Document Type

Abstract

Publication Date

2-11-2026

Academic Year

2025-2026

Comments

Presented at the 2026 Scholarly Inquiry (SI) Research Project Symposium.

Abstract

Introduction: Psoriasis is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, and smoking amplifies this burden by worsening cardiovascular outcomes and psoriasis severity. Statins are the cornerstone of cardiovascular risk reduction; however, their lipid-lowering effectiveness in psoriasis patients across smoking statuses remains incompletely understood. This study evaluated whether smoking status influences LDL-C before and after statin initiation in adults with psoriasis.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of adults with psoriasis treated at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital between 2014 and 2024 who were prescribed low- or moderate-intensity statins. Data collected included smoking status (current vs. former/never) and LDL-C values before and at least two weeks after statin initiation in a cohort of 68 adults (8 current and 60 former/never smokers). Changes in LDL-C were analyzed using comparative statistics and regression modeling. The target learner population includes clinicians and trainees interested in cardiovascular risk modification in psoriasis.

Results and Conclusions: Current smokers showed a mean LDL-C change of -30.75 mg/dL compared with -22.12 mg/dL in former/never smokers. An independent samples’ t-test demonstrated no statistically significant difference between groups (p = 0.52), and effect size analysis indicated a small, non-meaningful difference. These findings do not support the hypothesis that current smokers experience attenuated LDL-C reduction after statin initiation. Overall, smoking status did not substantially alter LDL-C response, suggesting statin efficacy should be interpreted similarly across smoking groups in psoriasis patients. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Additional Files
Khojasteh_Eliana_poster.pdf (1618 kB)

Language

English

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