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Adipokines are secreted by white adipose tissue, an active endocrine organ, and play a role in the regulation of metabolic functions such as lipid metabolism, inflammation, and vascular homeostasis. Adipokines are secreted in excess in obesity and contribute to the development of associated comorbidities such as metabolic syndrome and atherosclerosis. Psoriasis, a chronic immune-mediated skin disease, is associated with obesity and increased cardiovascular risk. Understanding the role of adipokines in psoriasis may in part explain the association between psoriasis and cardiovascular disease. This review summarizes the data regarding key adipokines in patients with psoriasis and the change in adipokine profiles with psoriasis therapy. Adipokines may be mediators of cutaneous inflammation suggesting a role in the pathophysiology of psoriasis and the development of comorbidities., (© 2017 The International Society of Dermatology.)

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory disease of follicular occlusion characterized by boils, sinus tracts, fistulae, and scarring. It has a significant underestimated morbidity. Antimicrobial, immunosuppressive, anti-androgenic, and surgical approaches have been used with varying results. Knowledge of the pathogenesis of HS is fragmented, and treatment choices have hitherto been empiric without an exact understanding of the scientific basis for their use. Tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors have shown promise in the treatment of HS in recent years, and the concept of HS as an immunological condition has come to the fore. The focus of this review is to discuss the immunological abnormalities underpinning HS as elucidated to date., (© 2014 The International Society of Dermatology.)

Obesity is emerging as a global epidemic with at least 300 million people thought to be obese worldwide. This has implications for health professionals including dermatologists. Recent interest has focused on the role of obesity in psoriasis, but obesity is implicated in many dermatoses. Perhaps most worrying is emerging data which suggest that obesity may constitute a risk factor for the development of skin cancer. Its rising incidence ensures that obesity-related skin disease will represent an increasing proportion of dermatologists' work load. In this article, we review dermatoses associated with obesity and review the epidemiology and treatment for obesity., (© 2013 The International Society of Dermatology.)