Increased Amount of Visceral Fat in Patients with Psoriasis Contributes to Metabolic Syndrome

Abstract

<i>Background:</i> Psoriasis is associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is associated with visceral fat accumulation. There is no study on the accumulation of visceral fat in patients with psoriasis. <i>Objective:</i> The aim of this study was to compare the visceral fat accumulation in patients with psoriasis and controls. <i>Subjects and Methods:</i> 46 patients with psoriasis and 46 sex- and age-matched control patients were included in this study. The abdominal fat area [visceral fat area (VFA), subcutaneous fat area (SFA) and total fat area (TFA)] at the level of the umbilicus was evaluated by computed tomography. <i>Results:</i> The mean VFA value and VFA/SFA ratio of the psoriasis patients were significantly higher compared with the control patients (123.4 ± 80.3 vs. 81.2 ± 59.8 cm<sup>2</sup> and 0.734 ± 0.593 vs. 0.491 ± 0.336; p = 0.005 and p = 0.017, respectively). Fasting blood sugar levels were also found to be significantly higher in psoriasis patients, compared with the control patients (101.8 ± 43.5 vs. 83.4 ± 9.1 mg/dl; p = 0.005). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that waist-to-hip ratio, age, body weight, the presence of psoriasis and metabolic syndrome were significantly associated with VFA. <i>Conclusion:</i>Psoriasis patients had a higher amount of VFA, compared with the control patients.