Impact of antipsoriatic therapy on endothelial function

Background Endothelial function (EF) impairment is one of the first events in the process of atherosclerosis, which is known to be associated with psoriasis. Nevertheless, the effect of antipsoriatic treatments, some of them with atherogenic risks, on cardiovascular morbidity and EF is still unclear. Objectives To investigate the effect of short-term antipsoriatic treatments on EF values as a potential marker of their effect on cardiovascular morbidity. Methods EF was evaluated in 26 patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis by measuring microvascular blood flow, expressed as the reactive hyperaemia index (RHI), before and after phototherapy (8 weeks) or systemic antipsoriatic treatment (12 weeks). Results Antipsoriatic intervention was effective (46% achieving >= 75% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index), while the average RHI did not improve during the study (1.73 +/- 0.48. vs. 1.66 +/- 0.35, average difference -0.12 +/- 0.43, not significant). Patients with baseline preserved EF exhibited a decline in RHI (difference -0.2 +/- 0.4, P = 0.053), while patients with abnormal baseline RHI presented nonsignificant RHI improvement (RHI difference 0.1 +/- 0.2). Conclusions There was no positive effect on EF of short-term antipsoriatic treatment. It is possible that a longer period of treatment and EF evaluation would uncover a positive endothelial effect, especially in patients with baseline abnormal EF.