INTERACTION BETWEEN PSORIASIS, OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA AND VITAMIN D LEVELS: ANALYSIS BASED ON THE EPISONO 4 th EDITION DATABASE

• Grant number: 25/06354-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Monica Levy Andersen
• Grantee: Luiza do Amaral Altenfelder Silva
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the skin and impacts approximately 2 to 3% of the global population. Although it is a dermatological condition, it has systemic repercussions and associated clinical comorbidities. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), inturn, is a common sleep disorder that affects, on average, one-third of the population, particularlyobese men. It is characterized by episodes of apnea and sleep fragmentation, associated withintermittent hypoxia, inflammation, and immune dysfunction. The interaction between psoriasisand OSA is complex, involving multiple pathophysiological pathways, with a particularemphasis on the role of serum components. Both conditions have been linked to alterations inmicronutrient metabolism, such as vitamin D, which plays a crucial role in immune regulationand skin integrity. Vitamin D inhibits pro-inflammatory T cells involved in chronicinflammatory diseases, including psoriasis. Its deficiency may exacerbate inflammatory states,including those induced by intermittent hypoxia in OSA. This study aims to explore the linksbetween psoriasis, OSA, and vitamin D metabolism using data from EPISONO 4 th Edition, astudy based on a representative sample of the population of São Paulo. This will be anobservational study, with analyses conducted using clinical and epidemiological data, sleepquestionnaires, polysomnography, and laboratory tests, including vitamin D levels andinflammatory markers in individuals with psoriasis. This research aims to investigate potential immune and metabolic mechanisms underlying these conditions, which remain poorlyunderstood, and to propose hypotheses regarding the influence of sleep and micronutrients ondermatological and systemic health. The findings may support adjuvant strategies for managingpatients with psoriasis and OSA.