Effect of Acitretin on Serum Biomarkers Levels in Patients with Psoriasis

Abstract

Psoriasis is a multifactorial, chronic, inflammatory skin disease of unknown etiology, associated with cytokines and adipokines serum levels changes that may influence disease pathogenesis.To determine the effect of acitretin on serum IL-10, IL-23, adiponectin, Zn, Mg and copper levels in psoriasis patients.A case control study that include 50 psoriasis patients, conducted in Tikrit Teaching Hospital. They received acitretin orally for 4 weeks duration course. IL-10, IL-23, adiponectin, Zn, Cu and Mg in serum for all patients determined at the time of enrollement in the study and after 4 weeks of treatment with the drug. Acitretin reduced the mean PASI in 20 psoriatic patients from 20.97 before receiving treatment to 1.22 after receiving treatment (P=0.000). In addition, the mean serum levels for IL-10 reduced significantly (P=0.000) from (6.01±4.17) pg/ml before treatment to (1.85±0.54) pg/ml after treatment. Furthermore, Acitretin reduced the mean serum level for IL-23 from (72.08±34.14) pg/ml pre-treatment to (66.1±20.3) pg/ml, post-treatment (P=0.423). The mean serum levels of adiponectin in therapeutic group was lower (6.97±3.06) μg/ml than that of baseline value (8.9±3.96) μg/ml, but this result was statistically not significant (p=0.114). The mean serum levels of Zinc and copper in therapeutic group was lower than baseline value, but the difference was statistically not significant (p>0.05).