People with psoriasis have a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes, regardless of their weight or eating habits, according to a new study.
Researchers found that people with mild psoriasis, a condition that causes skin irritation, had an 11 percent increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, and people with severe psoriasis had a 46 percent increased risk compared with people without psoriasis.
The findings suggest that 115,500 new cases of Type 2 diabetes diagnosed yearly worldwide are due to the increased risk of the condition linked with having psoriasis, according to the study.
"Patients with psoriasis should eat a healthy diet, get regular exercise and see their physician for routine preventative health screenings such as checks of blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar," said study author Dr. Joel Gelfand, an associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania medical school.
Psoriasis affects 7.5 million Americans. People with psoriasis have thick, red patches of skin. They are also at an increased risk for diseases such as stroke and metabolic syndrome, and are more likely to die from cardiovascular disease, even if they are not overweight.
In both psoriasis and diabetes, chronic inflammation is present, and the conditions may share a common trigger.
The researchers looked at the diabetes rate in 108,000 people with psoriasis, and 431,000 people without psoriasis.
The results also showed that people with both psoriasis and diabetes benefit more from diabetes medications, compared with people who had only diabetes.
Pass it on: People with psoriasis are more likely to get Type 2 Diabetes, regardless of their weight.
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