Insulin-like growth factor-1 in psoriatic plaques treated with PUVA and methotrexate

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial paper looks at IGF-1 LR3 in the context of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

To examine the effects of PUVA and methotrexate therapy on IGF-1 expression in psoriatic plaques and whether this change correlates with clinical response.

Why It Was Studied

The pathogenesis of psoriasis is thought to depend on the activation of immune cells and their secreted cytokines, chemokines and growth factors like IGF-1 which may contribute to the epidermal hyperplasia of psoriasis.

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 24 patients were involved.

PubMed tags the participants as both men and women.

For 24 psoriatic patients, the PASI score and levels of lesional IGF-1 and its mRNA were determined by RT-PCR before and after treatment with either methotrexate or PUVA.

Skin biopsies from 12 healthy volunteers served as control for IGF-1 levels in normal skin.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized study.

Because people in this IGF-1 LR3 study were split into groups at random, differences between the groups are less likely to reflect who happened to join each one.

What Was Measured

The subject headings attached to it are Case-Control Studies, DNA Primers, Immunosuppressive Agents, Insulin-Like Growth Factor I, Methotrexate, Photochemotherapy and Polymerase Chain Reaction.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized study of IGF-1 LR3 in 24 patients in people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The abstract goes on to report its results in about 4 sentences; this page does not restate them, so read the paper for the findings and their limits.

The publication is from 2011 (Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV), a journal based in England.

More context: the IGF-1 LR3 compound page, Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis research.