Chronic plaque psoriasis on diffuse systemic sclerosis: a rare association

Diffuse systemic sclerosis is a multisystem autoimmune disease that is characterized by generalized vascular involvement that results in tissue necrosis and secondary fibrosis. Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. Both of these diseases are autoimmune in origin. Psoriasis is, however, rarely associated with systemic sclerosis, but few cases have been reported, and a common genetic and immunological background shared by these diseases has been suggested. Here we report a case of a 20-year-old female patient with diffuse systemic sclerosis who developed chronic plaque psoriasis with Psoriasis area and severity Index (PASI) of 14.0 and body surface area of 32% with diffuse skin sclerosis and respiratory involvement.