Lenka Turoňová, Karolína Vorčáková, Kristína Kubejová, Juraj Péč, Eva Hyrdelová, Peter Bánovčin
Backround: Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are associated with development of premature atherosclerosis
File: Authors have evaluated the presence of endothelial dysfunction (ED) in the cohort of adolescents and young adult
patients with psoriatic arthritis (PSA) up to 35 years (n = 50) providing the absence of apparent cardiovascular disease
or traditional cardiovascular risk factors when compared to healthy controls (n = 50). Aim of this study was to assess
the relationship of disease activity to ED.
Methods: In all patients vascular measurements over a period of 3 months (February to April 2013) in accordance with
the guidelines for ultrasound assessment of post-occlusive flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD%) of the brachial artery
were performed
Results: Significantly lower FMD% values in patients with PSA when compared to healthy controls (mean 6.1% ± 3.2
vs. 8.3% ± 3.8) (P = 0.009) have been detected. In the same way, significant correlations between the FMD% values and
CRP (C-reactive protein) or FW (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) values have been recorded - at the time of diagnosis
(P < 0.001) as well as at the time of the study realization (P < 0.05). In PSA patients extremely significant correlations
between the FMD% values in relation to the disease duration and disease activity (Disease Activity Score) (P < 0.005)
have also been observed.
Conclusion: Endothelial dysfunction is evident in PSA patients even in the low age groups despite the absence of traditional
cardiovascular risk factors. The development of endothelial dysfunction has strong correlations not only with the
disease activity but also with the duration of the disease. Assuming that the presence of excessive cardiovascular risk
may be determined during childhood, so there is, by the authors, an urgent need for closer monitoring and early intervention
(in order to minimize the risk of future cardiovascular events) during childhood.