Razi Journal of Medical Sciences

    Background & Aim: Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects 1-3% of the world's population. It can cause significant distress to the patient and ultimately the reduction of the patient's life quality. From the clinical perspective, it can create bright, red, elevated, and scaly plaques. Psoriasis is now recognized as a T-cell mediated disease with epidermal hyperplasia being a consequence of the activation of the immune system and cytokines release. No definite cure has been found for this lesion and existing treatments have high rates of relapse. Further recognition of immunopathogenesis and cytokines contributing to the severity of the disease can help to discover more specific and efficient treatments for this disease.The aim of the present study is to determine the relationship between serum levels of cytokines secreted from Th1 and Th2 cells, IL8 and ICAM-1 and psoriasis severity based on PASI in order to distinguish the possible role of cytokines in the immunopathogenesis of psoriasis.

Patients and Method: This study was performed on 40 patients with psoriasis vulgaris referred to

Rasool-e-

Akram

Hospital between 2007 and 2008. In order to determine the severity of the disease based on PASI, each patient was examined clinically. Then 3 cc of vein blood sample was taken and serum sample was separated through centrifuge and stored at -70°C until the final examination. Next, through ELIZA method, serum levels of the above-mentioned cytokines were measured and by using  Spearman correlation coefficient, the relationship between serum levels of the above-mentioned cytokines and the severity of the disease was evaluated.

Results: According to this study, there is a meaningful statistical relationship between the serum level of  interferon ɣ (p=0.001, r=0.50), interleukine 8(p=0.018, r=0.37), and ICAM-1 (P=0.047, R=0.31) and the severity of psoriasis based on PASI. However, such a relationship was not observed between the serum level of interleukine 4 and the severity of the disease (p=0.24, r=0.18).

Conclusion: Based on our study, interferone ɣ , interleukine 8, and ICAM-1 are related to the severity of psoriasis. Therefore, the treatments which selectively target the above-mentioned cytokines, are more reliable and efficient. It is strongly recommended that further studies and researches be conducted to investigate the effects of the above-mentioned biological treatments on psoriasis.