Systemic Inflammation and Evidence of a Cardio-splenic Axis in Patients with Psoriasis

Authors

  • Kasper F. Hjuler
  • Lars C. Gormsen
  • Mikkel H. Vendelbo
  • Alexander Egeberg
  • Jakob Nielsen
  • Lars Iversen

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2340/00015555-2873

Keywords:

positron emission tomography computed tomography, inflammation, spleen, psoriasis, vascular inflammation, atherosclerosis

Abstract

The spleen is thought to play a role in atherosclerosis-associated immunity and cardiovascular research has indicated the existence of a cardio-splenic axis. The aim of this study was to assess splenic 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake as a measure of systemic inflammation in patients with untreated psoriasis compared with historical controls assessed by positron emission tomography-computed tomography. Patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis (n?=?12, age 61.4???4.1 years, 83% men, mean? Psoriasis Area Severity Index score of 14.5) and controls (n?=?23, age 60.4???4.5 years, 87% men) were included in the study. Splenic inflammation was measured using the background-corrected spleen-liver-ratio (SLR) based on mean standardized uptake values. Mean???SD SLR was increased in patients with psoriasis compared with controls (0.94???0.11 vs. 0.82???0.08; p?=?0.001). SLR was significantly associated with aortic inflammation. These results support the existence of systemic inflammation in patients with psoriasis, and provide the rationale for a mechanistic link between psoriasis-driven inflammation and cardiovascular comorbidity through a spleen-atherosclerotic axis.

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Published

2018-01-15

How to Cite

Hjuler, K. F., Gormsen, L. C., Vendelbo, M. H., Egeberg, A., Nielsen, J., & Iversen, L. (2018). Systemic Inflammation and Evidence of a Cardio-splenic Axis in Patients with Psoriasis. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 98(4), 390–395. https://doi.org/10.2340/00015555-2873

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Section

Articles