Text-Messaging Program Improves Cardiovascular Risk Behaviors in Psoriasis

Key Takeaways

• Text-messaging interventions at 6 months significantly improved patient activation among adults with psoriasis, new research suggests.
• Participants receiving the intervention also showed gains in Mediterranean diet adherence, medication adherence, psoriasis-CVD knowledge, physical activity, and body mass index.
• No significant improvements were observed in lipid levels, hemoglobin A1c, psoriasis severity, or dermatology-specific quality of life.

Structured text-messaging interventions were associated with an improvement cardiovascular risk-related behaviors and patient activation in adults with psoriasis, according to new study results published online in JAMA Dermatology.

Study investigators conducted the single-center analysis with a total of 111 adults with dermatologist-confirmed psoriasis. Patients were randomized to receive either standard care or a 6-month intervention called Tobacco, Exercise, and Diet Messages for Psoriasis (TEXTME PSO), which delivered four educational and motivational text messages weekly. The primary endpoint was change in Patient Activation Measure score at 6 months.

According to the study data, patients in the intervention group demonstrated significantly greater improvement compared with usual care (95% CI, 7.0-14.6; P < 0.001). Secondary outcomes also favored the intervention, including Mediterranean diet adherence, medication adherence, psoriasis-CVD knowledge, and weekly physical activity levels. Body mass index decreased significantly in the intervention arm. 

Investigators also reported no statistically significant between-group differences in lipid parameters, hemoglobin A1c, smoking behavior, Dermatology Life Quality Index scores, or Psoriasis Area and Severity Index scores.

“In this randomized clinical trial, a text-messaging intervention improved patient activation and cardiovascular risk behaviors in adults with psoriasis,” the authors wrote. “While biomarker changes were modest or not statistically significant, findings support digital tools as an adjunct to cardiovascular risk in dermatology care.”

Source

Smith A, Dixit I, Zhang L. JAMA Dermatology. Published online: May 13, 2026 Doi: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2026.1070 

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/article-abstract/2848886