Subclinical atherosclerosis in psoriasis. Usefulness of femoral artery ultrasound for the diagnosis, and analysis of its relationship with insulin resistance

• Published in: PloS one 2019-02, Vol.14 (2), p.e0211808-e0211808
• Main Authors: Gonzalez-Cantero, Alvaro, Gonzalez-Cantero, Jorge, Sanchez-Moya, Ana Isabel, Perez-Hortet, Cristina, Arias-Santiago, Salvador, Schoendorff-Ortega, Cristina, Gonzalez-Calvin, Jorge Luis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Aged; Analysis; Arteries; Arteriosclerosis; Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis - complications; Atherosclerosis - diagnostic imaging; Atherosclerosis - epidemiology; Atherosclerotic plaque; Biology and Life Sciences; Body mass; C-reactive protein; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Carotid arteries; Carotid artery; Carotid Artery Diseases - complications; Carotid Artery Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Artery Diseases - epidemiology; Coronary vessels; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dermatology; Diabetes; Diagnosis; Disease prevention; Family medical history; Female; Femoral artery; Femoral Artery - diagnostic imaging; Femur; Health risk assessment; Health risks; Heart attacks; Homeostasis; Hospitals; Humans; Hypoglycemic agents; Insulin; Insulin Resistance; Male; Medical diagnosis; Medical research; Medicine and Health Sciences; Middle Aged; Patients; Plaque, Atherosclerotic - complications; Plaque, Atherosclerotic - diagnostic imaging; Plaque, Atherosclerotic - epidemiology; Plaques; Prevalence; Proteins; Psoriasis; Psoriasis - complications; Psoriasis - diagnostic imaging; Psoriasis - epidemiology; Regression analysis; Research and Analysis Methods; Rheumatoid arthritis; Risk analysis; Risk factors; Screening; Skin; Studies; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonography; Ultrasound; Ultrasound imaging
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211808

Psoriasis is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) at younger ages that is not identifiable by traditional risk factors. Screening for subclinical atherosclerosis with ultrasound has only been investigated in carotid arteries. Femoral artery ultrasound has never been considered for this purpose. The link between psoriasis and accelerated atherosclerosis has not yet been established. To study the usefulness of femoral artery ultrasound for the detection of subclinical atherosclerosis in psoriasis. We also investigated its possible relationship with changes in insulin resistance. We conducted a cross-sectional study in 140 participants, 70 patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis and 70 healthy controls, matched 1:1 for age, sex, and BMI. Femoral and carotid atherosclerotic plaques were evaluated by ultrasonography. Insulin resistance was assessed by the homeostasis model assessment method (HOMA-IR). Femoral atherosclerotic plaque prevalence was significantly higher in patients with psoriasis (44.64%) than in controls (19.07%) (p