Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Montenegrin patients with psoriasis.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Increasing epidemiological studies suggest the association between psoriasis and metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to assess the association of metabolic syndrome and its components with psoriasis in a sample of patients from Montenegro, and to predict the factors that determine the metabolic syndrome.

METHODS

A case-control study was conducted at the Clinic of Dermatology and Venereology, Clinical Center of Montenegro, Podgorica, Montenegro, between January and December 2012. The study group included 101 patients with psoriasis (cases) and 126 patients with the diagnosis of dermatological disease other than psoriasis (controls) consecutively admitted to the same clinic.

RESULTS

Metabolic syndrome was more prevalent in the psoriasis patients than in the controls (48.5% vs 20.6%; OR = 2.99). In addition, the psoriasis patients were significantly more likely to be smokers (OR = 2.16) and were less physically active (OR = 0.58).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study demonstrate a strong association between psoriasis and metabolic syndrome independent of psoriasis severity. Patients with psoriasis should be routinely screened for metabolic syndrome and its components. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 175025: Clinical-epidemiological research of diseases of public health importance in Serbia].