FC 2026 Psoriasis Digest

What role does adipose tissue play in the inflammatory processes underlying psoriasis? Tina Bhutani, MD, explores the growing interest in immunometabolic disease, moving beyond the established association between psoriasis and obesity to consider what emerging research into different types of adipose tissue, including visceral fat, may reveal about the relationship between psoriasis and metabolic disease. As researchers begin to distinguish the effects of visceral fat from other adipose tissue, these findings could help refine our understanding of metabolic comorbidities and inform the development of treatments that address both psoriasis and metabolic disease.

The relationship between psoriasis and obesity extends beyond shared risk factors, with growing evidence pointing to interconnected inflammatory, metabolic, and genetic mechanisms. Joel Gelfand, MD, examines why psoriasis is increasingly understood as a systemic inflammatory-metabolic disease and what emerging research on GLP-1 receptor agonists could mean for treatment. Drawing on findings from the TOGETHER-PsO trial, he discusses the potential benefits of combining a GLP-1 therapy with biologic treatment, including improvements in skin and joint outcomes alongside weight loss and cardiometabolic measures. He also considers questions that remain unanswered, including the potential of GLP-1 therapy as a standalone psoriasis treatment and whether it might help reduce the future risk of psoriatic arthritis.

How do IL-17 inhibitors compare with other biologic therapies for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis? Following his Fall Clinical presentation with Mark Lebwohl, MD, Brad Glick, DO, revisits the head-to-head evidence, highlighting speed of response as an important consideration in evaluating treatment options. His recap brings comparative efficacy into focus as clinicians weigh the expanding range of biologic therapies available to patients.

Managing plaque psoriasis in older adults requires balancing the need for effective systemic treatment with the complexities of age, comorbidities, and safety. Omar Noor, MD, discusses why psoriasis must be considered a systemic inflammatory condition, particularly in patients whose existing health risks may complicate treatment decisions. His Fall Clinical recap emphasizes the importance of evaluating efficacy and safety together, without allowing the presence of comorbidities to automatically exclude patients from advanced therapeutic options.