Evaluation of Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors in Psoriasis Patients

Psoriasis and Exercise: A Review

Psoriasis is a prevalent inflammatory skin disorder that is associated with a number of comorbidities including cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. Exercise can influence the outcomes of chronic inflammatory diseases, and the presence of these diseases can also influence physical activity in afflicted patients. We reviewed the available literature published on exercise in psoriasis patients and aimed to explore physical activity levels, barriers to exercise, physical fitness, exercise as a prevention strategy as well as a treatment modality. Overall, patients with moderate to severe psoriasis are more sedentary than the general population and experience barriers to exercise secondary to their skin disease. Moderate to vigorous exercise may be an independent preventative factor in reducing the incident risk of developing psoriasis and the utilization of exercise as a weight loss strategy may improve disease severity especially in overweight patients. Expert panels agree that exercise can be beneficial as an adjunct treatment in patients with psoriasis who are overweight; however, more randomized clinical trials are needed to establish these links.

The Role of the Gut Microbiome in Psoriasis: From Pathogens to Pathology

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this article is to bring awareness to the emerging frontier of the correlation of the gut microbiome and its impact on psoriasis.

METHODS

A Google Scholar and PubMed literature search was conducted utilizing key words "gut microbiome," "psoriasis," "diet," and "inflammation," yielding several articles for review and classification.

RESULTS

Randomized, controlled trials have revealed that gut microbial imbalances contribute to inflammatory cytokines as well as to the progression and development of psoriasis. Perhaps more importantly, perturbations in the gut microbiome have been correlated to elevated plasma levels of claudin-3, zonulin, and intestinal fatty acid-binding protein, contributing to intestinal barrier dysfunction and permeability. This translocation results in systemic immune activation leading to phenotypic expression of psoriasis in genetically susceptible individuals.

LIMITATIONS

Numerous limitations were found during the research on this topic, including lack of standardization of diets, coverage of stool testing by insurance, and personalized interactions of microbes on the host. Further studies are needed with longer follow-up and increased number of patients.

CONCLUSION

A healthy diet positively impacts the gut microbiome, which can dampen inflammatory cytokines and lessen the severity of psoriasis. The use of probiotics can also influence this dynamic.