Drugs For Psoriasis, Arthritis May Lower Diabetes Risk
(Parenting.com) -- Drugs that treat psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, by suppressing the immune system may also reduce the risk of developing diabetes, at least in people who already have one of these conditions, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Compared with those taking other drugs (such as cyclosporine), patients with psoriasis or RA who were prescribed one of several drugs in a class known as the TNF inhibitors had a 38 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes over the course of the six-month study. Those who were prescribed hydroxychloroquine, a drug that has been used for decades to fight malaria and is also used for RA, had a 46 percent lower risk. "If you're going to give an immunosuppressant (drug) anyway, it may be that these specific drugs have an added benefit of reducing the risk of future diabetes," says the lead author of the study, Daniel H. Solomon, M.D., an associate professor of rheumatology at Brigham and Women's Hospital, in Boston, Massachusetts. Health.com: Ten ways to ease rheumatoid arthritis pain The findings make sense biologically. RA and psoriasis are both inflammatory conditions, and inflammation plays a role in insulin resistance and diabetes. (Inflammation, which also contributes to hardening of the arteries, is believed to be at the root of the increased risk of heart disease seen in people who have RA, psoriasis, or diabetes.) TNF inhibitors and hydroxychloroquine may help fight diabetes by improving insulin sensitivity so that blood sugar (glucose) is pulled out of the bloodstream more quickly. Hydroxychloroquine may have the added effect of reducing insulin metabolism so the hormone stays in the blood stream longer, giving it more time to move the glucose, Solomon says. The Continue reading >>
Psoriasis Treatment: Dry Skin Condition Cured By Making These Diet Swaps | Health | Life & Style | Express.co.uk
Psoriasis treatment: Woman cured skin condition by making these diet swaps Psoriasis treatment: High blood pressure cured by making these diet swaps Angela Barber suffered from severe psoriasis since she was 12 years old. Her condition was so bad that she was forced to take her own sheets when travelling, to prevent further skin irritation. Over the course of 50 years, Barber was prescribed a range of lotions and potions, including some very strong drugs. But, nothing seemed to provide lasting relief. After a chance conversation with her dentist about food intolerances, she tried a DNA test to find out whether she was intolerant to any types of foods. Barber tried the YorkTest. It involves sending a finger-prick blood sample to a laboratory to test reactions for up to 208 different foods. Psoriasis treatment: Symptoms include itchy, flaky patches of skin Psoriasis treatment: Barber cut out dairy, eggs and yeast from her diet Her results revealed she had reactions to dairy, eggs and yeast. She cut these foods out of her diet, and her skin started healing before my eyes within 48 hours, she claimed. Between dressing in the morning and undressing in the evening, my skin was visibly improving, said Barber. After cutting out the foods from her diet, Barber began sleeping better after suffering from insomnia. She visited a GP for a health check to find her borderline high blood pressure and cholesterol levels were drastically lower, too. Psoriasis treatment: Some creams could help to treat the skin condition Psoriasis treatment: Dairy could be a trigger food for the skin condition Barbers psoriasis symptoms improved for about three months, and now her condition hardly bothers her at all, she said. Im healthier, fitter and have more energy, and am more mentally positive. I wi Continue reading >>
How Psoriasis And Type 2 Diabetes May Be Linked
It’s hard to believe that the psoriasis plaques on the surface of your skin can put you at risk for serious health problems down the road, but it's true — and that risk is real. Studies continue to show a link between psoriasis and type 2 diabetes, underlining the importance for people with the skin disease to pay attention to their overall health. A Danish study published in August 2013 in the journal Diabetes Care followed more than 52,000 people with psoriasis ages 10 and older for 13 years, and compared them to the rest of the Danish population. The researchers found that everyone with psoriasis, whether it was mild or severe, was at higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes — and the more severe the psoriasis, the higher the risk for diabetes. A University of Pennsylvania study published in September 2012 in JAMA Dermatology compared more than 100,000 people with psoriasis to 430,000 people who didn’t have it. The researchers found that those with a severe case of psoriasis were 46 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those without psoriasis. People who had a mild case of psoriasis had an 11 percent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The risk was higher even among psoriasis patients who didn’t have other risk factors commonly associated with diabetes, such as obesity. As a result, the researchers estimated 115,500 new cases of diabetes a year are due to the risk from psoriasis. In addition to diabetes, psoriasis complications include a higher risk for metabolic syndrome, heart disease, stroke, and death related to cardiovascular problems. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania published a study in October 2013 in JAMA Dermatology showing that psoriasis is associated with many diabetes complications, including those affecting Continue reading >>
