The Relationship Between Metabolic Syndrome Components (Central Obesity, Dyslipidemia, Hypertension, and Hyperglycemia) and Disease Severity in Psoriasis Vulgaris: A Literature Review

Irma Nismara Aristawidhya^1*, Dwi Aprilawati^2*, Sylvia Anggreani³

Abstract

Psoriasis vulgaris, a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin condition, is increasingly recognized as a systemic disorder with strong links to metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its individual elements: central obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia. Whether the magnitude of these metabolic derangements mirrors the extent of cutaneous involvement, more frequently quantified via the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI), remains a clinically relevant yet unresolved question. Synthesizing recent literature published between 2021 and 2026, this narrative review investigates the specific relationship between each MetS component and psoriatic severity. The accumulated evidence demonstrates component-specific patterns rather than a uniform association. Impaired glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance demonstrate the most consistent positive correlation with PASI, characterized by a graded increase in fasting blood glucose across severity strata and an independent prognostic contribution of hyperglycemia to disease exacerbations. Dyslipidemia and central obesity/BMI are likewise positively associated with severity in most studies, with Mendelian randomization supporting a causal contribution of adiposity. Conversely, hypertension displays the weakest and least consistent relationship, with several large-scale investigations failing to observe a severity-dependent gradient. At the composite syndrome level, findings diverge regarding a direct severity gradient. Overlapping inflammatory pathways (TNF-α, IL-17, IL-6), adipokine dysregulation, and insulin resistance offer a plausible biological basis for these links. Consequently, routine cardiometabolic screening is warranted for all patients with psoriasis, since skin severity alone is an unreliable proxy for systemic metabolic risk.

Keywords

psoriasis vulgaris; metabolic syndrome; severity of psoriasis vulgaris

Cite This Article

Aristawidhya, I. N., Aprilawati, D., Anggreani, S. (2026). The Relationship Between Metabolic Syndrome Components (Central Obesity, Dyslipidemia, Hypertension, and Hyperglycemia) and Disease Severity in Psoriasis Vulgaris: A Literature Review. International Journal of Scientific Advances (IJSCIA), Volume 7| Issue 6: Nov – Dec 2026, Pages 1083-1088. URL: https://www.ijscia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/Volume7-Issue6-Nov-Dec-No.1132-1083-1088.pdf

Volume 7 | Issue 6: Nov – Dec 2026