Exercise Improves CVD Risk in Psoriasis Patients

Researchers observed a “significant relationship” between exercise, cardiorespiratory fitness, pulse wave velocity (PWV), and risk of future cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with psoriasis, in a recent study.

Psoriasis severity and other disease-specific characteristics can make achieving recommended physical activity levels difficult for patients with the condition, the researchers wrote.

To determine whether the objective measure of physical activity among these patients could have clinical use, they conducted a study involving 242 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis who underwent arteriography and reported physical activity levels, medical history, and disease severity.

Overall, a significant relationship between physical activity and likelihood of future CVD as measured by PWV. A significant relationship was also noted between higher levels of physical activity and diastolic reflection index (DRA) scores, and between DRA scores and risk of future CVD.

“Our data suggest that DRA may represent a surrogate marker for cardiorespiratory fitness,” they wrote, and “offers a non-invasive, objective, measurement of exercise adherence which could have clinical utility in the future.”

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Auker L, Cordingley L, Griffiths CEM, Young HS. Physical activity is important for cardiovascular health and cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with psoriasis. CED. Published online August 8, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1111/ced.14872