Psoriasis Severity May Influence Type 2 Diabetes Risk
People living with psoriasis are not only at higher risk of type 2 diabetes, but their risk also rises in line with the skin disease's severity, according to recent research from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in Philadelphia. The team — led by Joel M. Gelfand, a professor of dermatology and epidemiology — reports the findings in a paper that was published recently in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. "We know psoriasis is linked to higher rates of diabetes," Prof. Gelfand explains, "but this is the first study to specifically examine how the severity of the disease affects a patient's risk." He and his team suggest that the findings support the idea that there is a biological connection between psoriasis and type 2 diabetes. Psoriasis and diabetes Psoriasis is a serious medical condition that affects around 7.5 million people in the United States. It develops from a fault in the immune system that disrupts the normal biology of the skin and joints. About 80–90 percent of people with psoriasis have plaque psoriasis, an inflammatory condition in which the immune system sends faulty signals that make skin cells grow too fast. As the cells reach the surface of the skin and die, they form lesions that appear as thick red patches covered with silvery scales. The patches typically develop on the elbows, palms, face, scalp, lower back, knees, and soles of the feet, but they can also affect the mouth, nails, genitals, and other places. Around 40 percent of people with psoriasis have psoriatic arthritis, which is a form of the disease that causes inflammation in the joints and has symptoms similar to those of arthritis. People with psoriasis are more prone to other diseases, including type 2 diabetes, a disorder that develops w Continue reading >>
The Link Between Psoriasis And Diabetes
Psoriasis, an autoimmune disorder that causes red, scaly patches of skin, can also put you at risk of developing other illnesses, such as type 2 diabetes. A study at the University of Pennsylvania in 2012 found that those with severe psoriasis were twice as likely to develop diabetes as those who didn’t have psoriasis. And, a study completed in Denmark later concluded that any person with psoriasis, no matter the severity, had an increased risk of developing diabetes. While it doesn’t seem like psoriasis and diabetes have much in common, both are linked with chronic inflammation. In addition, the inflammation caused by psoriasis can cause your body to increase an insulin-like growth factor, which can contribute to developing type 2 diabetes. Besides the inflammation, psoriasis affects your immune system, which can increase your chances of developing insulin resistance and diabetes. Warning Signs of Type 2 Diabetes If you have psoriasis, your doctor should talk to you about your risk of diabetes. Because the early warning signs are often missed or there might not be symptoms, many people are even aware they have type 2 diabetes. You should be aware of the warning signs of diabetes: Frequent urination Increased thirst Unexplained weight loss Increased hunger Foot pain or numbness More frequent vaginal infections in women Blurred vision Cuts or bruises that are slow to heal Fatigue Early detection is important. It helps you get it under control and can help prevent complications from the disease. Even if you aren’t having any of the symptoms, if you have psoriasis, your doctor might suggest regular blood tests to monitor your glucose levels. What You Should Do if You Have or Think You Have Type 2 DiabetesThe first step, if you think you have type 2 diabetes, is to** Continue reading >>
Women With Psoriasis Have Higher Diabetes, High Blood Pressure Risk
Women with Psoriasis Have Higher Diabetes, High Blood Pressure Risk Women with Psoriasis Have Higher Diabetes, High Blood Pressure Risk Psoriasis may do more than wreak havoc on your skin. Those scaly, red patches are also associated with a higher risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, possibly due to the underlying inflammation that causes the skin problem. MONDAY, April 20, 2009 (Health.com) Psoriasis may do more than wreak havoc on your skin. Those scaly, red patches are also associated with a higher risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, possibly due to the underlying inflammation that causes the skin problem. Women with psoriasis are 63% more likely to develop diabetes , and 17% more likely to develop high blood pressure than their counterparts who do not have the common skin condition, according to a study in the April issue of the Archives of Dermatology. "Psoriasis is not just a skin disease. It is a real medical condition and requires a multidisciplinary approach to treatment," says lead researcher Abrar A. Qureshi, MD, MPH, an assistant professor of dermatology at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard University Medical School, both in Boston. Psoriasis affects more than 4.5 million adults in the United States, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. The skin condition can be mild to severe , and is marked by scaly, silvery plaques of raised, reddish skin that tend to occur on the elbows, knees, lower back, and scalp. In the study, the researchers analyzed data from the Nurses' Health Study II, which included 78,061 nurses who were ages 27 to 44 in 1991. Overall, 2.3% had been diagnosed with psoriasis. The women were asked whether they were diagnosed with diabetes or high blood pressure during a 14-year follow-up period. Of all the women in Continue reading >>
How Does Diabetes Affect Psoriasis?
