic arthritis (PA) in patients with psoriasis vulgaris (PV) and the correlation between MPV and psoriasis severity score (PASI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Our study included 116 patients with psoriatic arthritis (68 female, 48 male) and 41 patients in the psoriasis group (19 female, 22 male) and 90 subjects in the control group (55 female, 35 male). The demographic data of the patients, duration of disease, PASI, the nature of the disease were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: Mean platelet volume levels of both the PV group (8.79 ±0.86 fl) and the PA group (9.18 ±1.26 fl) were significantly higher compared to the control group (8.42 ±0.74 fl). There was a weak statistically positive correlation between the PASI and the MPV according to the correlation analysis (r = 0.165; p = 0.046). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that MPV may be helpful as an indicator of the clinical course of PV and PA. In this regard, that study should be supported by prospective studies to find strong correlations.

Is there any increased risk of hypertension, diabetes and cardiac diseases in psoriatic patients with TNF-α G238A and G308A polymorphism?

INTRODUCTION: Psoriasis is regarded as a complex autoimmune disease with strong genetic background. Psoriatic patients suffer from many comorbidities including hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) may be a key player that triggers psoriasis and diabetes, hypertension and cardiac disease at the same time. AIM: To evaluate genetic variations in the TNF-α region and its association with psoriasis and related comorbidities. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study covered 129 psoriasis patients with three main subgroups with coronary artery disease (n = 41), hypertension (n = 35), and diabetes (n = 21). DNA samples were genotyped for TNF-α G308A and G238A polymorphisms by real-time polymerase chain reaction melting-curve analysis and results were compared statistically. RESULTS: Psoriatic patients with both TNF-α-298 and TNF-α-308 polymorphisms showed no statistically significant increase in the risk of hypertension (OR = 0.425, χ² = 1.76, p = 0.18 and OR = 1.87, χ² = 1.33, p = 0.25), coronary artery disease (OR = 1.97, χ² = 1.91, p = 0.17 and OR = 2.63, χ² = 1.35, p = 0.25), or diabetes (OR = 1.35, χ² = 0.24, p = 0.62 and OR = 1.53, χ² = 0.24, p = 0.62). CONCLUSIONS: The current preliminary results suggested that there was no correlation between TNF-α promoter polymorphism and diabetes, hypertension and cardiac disease among psoriatic patients in the Turkish population.

The ischemia modified albumin and mean platelet volume levels in patients with Behçet's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder with endothelial dysfunction. Ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) is a marker used in the detection of diseases associated with oxidative stress, vascular endothelial cell dysfunction and ischemia. Mean platelet volume (MPV) signifies the platelet function and activity. AIM: To show whether MPV and IMA are useful in revealing the oxidative stress and the risk of thrombosis in patients with BD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-six patients with BD and 28 healthy volunteers as a control group over 18 years of age were included in the study. Serum IMA and MPV levels were analyzed in both groups. RESULTS: The mean MPV values were identified as 0.86 ±0.15 and 0.82 ±0.08 (in the BD and control groups, respectively; p = 0.188) and the mean IMA values were 9.39 ±0.73 and 9.17 ±1.09 (in the BD and control groups, respectively; p = 0.275). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups. The IMA values of BD patients who were in the active phase were significant as compared to inactive BD patients and control groups (p = 0.041). The IMA and MPV values of the thrombotic patients, non-thrombotic patients and control groups were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Ischemia-modified albumin may be a helpful marker of possible complications during an active period of BD.

The correlation between the psoriasis area severity index and ischemia-modified albumin, mean platelet volume levels in patients with psoriasis.

