Meta-analysis and meta-regression analysis were performed using data extracted from observational studies (identified by MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL) investigating the relationship between psoriasis and cardiovascular disease with at least 6 points on the New Castle-Ottawa quality scale. Two reviewers with methodological expertise conducted data extraction independently.
Thirteen studies including patients with psoriasis showed an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (RR = 1.24 [1.18-1.31]; P = 0.0001). These patients still presented a significantly larger cardiovascular risk in the presence of smoking (RR = 1.14 [CI = 1.13-1.15] P < 0.0001), obesity (RR = 1.11 [CI = 1.07-1.14] P = 0.0003) and hyperlipidemia (RR = 1.05 [CI = 1.03-1.07] P = 0.0006), but not in the presence of hypertension (RR = 1.03 [CI = 0.98-1.09] P = 0.4647) and diabetes (RR = 0.95 [CI = 0.90-1.01] P = 0.6502).
Patients with psoriasis carry an about 25 % increased relative risk of cardiovascular disease. This risk appears to be independent of smoking, obesity and hyperlipidemia.