C‐reactive protein and leucocyte activation in psoriasis vulgaris according to severity and therapy |
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Authors: | S Coimbra H Oliveira F Reis L Belo S Rocha A Quintanilha A Figueiredo F Teixeira E Castro P Rocha‐Pereira A Santos‐Silva |
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Affiliation: | 1. Faculdade de Farmácia, Servi?o de Bioquímica, Universidade do Porto, Porto;2. Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Universidade do Porto, Porto;3. Centro de Investiga??o das Tecnologias da Saúde (CITS) – Instituto Politécnico da Saúde Norte, Gandra‐Paredes;4. Servi?o de Dermatologia, Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra;5. Instituto de Farmacologia e Terapêutica Experimental, IBILI, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra;6. Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto, Porto;7. Centro de Investiga??o em Ciências da Saúde (CICS), Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilh?, Portugal |
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Abstract: | Background Psoriasis vulgaris is a chronic recurrent inflammatory skin disease and psoriatic lesions have shown leucocyte infiltration. Objectives We aimed to study C‐reactive protein (CRP) and leucocyte activation markers/inhibitors as potential monitors of psoriasis vulgaris. Methods A cross‐sectional (n = 73) and a longitudinal study (before, at 3, 6 and 12 weeks of therapy; n = 47) was performed; 10 patients started topical treatment, 17 narrow‐band ultraviolet light B (NBUVB) and 20 psolaren associated to UVA (PUVA); psoriasis severity was defined by Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). Results Compared with control (n = 38), we found higher CRP levels, total leukocyte/neutrophil count, elastase, lactoferrin and α1‐antitrypsin. Increasing PASI was linked to increasing CRP and a trend to higher elastase and lactoferrin, suggesting that worsening enhances inflammatory response with neutrophil activation. CRP correlated with PASI, total leucocytes, neutrophils, elastase, lactoferrin and α1‐antitrypsin. NBUVB and PUVA presented similar effects. Conclusion We propose CRP as a useful marker of psoriasis severity that could be used to monitor psoriasis and its treatment, and, together with PASI and elastase, could also be used as a global index of severity. |
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Keywords: | C‐reactive protein elastase lactoferrin narrow‐band ultraviolet light B psolaren associated to ultraviolet light A psoriasis vulgaris topical therapy |
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