Clinical characteristics of psoriatic patients with latent tuberculosis infection

Background Psoriasis is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease in which imbalance of the immunological response may be associated with disease severity and comorbidities. Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is a growing concern for treatment of psoriasis, as the use of biologics has recently increased. Objectives To investigate the clinical and immunological influence of LTBI on the features of psoriasis. Materials and Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of 300 patients with psoriasis using clinical information, including severity, comorbidities, and presence of LTBI. Serum cytokine levels were measured for immunological analysis. Results The prevalence of psoriatic arthritis (p= 0.001) and nail psoriasis (p= 0.014) in patients with LTBI was significantly higher than in those without LTBI, although other data including the Psoriasis Area Severity Index showed no association. The serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-23A in the LTBI-positive group were higher than those in the LTBI-negative group (p= 0.014,p= 0.025, andp= 0.004, respectively). Conclusion LTBI may be a risk factor for the development of psoriatic arthritis during chronic inflammatory conditions induced by tuberculosis infection.