Level of inflammatory cytokines tumour necrosis factor α, interleukins 12, 23 and 17 in patients with psoriasis in the context of metabolic syndrome

The Efficacy of Lactocare® Synbiotic on the Clinical Symptoms in Patients with Psoriasis: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

Background

Attention to the administration of probiotics for the treatment of psoriasis has recently increased.

Aim

In the present study, improvements in dermatology life quality index (DLQI), psoriasis area severity index (PASI), and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores in the psoriasis patients receiving Lactocare® probiotic were compared to psoriasis patients receiving placebo.

Methods

A total of 52 psoriasis patients were included in this study and randomly divided into treatment and placebo (control) groups. The control group received topical hydrocortisone associated with placebo; in the treatment group, Lactocare® was administrated orally associated with hydrocortisone. The mean of VAS, DLQI, and PSAI scores was recorded and evaluated pretreatment and post-treatment in both groups for 3 months. The mean of the scores in the control groups was compared to the treatment group. Intragroup analysis was preformed with a comparison of the mean of these scores at baseline 4-, 8-, and 12-weeks post-treatment.

Results

In the treatment group, a significant decrease was seen in PASI, VAS, and DLQI scores compared to the control group on week 12 post-treatment.

Conclusion

Oral administration of Lactocare® probiotic (two times daily) associated with administration of topical hydrocortisone resulted in the improvement of PASI, DLQI, and VAS scores in the patients with psoriasis after 12 weeks of treatment. PASI reduction occurred in all patients who received probiotics.

Polyelectrolytes Formulated with Primary Unconjugated Bile Acid Optimised Pharmacology of Bio-Engineered Implant

Introduction. Several studies have shown that different biomaterials and hydrogels comprising various bile acids such as chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), as well as excipients such as poly-(styrene)-sulphonate (PSS) and poly-(allyl)-amine (PAA), exhibited positive biological effects on encapsulated viable pancreatic β-cells. Hence, this study aimed to investigate whether incorporating CDCA with PSS and PAA will optimise the functions of encapsulated pancreatic islets post-transplantation in Type 1 diabetes (T1D). Methods. Mice were made T1D, divided into two equal groups, and transplanted with encapsulated islets in PSS-PAA (control) or with CDCA-PSS-PAA (treatment) microcapsules. The effects of transplanted microcapsules on blood glucose, inflammation and the bile acid profile were measured post-transplantation. Results and Conclusion. Compared with control, the treatment group showed better survival rate, improved glycaemic control, and lower inflammatory profile, illustrated by ↓ interleukin 1-β, interleukin-6, interleukin-12, and tumour-necrosis factor-α, and ↓ levels of the bile acid, as well as lithocholic acid in the plasma, liver, large intestine and faeces. The results suggest that CDCA incorporation with PSS-PAA microcapsules exerted beneficial effects on encapsulated islets and resulted in enhanced diabetes treatment, post-transplantation, at the local and systemic levels.

Association of Serum Lipocalin-2 Concentrations with Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis: An Updated Meta-Analysis

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to explore the association of serum lipocalin-2 concentrations with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Methods

A systematic search of studies on the association of serum lipocalin-2 concentrations with psoriasis/PsA was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Elsevier ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library. Eventually, 8 eligible studies were included. The strength of association between serum lipocalin-2 concentrations and psoriasis/PsA was assessed by pooled standard mean difference (SMD) with its 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

A total of 8 case-control studies, consisting of 349 psoriasis/PsA patients and 258 controls, were included in the meta-analysis. This meta-analysis showed significant association between serum lipocalin-2 concentrations and psoriasis/PsA in overall population (SMD: 0.757, 95%CI = 0.588-0.926, and P _H = 0.114; P _H is the P value for the heterogeneity test). Similar results were found in subgroup analysis by ethnicity.

Conclusions

Serum lipocalin-2 concentrations are higher in psoriasis/PsA patients than controls. However, more large-scale studies are warranted to explore the association between serum lipocalin-2 and the pathogenetic mechanisms of psoriasis/PsA.