Psoriasis May Not be an Independent Risk Factor for Acute Ischemic Heart Disease Hospitalizations: Results of a Large Population-Based Dutch Cohort

Although psoriasis has been associated with components of the metabolic syndrome, its association with myocardial infarction is less clear. A cohort study was conducted using hospital and pharmacy records of 2.5 million Dutch residents between 1997 and 2008. The risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD) hospitalizations was compared between psoriasis patients and a matched reference cohort. Additional adjustments were made for healthcare consumption and use of cardiovascular drugs. A total of 15,820 psoriasis patients and 27,577 reference subjects were included, showing an incidence rate of 611 and 559 IHD per 100,000 person-years, respectively (P=0.066). The age- and gender-adjusted risk of IHD was comparable between both cohorts (hazard ratio (HR)=1.10, 95% confidence interval 0.99-1.23). Before cohort entry, psoriasis patients used more antihypertensive, antidiabetic, and lipid-lowering drugs and were more often hospitalized. Adjusting for these confounders decreased the HR for IHD, but it remained comparable between both populations. There was no different risk of IHD between the subgroup of patients who only used topicals versus those who received systemic therapies or inpatient care for their psoriasis. This study, therefore, suggests that psoriasis is not a clinically relevant risk factor for IHD hospitalizations on the population level.Journal of Investigative Dermatology advance online publication, 8 October 2009; doi:10.1038/jid.2009.321.

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