There are many diseases and dysfunctions that have been linked to psoriasis and here’s a short list of some of the commonly discussed ones: Crohn’s disease, diabetes, depression, Metabolic syndrome, obesity, osteoporosis, uveitis and liver disease and even heart disease and cancer.
Crohn’s Disease: There is a connection between psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. In a recent study of women with psoriasis, 10 percent developed a form of inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s Disease or ulcerative colitis.
Diabetes: People with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are at an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, according to a 2012 study. People with severe psoriasis, in particular, are 30 percent more likely to have type 2 diabetes.
Depression: Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis can cause considerable emotional distress for people, including low self-esteem, and an increased chance of mood disorders, such as depression.
Metabolic Syndrome: There is a significant association between psoriatic disease and metabolic syndrome – a cluster of conditions that include heart disease, abdominal obesity and high blood pressure. A national sample of more than 6,500 people found that 40 percent of those with psoriasis had metabolic syndrome, compared with just 23 percent of the general population. More women with psoriasis had metabolic syndrome than men.
Obesity: Researchers have known for some time that people with psoriatic disease are more likely to be obese than the normal population. Recent studies continue to examine the relationship between the two. One study showed that children with psoriasis were at much greater risk of being obese, while another showed being overweight at 18 increased the risk of developing psoriatic arthritis.
Osteoporosis: A study of people with psoriatic disease showed that 60 percent of patients had osteopenia, an early form of the bone disease, osteoporosis, and 18 percent had progressed to osteoporosis.
Uveitis: Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis raise your risk of developing uveitis, an inflammatory disease of the eye. About 7 percent of people with psoriatic arthritis will develop uveitis, according to recent studies.
Liver Disease: People with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis may be at greater risk for developing a liver condition called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), according to recently published studies.
Cancer: A number of studies have found that people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis have an increased risk of certain types of cancer, such as lymphoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer.
Cardiovascular Disease: Research continues to link psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, especially in people with severe psoriasis. People with severe psoriasis are 58 percent more likely to have a major cardiac event and 43 percent more likely to have a stroke, according to one study.
