Psoriasis is driven by elevated levels of cytokines in the skin and joints, stimulating inflammation. These cytokines also circulate in the blood, stimulating inflammation elsewhere in the body.

One study recently looked at the effect of systemic treatments for psoriasis on mortality in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. The study was comprised of 12,099 adult patients with moderate to severe psoriasis who were followed followed for up to 10 years.

The study found that treatment with biologics and methotrexate was associated with lower risks of mortality. Systemic therapy appears to not only help with the skin and joints, but also may help reduce inflammation systemically.

Reference:

Reduced risk of mortality associated with systemic psoriasis treatment in the Psoriasis Longitudinal Assessment and Registry (PSOLAR): A nested case-control analysis. Langley RG, Poulin Y, Srivastava B, Lafferty KP, Fakharzadeh S, Langholff W, Augustin M. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2021 Jan;84(1):60-69.