C-Reactive Protein and Cardiovascular Disease in Psoriasis

Abstract

Psoriasis is often associated with an overproduction of C-reactive protein (CRP). Patients at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) also frequently have elevated CRP levels. This article reviews the latest data on the connection between CRP, CVD, and psoriasis. Patients with elevated CRP levels as well as those with psoriasis may be at increased risk for CVD, yet some controversy exists over the strength of these correlations. Several systemic treatments for psoriasis have CRP-lowering effects, although a connection between reductions in CRP levels and clinical clearance of psoriatic disease has not been studied extensively. Limited data are available on the relationship between psoriasis severity and CRP. While the articles included in this review begin to uncover the relationship between CRP and psoriasis, they also illustrate several confounding variables and an incomplete understanding of CRP's clinical application in psoriasis. A large-scale, detailed psoriasis patient database would provide a more accurate assessment of the association between CRP, CVD, and psoriasis.