Assessment of IL-32 Serum Levels and Demographic Factors in Psoriasis Patients

Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Kerbala, Kerbala,Iraq College of Medicine, University of Kerbala, Kerbala, Iraq

Abstract

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin disorder marked by excessive keratinocyte proliferation and T-cell infiltration of the dermis and epidermis. Interleukin-32 (IL-32), a proinflammatory cytokine, has been implicated in psoriasis pathogenesis.
Materials and Methods: A case-control study was conducted on 96 psoriasis patients (41 men, 55 women) and 50 healthy controls (26 men, 24 women) recruited from Imam Hassan Al-Mujtaba Hospital, Karbala. Data on age, gender, height, weight, psoriasis type, and family history were collected via questionnaire. Serum IL-32 levels were measured using ELISA. Statistical analysis used SPSS version 26 with t-tests for mean comparisons and Chi-square tests for categorical variables.
Results: Patients were significantly older, with 36.5% aged 42–54 years and 33.3% aged 55–67 years, compared with a control peak of 36% in the 29–41-year group. Obesity was more prevalent among patients (78.1%). Plaque psoriasis was the dominant clinical type (69%), followed by guttate psoriasis, while nail involvement was rare. Absence of a family history was significantly more common than presence (p = 0.000). Serum IL-32 levels were markedly higher in psoriasis patients than in controls.
Conclusion: Psoriasis is significantly associated with older age and higher body-mass index, whereas sex and family history show no meaningful effect. Elevated IL-32 supports its role in the inflammatory milieu and highlights its potential as an immune biomarker and therapeutic target. Its involvement in systemic inflammation may link skin manifestations to comorbidities such as psoriatic arthritis and cardiovascular disease. Future studies should investigate IL-32 isoform-specific expression and evaluate IL-32 levels longitudinally before and after biologic therapy to clarify its value as a treatment-response indicator.