Clinical characteristics and associations with atherosclerosis among adult patients with psoriasis vulgaris: A multi-centered study in Vietnam

This study measured clinical characteristics and factors associated with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores among adult patients with psoriasis vulgaris and associations between psoriasis vulgaris characteristics and atherosclerosis in Vietnamese hospitals. A cross-sectional study was conducted at a hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam. A total of 210 patients with psoriasis vulgaris were recruited. Clinical characteristics and PASI score were measured. Atherosclerosis was assessed. Multivariate regression models were used. Results showed that the mean PASI score was 9.6 (SD=6.1). The majority of patients (52.9%) had atherosclerosis. The carotid, lower, and upper limbs atherosclerosis rates were 48.8%, 24.4%, and 17.7%, respectively. Duration of disease (Coef.=0.07; 95%CI=0.01-0.12), plaque type (Coef.=2.38; 95%CI=0.71-4.04), elevated triglyceride (Coef.=1.07; 95%CI=0.04-2.11) and LDL-C (Coef.=1.14; 95%CI=0.09-2.18) were positively correlated with PASI score. Similarly, itching (Coef.=2.78, 95%CI=1.34-4.23); pain (Coef.=4.03; 95%CI=2.48-5.58), skinredness (Coef.=2.33, 95%CI=0.75-3.91) were positively related to PASI score. Patients with higher disease duration (OR=1.06, 95%CI=1.02-1.10) were more likely to have atherosclerosis. Suffering elevated triglyceride (OR=2.36, 95%CI=1.27-4.37), combined injury in joints (OR=2.17, 95%CI=1.05-4.47), and having plaque psoriasis (OR=4.38, 95%CI=1.48-12.99) were positively associated with the likelihood of having atherosclerosis. To conclude, the study provided a clinical characterisation of psoriasis vulgaris in Vietnamese patients. The study findings indicated that factors such as duration and type of psoriasis, elevated triglyceride, and combined joint injury were associated with atherosclerosis.