INTRODUCTION: Ischemia-modified albumin (IMA), a novel ischemia marker, and mean platelet volume (MPV), a determinant of platelet activation, have been reported as elevated markers in cardiovascular risk factors such as atherosclerosis, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, and dyslipidemia. As psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease having comorbidities, IMA and MPV can help determine the risk factors for psoriasis. AIM: To investigate the correlation between the psoriasis area severity index (PASI), IMA and MPV levels in patients with psoriasis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional, case-control study was performed between January 2014 and December 2014 at the University hospital in Çanakkale, Turkey. Forty-five patients with psoriasis and 44 healthy volunteers over 18 years of age were included in the study. In the psoriasis patient group, clinical features and PASI scores were recorded. Serum IMA and MPV concentrations were evaluated in both groups. RESULTS: The mean IMA values were 0.85 ±0.15 and 0.79 ±0.09 (in the psoriasis patients and control groups, respectively), and there was a statistically significant difference (p = 0.048). Ischemia-modified albumin levels were not correlated with PASI scores (r = 0.024; p = 0.889) but were correlated with disease duration (r = 0.323; p = 0.048). There was no statistically significant difference between the MPV values of the two groups (8.98 ±1.14 and 9.19 ±1.28 in the psoriasis patients and control groups, respectively) (p = 0.435). CONCLUSIONS: Ischemia-modified albumin may be used as a marker for detecting oxidative stress in patients with psoriasis, especially those with a long disease duration.

Triggering drug use in patients with psoriasis: an investigative report from Turkey.

INTRODUCTION: The patients clinically diagnosed with psoriasis were investigated for drug use that may trigger psoriasis. AIM: To minimize the triggering drug use and help the medical treatment of psoriasis patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved 289 psoriatic patients who attended our clinic in 2010-2012 and were asked to bring their drug lists of the last year, which they obtained from the pharmacy's record system. They were advised not to use the drugs that may trigger psoriasis. Data analyses were performed using SPSS program version 19.0. RESULTS: A total of 289 patients were included in the study. Two hundred and twenty-one patients were using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; 133 patients were using anti-reflux drugs; 35 patients were using antidiabetic drugs; 31 patients were using calcium-channel blockers and 24 patients were using ß-blockers. In our study group, there was no significantly difference between median PASI scores of the patients using a triggering drug and those of who are not using a triggering drug. However, there was a positive low correlation between PASI rates and numbers of drugs used (r = 0.180, p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: Many other factors may trigger psoriasis, therefore the effect of stopping or minimizing the drug use on disease remission is not known. Because of the high triggering drug use rate, it is important to enlighten psoriasis patients about triggering drugs.

Association of endothelial nitric oxide synthase Glu298Asp gene polymorphism in psoriasis cases with hypertension.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Psoriasis is a common autoimmune-mediated chronic, inflammatory skin disease. Although, the molecular mechanism is not completely understood, psoriasis is caused by genetic and non-genetic parameters. The current study aimed (1) to define genotype and allele frequency of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS Glu298Asp) gene polymorphism in hypertensive and/or non-hypertensive psoriatic patients (2) to investigate the possible relationship between the eNOS Glu298Asp polymorphism and the risk of hypertension among psoriatic patients in the Turkish population. DESIGN AND SETTINGS: This cross-sectional, case-control study was performed between March 2010 and November 2012 at the University hospital in Çanakkale, Turkey Patients and Methods: Gene profiles of 75 psoriatic patients (21 hypertensive and 54 normotensive pa.tients) and 55 healthy (normotensive and non-psoriatic) volunteers were compared. Peripheral blood-EDTA samples were used for total genomic DNA isolation and genotyping. Target eNOS gene was genotyped for patients and control groups by real-time PCR melting-curve analysis system (LightCycler 2.0,Roche, Germany, and results were compared statistically. RESULTS: An increased T allele frequency in eNOS Glu298Asp single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was determined in psoriatic patients when compared with normotensive non-psoriatic healthy volunteers (OR 2.3, CI 1.14-3.99), (P=.017). The T allele frequency was also found to be increased in hypertensive psoriatic patients when compared with healthy volunteers (4.83-fold increased, 95% CI 1.62-14.43 ([P=.003]) and normotensive psoriatic patients (3.03-fold increased, 95% CI 1.03-8.94 [P=.041]), respectively. CONCLUSION: The current preliminary results suggested that there was a correlation between eNOS Glu298Asp polymorphism and hypertension among psoriatic patients in the Turkish population. The T allele frequency of eNOS Glu298Asp SNP was different in hypertensive psoriatic patients, and the difference was statistically significant when compared with the normotensive psoriatic patients and healthy controls. These results need to be confirmed by large-scale studies.