Lp-PLA2 as a promising predictor of comorbidities in patients with severe psoriasis.

Objective: Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) is a well- known risk factor of atherosclerotic vascular diseases which are common comorbidities in psoriasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum Lp-PLA2 level in psoriatic patients and elucidate possible associations with disease activity, metabolic or inflammatory parameters and systemic treatment. Methods: We enrolled 33 patients with active plaque-type psoriasis and 11 healthy controls. Blood samples were collected before and after 3 months of systemic treatment with acitretin or methotrexate. Serum Lp-PLA2 level were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Serum Lp-PLA2 level in patients with psoriasis did not statistically differ comparing to the control group (p =.2). However, in patients with severe psoriasis Lp-PLA2 was significantly higher than in the controls before and after treatment (p =.03, p =.01, respectively). The lipase did not correlate with BMI (p =.22); however, a statistical significance was noted between psoriatics with obesity compared to the controls (p =.03). No significant effect of systemic treatment combined (p =.5) nor separately with acitretin (p =.5) or methotrexate (p =.1) on the Lp-PLA2 level was found, despite clinical improvement. Conclusion: Lp-PLA2 assay might be helpful in assessment of the risk of cardiometabolic comorbidities development especially in patients with severe psoriasis and obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]