People who have psoriasis are more likely to get type 2 diabetes. That's a condition that makes it hard for your body to make and use the hormone insulin. And the worse your skin problem is, the greater your chances of getting diabetes are. More research is needed to explain why this happens, but your immune system may have something to do with it. Psoriasis, which causes raised, red, flaky, and itchy patches on your skin, is an autoimmune disease. That means your immune system attacks part of your own body by mistake. In this case, it's your skin. One theory is that psoriasis could change your immune system enough that over time, it starts going after and killing cells that make insulin. It's important for the doctor you see for your psoriasis to know you have diabetes so she can recommend the right treatments. In some cases, she may be able to give you medicine that helps keep both health issues in check. For instance, some people who take a type 2 diabetes drug called a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) notice that their skin gets better. This may be because it slows down your immune system. That helps ease inflammation throughout your body. On the other hand, some drugs that treat psoriasis can raise your blood sugar and make your diabetes harder to control. That means your doctor probably won't give you corticosteroids (steroids) or cyclosporine, which are both used to calm inflammation. You'll need to use other psoriasis drugs with some care. For example, a medicine called etanercept can trigger hypoglycemia (very low blood sugar). If your doctor thinks it's the best option to treat your psoriasis, you may need to change your diabetes medication. Another common psoriasis drug called methotrexate can cause serious liver damage in people with diabetes. If your doctor Continue reading >>
Psoriasis And New-onset Diabetes
Abstract OBJECTIVE Psoriasis is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events and increased prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major contributor to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality that may be associated with psoriasis, but conflicting results have been presented and nationwide data on the risk of new-onset DM in patients with psoriasis have not been reported. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The study comprised a Danish population ≥10 years of age on 1 January 1997 who were followed until new-onset DM, death, or 31 December 2009. Information on comorbidity, concomitant medication, and socioeconomic status was linked on an individual level. The primary study end point was DM requiring pharmacotherapy. Incidence rates for the development of DM events per 1,000 observational years were calculated and adjusted. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were estimated by Poisson regression. RESULTS A total of 4,614,807 subjects were eligible for analysis, with a maximum follow-up of 13 years. In the study period, 52,613 patients with psoriasis, including 6,784 patients with severe psoriasis, were identified. The overall incidence rates for new-onset DM were 3.67 (CI 3.65–3.69), 6.93 (6.63–7.25), and 9.65 (8.68–10.73) for the reference population, mild psoriasis, and severe psoriasis, respectively. Compared with the reference population, the IRR of new-onset DM was increased in all patients with psoriasis, i.e., IRR 1.49 (CI 1.43–1.56) and 2.13 (1.91–2.37) for those with mild and severe psoriasis. CONCLUSIONS In this nationwide cohort, psoriasis was associated with increased incidence rates of new-onset DM. The association remained statistically significant after adjustment for confounding factors. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Dat Continue reading >>
New Clues To Link Between Psoriasis And Diabetes
New findings may help explain why people with psoriasis are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. According to the results of a study published earlier this month in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, one reason could be that psoriasis patients have more insulin resistance than people without the disease. Insulin resistance is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, the researchers noted. According to the American Diabetes Association, people who are insulin resistant require higher levels of insulin to properly absorb glucose. This condition, which is also known as low insulin sensitivity, leads to higher blood glucose levels. Diabetes is a well-known comorbidity of psoriatic disease. Previous research has shown that people with severe psoriasis could be as much as 46 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than people without psoriasis. The study involved 16 people with moderate to severe psoriasis and 16 healthy controls, none of whom had diabetes, prediabetes or immediate family with diabetes. To test the insulin resistance of study participants, researchers administered a blood test called a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp, described in the study as the “gold standard” for assessing insulin sensitivity. People with psoriasis had significantly lower insulin sensitivity than people without psoriasis, the researchers reported, meaning that psoriasis patients were more insulin resistant. These findings suggest that psoriasis may be a prediabetic condition, the researchers added. Previous studies have also identified insulin resistance in people with psoriasis, although only one has used the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp method, according to the researchers. The presence of insulin resistance in people with psoriasis could be because type Continue reading >>
