Background
Psoriasis is a condition of chronic inflammation marked by increased levels of TNF-alpha. It has also been associated with obesity with at least one study concluding that obesity is a result rather than a cause of psoriasis. Less well known is the link between TNF-alpha and obesity.TNF-alpha:Obesity Connection
It seems that TNF-alpha makes obese rodents put on more weight. Current thought is that TNF-alpha may play a key role in the control of body mass.TNF-alpha, Psoriasis and Myocardial Infarction
TNF-alpha also causes changes in the body that increase the risk of myocardial infarction. It's not surprising then that psoriasis itself has been shown to increase a person's risk of myocardial infarction.Should This Affect the Way We Treat Psoriasis?
The relationship between chronic inflammation and overweight in psoriasis is the subject of a new clinical trial at Harvard. Overweight psoriasis patients will be studied with medications that reduce the levels of TNF-alpha in the body. The results should be interesting at many levels.references: Harvard is looking at the effects of TNF-alpha blocking drugs in psoriasis and obesity
