Physical activity is important for cardiovascular health and cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with psoriasis

Background Patients with psoriasis have a level of physical activity below that recommended for cardiovascular health, which is significantly limited by disease severity and other psoriasis-specific barriers. We hypothesized that physical activity is important for cardiovascular health in patients with psoriasis and that its objective measurement could have clinical utility. Aim To explore whether physical activity influences the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with psoriasis. Methods In total, 242 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis were recruited. History, examination and physical activity were assessed and arteriography, the noninvasive measurement of arterial function, was performed for each participant. Results We observed a significant relationship between volume of physical activity and the likelihood of future CVD as measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV; P < 0.02). We identified a significant relationship between the diastolic reflection area (DRA) and health-promoting levels of physical activity (P < 0.001), in addition to a significant correlation between DRA and the likelihood of future CVD (P < 0.001). The DRA is a complex, dimensionless variable that describes the intensity of diastolic wave reflection and the duration of diastole, which are key determinants of the blood supply to the left ventricle. Our data suggest that DRA may represent a surrogate marker for cardiorespiratory fitness. Conclusion Our study describes a significant relationship between exercise, cardiorespiratory fitness and PWV, a preclinical indicator of future CVD risk, in patients with psoriasis. The DRA offers a noninvasive, objective measurement of exercise adherence, which could have clinical utility in the future.