Serum apolipoprotein levels of psoriatic patients with normal serum lipid levels.

OBJECTIVE

Recent studies indicated that incidence of occlusive cardiovascular diseases increased in psoriasis. Changes of serum lipid metabolism may be the cause. Apolipoproteins play a central role in lipoprotein metabolism in serum. The measurement of serum apo levels may reveal the characteristics of lipoprotein metabolism in serum in patients with psoriasis and may help to find an answer to the cause of the high incidence of occlusive cardiovascular diseases in psoriasis.

METHOD: The apo levels of 31 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 31 sex- and age-matched healthy individuals with normal serum lipid levels were measured by radial immunodiffusion assay.

RESULTS

The apo C III (t = 2.44, P < 0.05) and apo E (t = 2.12, P < 0.05) of psoriatic group elevated significantly. The apo C III (t = 2.77, P < 0.01) of patients less than 40-year-old and apoE (t = 2.91, P < 0.01) of male patients elevated significantly.

CONCLUSION

Abnormal metabolism of lipoprotein in serum exist in psoriasis, especially in male patients and/or patients less than 40 years old.