Background: Psoriasis is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction and coronary artery disease. Material and methods: This single-centre observational study assessed cardiovascular risk factors in 77 adult male patients with psoriasis compared with a control group. All participants underwent echocardiography to evaluate left ventricular diastolic function. Results: Patients with psoriasis had a higher body mass index (BMI) (p=0.062), elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (p<0.001), and more frequent hypertension (p=0.001). Past and current smoking was significantly more common in the psoriasis group (p<0.05). Echocardiographic parameters were generally higher in psoriasis patients, particularly the left atrial volume index (LAVI) (median 23.72 vs. 19.5 ml/m²; p<0.01) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) (median 99.84 vs. 93.70 g/m²; p<0.05). Subclinical cardiac damage occurred more frequently in psoriasis patients (OR=3.37, 95% CI: 1.39–9.1), remaining significant after adjustment for hypertension, smoking, and BMI (OR=2.77, 95% CI: 1.07–7.83). Logistic regression indicated that cardiac damage was associated with age, hypertension, and antihypertensive use. Psoriasis independently increased the risk of subclinical cardiac damage after adjustment for age and hypertension. Conclusions: Patients with psoriasis should be screened early for cardiovascular disease, and preventive strategies introduced to reduce long-term risk.
Adamczyk et al. (2026) studied this question.