Dermatologists would do well to integrate obesity management more deliberately into psoriasis care, say the authors of a recent commentary.
That commentary, published in Dermatology and Therapy, identifies clinical gaps related to managing obesity in dermatology practice, and recommends lifestyle, pharmacological, and surgical approaches to help address the issue in patients with psoriasis.
Anna López-Ferrer, MD, PhD, dermatologist and researcher with Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau in Spain, served as a co-author of the report. She discussed the study and its findings with the Reading Room. The exchange has been edited for length and clarity.
What was the need for guidelines on obesity management in a dermatology context?
López-Ferrer: Psoriasis and obesity frequently coexist, affecting up to 50% of patients, and share inflammatory pathways that worsen disease severity, reduce biologic response, and increase cardiovascular risk.
