Higher Risk for Arrhythmia in Psoriasis Patients

Patients suffering from psoriasis have a higher risk of developing arrhythmia — even after controlling for other risk factors, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

The study, pioneered by Hsien-Yi Chiu, MD, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, and his colleagues identified a total of 40,637 patients afflicted with psoriasis and 162,548 individuals without psoriasis using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database.

The researchers documented the patients’ age, sex, history of coronary artery disease, hypertension, and diabetes.

Study results indicated that even after carefully adjusting for medication use and medical history, the psoriasis patients were at higher risks of arrhythmia ([aHR], 1.34).

Furthermore, they noted the risks of arrhythmia were considerably higher in subgroups like patients with severe and mild psoriasis (aHR 1.25, aHR 1.35)

The researchers concluded, “Patients with psoriasis were at higher risk of developing arrhythmia, particularly those with psoriasis arthritis independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors.”