C-reactive protein serum level in patients with psoriasis before and after treatment with narrow-band ultraviolet B

Background: c-reactive protein is an inflammatory biomarker and its level increases in the serum of psoriatic patients. its level is also associated with psoriasis area and severity index score. objective: the aim of this study was to assess the decrement of serum c-reactive protein level with narrow-band ultraviolet b (nb-uvb) therapy. methods: c-reactive protein serum levels in psoriasis patients were measured before and after treatment with nb-uvb and the data were analyzed in relation to the psoriasis area and severity index score improvement. results: baseline c-reactive protein levels among psoriatic patients were higher than normal. these levels decreased significantly after treatment (p<0.001). at the beginning of the study,patients with higher levels of c-reactive protein also had more extensive and severe skin involvement. the highest decrease in c-reactive protein was observed in patients who responded better to the treatment and achieved a higher psoriasis area and severity index 75%. there was an association between baseline psoriasis area and severity index scores and c-reactive protein levels. conclusion: patients with moderate to severe plaque-type psoriasis had active systemic inflammation,which was demonstrated by increased levels of c-reactive protein. furthermore,skin disease severity was correlated with c-reactive protein levels. phototherapy healed the psoriatic skin lesions and reduced inflammation,while decreasing c-reactive protein levels. © 2016 by anais brasileiros de dermatologia.