Comparative study of systemic inflammatory responses in psoriasis vulgaris and mild to moderate allergic contact dermatitis.

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis vulgaris (PV) is associated with low-grade systemic inflammation.

OBJECTIVE

Cytokines' and growth factors' serum patterns in patients with PV, allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) and healthy subjects were investigated to describe and compare systemic inflammatory responses in these diseases.

METHODS

A total of 12 inflammation-sensitive biomarkers were analyzed simultaneously by means of the Evidence Investigator™ biochip technology.

RESULTS

In PV, proinflammatory tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukins (IL)-1β, -2, -6, -8, and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 were elevated. In ACD, 2 markers, TNF-α and MCP-1, were increased, and regulatory cytokine IL-10 was decreased. Proinflammatory IL-2 had the strongest correlations with other pro- as well as anti-inflammatory cytokines in PV and ACD, whilst IL-6 correlated positively with the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index. Growth factors' levels correlated with MCP-1, but only in PV.

CONCLUSION

Although psoriasis induces a more variegated proinflammatory systemic response, ACD is likewise associated with a systemic increase in inflammatory mediators.