Taltz And Elevated Blood Glucose Levels
I started taking Taltz 2 months ago. My skin is doing much better but am experiencing pain and stiffness from the psoriatic arthritis. Also, my blood sugar levels have been sky high and do not come down even with the addition of sliding scale insulin. Is anyone else experiencing this problem? Welcome to Inspire! If you do not get any replies, please check other discussions about Taltz in this community. You can see more discussions by typing your search terms in the box near the magnifying glass at the top-right side of the page or by clicking the link below. hi carlos, as vbrad says, taltz is supposed to help also with the arthritis. if not or opposite, its probably the wrong drug for you. i had a similar experience with stelara, which worsened my arthritis in a spooky way. i had to quit and now start with taltz with new hope. good luck for the both of us! I have been a type 1 diabetic for the last 39 years now. I have been having a tough time this winter as well. So while the type of diabetes is different the cause of recent our recent issues may very well be the same. Constant pain causes your body to release a stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol causes your body to release more sugar into your blood, so you can power that fight or flight reaction that saved our ancestor's from becoming food. This leads to really high and hard to control glucose levels. My doctors and I have tried tackling this from both sides, uping the insulin, and uping the pain meds. The pain meds work more effectively each time. Keep in mind my case maybe nothing like yours so go talk to your doc. This is a suggestion of why your not getting the results you need even after adding insulin. This discussion is closed to comments. To start a new discussion in this community, please log in here . Join Continue reading >>
Psoriatic Arthritis Strongly Linked With Developing Diabetes Mellitus
Psoriatic Arthritis Strongly Linked With Developing Diabetes Mellitus Psoriatic Arthritis Strongly Linked With Developing Diabetes Mellitus The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is higher in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), with greater PsA activity correlating with a higher risk of developing the disease, according to recent research published in The Journal of Rheumatology. Psoriatic arthritis is strongly associated with obesity and its related comorbidities, including DM. In this study, we have found that patients with PsA have 43% higher risk of developing DM compared with the general population, Lihi Eder, MD, PhD, from the Women's College Research Institute at Women's College Hospital and the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto, told Rheumatology Advisor in an interview. Dr Eder and colleagues performed a cohort analysis of 1305 patients in a large PsA specialty clinic in Ontario between January 1978 and November 2014 in which they measured the prevalence of DM and calculated the age-standardized prevalence ratio (SPR) of DM compared with the general population. To determine the relationship between DM risk factors and PsA disease activity, the researchers measured time-weighted arithmetic mean (AM) tender joint counts, swollen joint counts, dactylitis count, Psoriasis Area Severity Index, and erythrocyte sedimentation rates. Screening for diabetes mellitus (DM) in patients with psoriatic arthritis is needed, especially in those with more active joint disease and elevated inflammatory markers. The control of inflammation may reduce the risk of developing DM in these patients. This risk was especially high in the younger age groups, Dr Eder told Rheumatology Advisor. Moreover, we found that having higher levels of disease activity predic Continue reading >>
Dermatologists Urge Psoriasis Patients To Be Aware Of Potential Link To Other Serious Diseases
Dermatologists urge psoriasis patients to be aware of potential link to other serious diseases SAN DIEGO (March 16, 2012) Information presented at American Academy of Dermatologys 70th Annual Meeting by Joel M. Gelfand, MD, MSCE, FAAD, assistant professor of dermatology and epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia. Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition characterized by raised, red, scaly plaques that can itch, crack and bleed. Psoriasis can be localized and affect only limited areas of the skin, such as the scalp or elbows, or it can involve the skin on the entire body. The condition can be painful, disfiguring and disabling. It is believed to occur due to an interaction of multiple genes, the immune system and the environment. Research has shown that excessive inflammation is a critical feature of psoriasis. Because chronic inflammation also is a characteristic of insulin resistance, obesity, abnormal cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease, emerging studies have linked these serious medical conditions with psoriasis. As a result, it is important for psoriasis patients particularly those with severe cases to monitor their health very closely for signs of these diseases. STUDIES ESTABLISH LINK TO SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITIONS: Studies using innovative techniques to evaluate cholesterol composition and function have shown that psoriasis patients have LDL (or bad) cholesterol that consists of smaller and denser cholesterol particles, a pattern observed in patients with diabetes. These smaller and denser particles are more likely to promote hardening of the arteries and cause heart attacks. Dr. Gelfand added that for the first time it has been demonstrated that psoriasis patients also have impaired function of HDL (or good) cho Continue reading >>
