Psoriasis has been associated with metabolic syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. We wanted to investigate the abdominal ultrasonography results of psoriasis patients before biological agent treatment. Between April 2019 and February 2022, abdominal ultrasonography results of psoriasis patients which were performed before biological agent treatment were reviewed retrospectively. This study included 90 patients, 45 females, and 45 males with a mean age of 48.91±13.43 years. The most common ultrasonography finding was increased echogenicity of the liver parenchyma due to steatosis (58.9%) which was followed by an increase in liver size (25.6%), kidney cysts (17.8%), gallstones (8.9%) and increase in spleen size (7.8%). Hepatic steatosis was more frequent in older patients (p<0.001), patients with diabetes (p=0.007), and patients who were previously treated with biological agents (p=0.007). 70.4% of the patients with moderate or severe hepatic steatosis were female. Herein, hepatic steatosis was detected in 53 (58.9%) patients. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease which presents as hepatic steatosis in early stages has an asymptomatic course and poor prognosis in psoriasis patients. We suggest that abdominal ultrasonography should be performed in psoriasis patients before biological agent treatment, especially in females, patients with advanced age, patients who were previously treated with biological agents, and patients with diabetes.
Ultrasonography (US) is one of the most widely utilized imaging methods in contemporary medical practice. Unlike other imaging techniques primarily within the radiology domain, ultrasonography has been adopted by various medical and surgical specialties and tailored to the specific needs of each. This adaptability has contributed to ultrasonography's rapid diversification and remarkable evolution over recent decades. Ultrasonography was first employed in dermatology in 1979 when Alexander et al. used it to measure skin thickness. However, due to the limitations of conventional ultrasound devices at the time, which had resolutions and frequencies below 15 MHz, detailed elements of the skin could not be analyzed, tempering enthusiasm for the technique [2]. Modern dermatologic ultrasonography began with the development of fixed-frequency devices operating above 20 MHz, enabling detailed visualization of skin structures. Numerous studies on skin physiology and pathophysiology were conducted using this approach. Modern ultrasonography enables us to visualize skin structures, at times surpassing the detail provided by traditional anatomical dissections in educational settings. Given that patient safety and quality medical care remain fundamental priorities, ultrasonography, with its safety profile and versatility, represents the next step in modern dermatology. Ultrasonography represents a rapidly evolving diagnostic tool that holds the promise of significantly improving diagnostic accuracy and the quality of medical dermatology practice.
