Psoriasis is a chronic skin ailment characterized by circumscribed red patches covered with white scales. In Singapore, it is estimated that about 1 in 100 people has psoriasis.
The National Skin Centre (NSC) in Singapore treats about 2,300 new psoriasis patients every year. The disease is currently treated as a skin condition using oral medicine or phototherapy. But now, the doctors suspect that psoriasis is associated with metabolic syndrome.
What is metabolic syndrome? Different health organizations may have different definitions for metabolic syndrome. In general, it refers to a cluster of conditions that occur together, including large waistline, hypertension (high blood pressure), raised insulin levels, excess body weight and high cholesterol levels. Any one of the above conditions can lead one to serious diseases like heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Therefore, a person with metabolic syndrome could have a even higher risk of getting these diseases.
Psoriasis patients can feel extremely embarrassing and distressing because such disease can lead to isolation from the society. In addition, they still have to worry about the serious disease that may happen upon them.
In order to find out the link between psoriasis and metabolic syndrome, the doctors at NSC will test about 250 psoriasis patients to determine how common metabolic syndrome is among them. The study costs about S$20,000, which is funded by the National Medical Research Council, and will take about 1 year to complete.
If any link is found during the study, then all psoriasis patients will be given a blood test. The doctors do hope that they can give them the most appropriate treatment to cover all grounds instead of treating them basing only on the skin condition.
The National Skin Centre (NSC) in Singapore treats about 2,300 new psoriasis patients every year. The disease is currently treated as a skin condition using oral medicine or phototherapy. But now, the doctors suspect that psoriasis is associated with metabolic syndrome.
What is metabolic syndrome? Different health organizations may have different definitions for metabolic syndrome. In general, it refers to a cluster of conditions that occur together, including large waistline, hypertension (high blood pressure), raised insulin levels, excess body weight and high cholesterol levels. Any one of the above conditions can lead one to serious diseases like heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Therefore, a person with metabolic syndrome could have a even higher risk of getting these diseases.
Psoriasis patients can feel extremely embarrassing and distressing because such disease can lead to isolation from the society. In addition, they still have to worry about the serious disease that may happen upon them.
In order to find out the link between psoriasis and metabolic syndrome, the doctors at NSC will test about 250 psoriasis patients to determine how common metabolic syndrome is among them. The study costs about S$20,000, which is funded by the National Medical Research Council, and will take about 1 year to complete.
If any link is found during the study, then all psoriasis patients will be given a blood test. The doctors do hope that they can give them the most appropriate treatment to cover all grounds instead of treating them basing only on the skin condition.
Thanks for this great article…
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