The Link Between Diabetes And Psoriasis
I remember seeing television ads as a child proclaiming “the heartbreak of psoriasis.” And lately, I’ve been seeing ads for new medications that can treat this condition. I’ve always thought of psoriasis as an annoying skin condition, but didn’t realize that it’s linked to inflammation. It’s also linked to a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes. Read on to learn more. What is psoriasis? According to the Psoriasis Foundation, “psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes raised, red, scaly patches to appear on the skin.” These patches are usually found on the elbows, knees, and scalp, but they can be anywhere on the body. The dry, flaky skin is a result of a rapid buildup of skin cells, triggered by inflammatory chemicals. Psoriasis is a fairly common condition, affected between 1% and 3% of the U.S. population. It can also occur in children, although it’s more common in people between the ages of 15 and 35. What are the signs and symptoms? Psoriasis can appear as red bumps that blend into each other, forming scaly patches, called plaque psoriasis. Again, they’re more likely to form on the elbows, knees, lower back, or scalp, or on areas that are exposed to a lot of friction. These patches are silvery in color and are often itchy and painful. One way that psoriasis is diagnosed is if pinpoint spots of blood form after pulling off one of the patches — this is called the Auspitz sign. Psoriasis can also appear in the genital regions, between the buttocks, or on the back of the knees, called inverse psoriasis. This shows up as red, smooth, shiny lesions. Guttate psoriasis appears as small, dot-like lesions that are often triggered by a strep infection, such as strep throat. This type of psoriasis can start in childhood or in young adulthood. Pustular pso Continue reading >>
Psoriasis Drug May Help Treat Type 1 Diabetes: Report
home / diabetes center / diabetes a-z list / psoriasis drug may help treat type 1 diabetes article Psoriasis Drug May Help Treat Type 1 Diabetes: Report Want More News? Sign Up for MedicineNet Newsletters! MONDAY, Sept. 23 (HealthDay News) -- A drug formerly used to treat the skin condition psoriasis shows promise in treating type 1 diabetes , according to a new study. Both psoriasis and type 1 diabetes are autoimmune disorders. The drug alefacept ( Amevive ) is an immune-suppressing drug that was used to treat psoriasis but was withdrawn by its manufacturer in 2011. The drug maker, Astellas Pharma U.S., said at the time that "business needs" led to its decision to pull the drug from the market. The new study included 49 type 1 diabetes patients at 14 medical centers in the United States. Thirty-three of the patients received weekly injections of alefacept for 12 weeks, followed by a break of 12 weeks and then another 12 weekly doses of the drug. Sixteen patients received a placebo on the same schedule. The clinical trial's main outcome was a measure of how well the pancreas could secrete insulin in response to food, two hours after eating. Using this measure, the researchers found no significant differences between the two groups of patients. They did, however, find a significant difference between the two groups of patients four hours after eating. The patients who received alefacept showed maintained insulin secretion, while insulin secretion in the placebo group decreased. (People with type 1 diabetes don't produce insulin, a hormone needed to convert food into energy.) The researchers also found that patients who received alefacept showed no significant increase in insulin use during the course of the clinical trial, but patients in the placebo group did. And 12 m Continue reading >>
Psoriasis Sufferers: Keep An Eye On Blood Sugar!
Psoriasis Sufferers: Keep an Eye on Blood Sugar! Health , Diseases & Conditions , Skin Disease Im sorry to share this piece of news, because its a downer. But you know meif theres an important new nugget of medical information out there that applies to you readers, I want to spread the word and help as many people as I can stay healthy and happy. If you have psoriasisas millions of Americans dothe scaly, itchy patches of skin on your scalp and/or other body parts arent the only health problems to be concerned about. And Im not talking about the well-known increased risks, such as the risks for heart attack, stroke, arthritis and certain cancers. Theres yet another disease to add to the already long list. A recent study found that people with psoriasis are at increased risk for also developing type 2 diabeteseven if they dont have any of the risk factors that are common to both diseases, such as obesity. And the more severe the psoriasis, the greater the risk of type 2 diabetes. How much extra risk do you have? In the study, people with mild psoriasis had an 11% greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, compared with those who did not have psoriasisand people with moderate-to-severe psoriasis had a 46% higher risk. To find out more about why having a skin disease might increase the risk for type 2 diabetes, I called senior study author Joel M. Gelfand, MD. Both diseases are caused by chronic inflammation, Dr. Gelfand noted, and we think that the same inflammation that causes psoriasis also prevents the body from responding to insulin as well as it should, which is what leads to type 2 diabetes. So if you have psoriasis, what does this mean for you? First of all: Dr. Gelfand said that its important to get regular blood sugar screenings to test for type 2 diabetes, sinc Continue reading >>
