Psoriasis remission after gastric bypass

Abstract

Psoriasis is a frequent skin disease affecting 1-3% of the population. Recent studies have found that psoriasis is linked to higher rate of obesity, and that obesity itself is a risk factor for the development and severity of psoriasis. The common link between psoriasis and obesity may be a state of chronic inflammation, including elevated serum levels of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor. Consequently, weight loss has been proposed as a useful adjunctive therapy for obese patients with psoriasis. We present a 43-year old man with body mass index greater than 40kg/m(2) who had marked improvement in his psoriasis after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Weight loss following bariatric surgery could play a role on the treatment for psoriasis on morbid obese patients.