Accelerated Phenotypic Aging Linked to Increased Mortality With PsO

A new analysis of US adult data has found that phenotypic age acceleration (PhenoAge-accel) is associated with increased risk of psoriasis and—when coexisting with the disease—elevated risk of all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. The study, published in European Journal of Medical Research, adds to mounting evidence that psoriasis is not only a dermatologic condition but also a systemic disease linked to accelerated biological aging and poor long-term outcomes.

Researchers analyzed data from 11,443 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycles spanning 2003–2006 and 2009–2010. PhenoAge-accel was calculated by comparing participants’ biological age—derived from immune and inflammatory biomarkers—with their chronological age. Those with PhenoAge-accel ≥ 0 were categorized as having accelerated phenotypic aging.

Of the total cohort, 312 individuals had a diagnosis of psoriasis. After adjusting for multiple confounders, those with PhenoAge-accel ≥ 0 had significantly higher odds of having psoriasis compared to those with lower PhenoAge-accel (OR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.36–2.45).

Participants were stratified into four groups based on psoriasis status and PhenoAge-accel status:

• psoriasis-/PhenoAge-accel- (reference group)

• psoriasis+/PhenoAge-accel-

• psoriasis-/PhenoAge-accel+

• psoriasis+/PhenoAge-accel+

Over a median follow-up of 10.91 years, there were 1,059 deaths, 306 of which were due to CVD. Compared to the reference group, individuals with both psoriasis and PhenoAge-accel+ had a significantly elevated risk of all-cause mortality (HR, 2.70; 95% CI, 1.66–4.39) and showed similar trends in CVD mortality risk.

“PhenoAge-accel is positively associated with psoriasis risk,” the authors wrote. “Furthermore, the coexistence of psoriasis and PhenoAge-accel are significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause and CVD mortality.”