What Organs Does Psoriasis Affect?

November 1, 2024

Most people think of Psoriasis as a skin problem, and of the condition involving patches of inflamed, scaly skin that can be itchy or uncomfortable. Psoriasis doesn’t just impact the skin. This inflammatory autoimmune disorder can affect many organs in the body. This is an important part of understanding these impacts for patients and healthcare professionals, as it underscores the importance of comprehensive treatment approaches that encompass not just the visible symptoms, but also the underlying systemic inflammation.

In this article, we will discuss in detail how psoriasis can damage something more than just your skin; vital organs like the heart, lungs, kidneys and even the brain can be affected. We will also consider the systemic nature of the disease and how this requires holistic management in order to prevent complications in these organs.

The Skin: The Main Target

The effects of psoriasis are best recognised on the skin. Plaque psoriasis is the most common form, where the plaques are red, inflamed, and covered with silvery white scales. Most often, these lesions occur on the scalp, elbows, knees, and lower back but can be found anywhere on the body.

Psoriasis disturbs the body’s normal functions, which includes the skin. The skin cells multiply faster than normal in psoriasis, resulting in the build up of dead skin cells that is characteristic of the condition. It is the result of a rapid turnover of skin cells driven by an out-of-control immune response involving T cells, a type of white blood cell, that attack healthy skin cells. It doesn’t just make the symptoms visible; in fact, it triggers a cascade of inflammation throughout the body, which can even affect other organs.

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The Immune System: Psoriasis as an Autoimmune Disorder

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease, in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, as though they were invaders, such as bacteria or viruses. In Psoriasis, the skin is inflamed because the immune system attacks it, but the immune system inflammation can affect other areas of the body as well. It is because the immune system plays a role in the development and progression of psoriasis, that the effects of the disease are not confined to the skin, but could spread systemically.

The Cardiovascular System: Increased Risk of Heart Disease

The impact of psoriasis on the cardiovascular system is one of most well documented associations of psoriasis and other organs. People who have severe psoriasis, or certain other kinds of psoriasis, have a greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke. The chronic inflammation associated with psoriasis is mainly to blame. Atherosclerosis, in which plaque accumulates in the arteries, restricting blood flow and increasing the risk of cardiovascular events, is thought to develop in part from inflammation.

People with severe psoriasis are also up to 58% more likely to experience major cardiovascular events compared with those without psoriasis, studies have found. The result of this suggests that managing systemic inflammation in psoriasis patients is vital to minimise damage to the heart and blood vessels.

The Lungs: Links to Chronic Lung Diseases

The lungs are also chronically inflamed and since psoriasis sufferers are at a higher risk of developing other lung conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Inflammation that occurs in the airways of the lungs, from systemic inflammation in psoriasis, can get worse, causing airway obstruction and decreased lung function over time. According to research, people with psoriasis are more likely to develop COPD, especially smokers.

The Kidneys: Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease

People with more severe forms of psoriasis tend to have an increased risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD). If you have psoriasis, eventually, the chronic inflammation that is present in the skin can damage blood vessels in your kidneys and over time can affect kidney function. Kidney-related complications happen more often in people with psoriasis, especially if they also have psoriatic arthritis (a related inflammatory condition). Psoriasis patients need to watch their kidney health, but even more so if they have any risk factors for kidney disease, like high blood pressure or diabetes.

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The Liver: Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

People with psoriasis have been shown to be at increased risk for non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Build up of fat in the liver is characteristic of this condition and can result in liver inflammation and damage. Just as other comorbidities of psoriasis, NAFLD is likely driven by the chronic systemic inflammation from the disease. The liver is an extremely important organ for detoxification, metabolic function and immune response and any compromise in liver function can have a wide-reaching impact on overall health.

The Brain: Psychological and Neurological Effects

In addition to affecting physical health, psoriasis has serious psychological and neurological effects. Anxiety, depression and social isolation can be caused by the visible quality of the disease. But psoriasis also may be linked to inflammation that can directly target the brain, increasing the likelihood of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, a study suggests. Mood disorders are more common in psoriasis patients and some studies suggest the psoriasis patients are also at a higher risk of cognitive decline.

Psoriasis does not only have physical symptoms; the psychological burden of the disease can be as debilitating as the physical symptoms and the mental health support is always needed in managing the disease.

The Joints: Psoriatic Arthritis

For up to 30% of people with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis develops, a form of inflammatory arthritis. Joint pain, stiffness, and swelling often occur in this condition and may include fingers, toes and spine. Much like skin psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis is caused by an overactive immune response and if not appropriately treated, can cause damage to the joints. Second, psoriatic arthritis can involve inflammation in the eyes as well as certain parts of the gastrointestinal tract.

The Eyes: Uveitis and Other Eye Conditions

The eyes themselves can also be affected by psoriasis: uveitis, an inflammation of the middle layer of the eye. Redness, pain, sensitivity to light, and problems with vision can all be caused by uveitis. Left untreated, it can cause permanent vision loss. People particularly at risk for developing uveitis are those with psoriatic arthritis. Psoriasis patients can avoid eye problems, which may occur as a complication of the disease, by having regular eye checkups.

The Gut: Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis have a well-documented link. Like psoriasis, IBD is an immune system disorder, and those with psoriasis are more likely to develop the disease. In psoriasis, the inflammation that occurs in the skin can extend to the gastrointestinal tract and can cause abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and weight loss.

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Our skin is our largest organ and a reflection of our internal health. Watch our informative video to learn more about “What organs does Psoriasis affect?“

Conclusion: Psoriasis Is More Than a Skin Disease

Although psoriasis is often considered a skin disease, it should be thought of as a systemic inflammatory disease that can affect many organs. Psoriasis causes chronic inflammation throughout the entire body from the heart and lungs down to the kidneys and up to the brain. The potential of these impacts to be understood is crucial in effective management and treatment. As a psoriasis patient, the best thing you can do is to talk to your healthcare provider regularly and follow up and monitor your skin, as well as your overall health to detect any comorbid conditions early and take care of them so that they don’t spread and effect or make your psoriasis worse.

Psoriasis needs comprehensive care, which includes lifestyle modifications, natural treatments, and mental health support to manage it and its many complications.

Start your Psoriasis journey with confidence, using our resources that are meant to guide and encourage you. Start by downloading our FREE Psoriasis guide booklet, containing all relevant information and helpful tips. For those interested in gaining further knowledge and learning more about comprehensive approaches, enrol in our special Psoriasis course. Furthermore, you can book a free consultation from our wellness clinic to get professional help that will be aimed at meeting your needs. Do not let Psoriasis be a hindrance – begin your path to improved skin health right away!

To learn more about Psoriasis, check out our other related blogs:

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How Does Psoriasis Affect The Body?

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