Physical Activity Related to Future Cardiovascular Disease in Patients With Psoriasis

Physical activity influences the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with psoriasis, according to a study publishing in Clinical and Experimental Dermatology.

“The purpose of this study was to explore whether physical activity influences the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with psoriasis,” explained the study authors.

Researchers recruited 242 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis and assessed each patient’s history and physical activity. A noninvasive measurement of arterial function was performed for each participant. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) measured a relationship between the volume of physical activity and the likelihood of future CVD.

A significant relationship between health-promoting levels of physical activity and the diastolic reflection index (DRA) was identified. Since DRA is a complex variable to describes the diastolic wave reflection intensity and the duration of diastole, which are key determinants of the blood supply to the heart, DRA may represent a marker for cardiorespiratory fitness.

“Our study describes a significant relationship between exercise, cardiorespiratory fitness and PWV, a preclinical indicator of future CVD risk, in patients with psoriasis,” concluded the study authors. “The DRA offers a noninvasive, objective, measurement of exercise adherence which could have clinical utility in the future.”

Reference
Auker L, Cordingley L, Griffiths CEM, Young HS. Physical activity is important for cardiovascular health and cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with psoriasis. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2021;10.1111/ced.14872. doi:10.1111/ced.14872