Diseases & Conditions
Researchers explore psoriasis-diabetes link
The condition increases type 2 diabetes risk.
People with psoriasis suffer from chronic patches of irritated, flaky skin. A new study finds that psoriasis may also put people at risk for another chronic disease: type 2 diabetes. A recent study in Archives of Dermatology found a strong correlation between the two. "Both diseases are driven by inflammation," says Dr. Jeffrey Sobell, a dermatologist at Harvard-affiliated New England Baptist Hospital who's considered an international authority on psoriasis. "The same cells that trigger the inflammation of psoriasis are also associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes."
But psoriasis isn't just linked to diabetes. Because it's a systemwide inflammatory disease, Dr. Sobell says there's a correlation to other inflammation-sensitive conditions such as arthritis and cardiovascular disease.
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