A B S T R A C T

Psoriasis is a multi-factorial disease resulting in response to increased secretion of inflammatory cytokines or deficiency in certain vitamins such as vitamin D3. This study aims to evaluate the levels of vitamin D3 and its receptor (VDR) in psoriatic patients and healthy control, as well as to determine the ratio between vitamin/receptor and their relative risk in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
This study was designed as a case-control study and includes 45 psoriatic subjects and 45 healthy controls. The results of currents studies show a significant decrease in vitamin D3, VDR levels and vitamin D3/ VDR ratio when compared with the healthy control group. The relative risk for VDR levels with psoriasis was found to be positively significantly associated, whereas those for vitamin
D3 levels with psoriasis were insignificant. In conclusion, the relative risk for VDR is more than that for calicitriol and this supports the pathogenic role of VDR abnormality in psoriasis.