Psoriasis of the Liver

The words psoriasis and cirrhosis are often confused. Both ailments can affect the liver.

Cirrhosis of the liver is a condition in which scar tissue reduces the ability of the liver to work properly. The National Institutes of Health has more on cirrhosis of the liver.

Psoriasis is a noncontagious disease of the immune system that causes dry, painful patches of skin and sometimes joint inflammation and damage. Visit our home page for more on this challenging and incurable disease.

Methotrexate, a popular treatment for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, can seriously damage the liver. Liver biopsies and routine blood screening tests are often done to monitor the liver to catch liver damage, or fibrosis, early.

Confusion can arise because the words cirrhosis and psoriasis are similar-sounding, and because both can involve the liver.

Patients on methotrexate should NOT consume alcohol, and patients with cirrhosis should obviously not drink alcohol either. In fact, the two leading causes of cirrhosis are chronic alcoholism and hepatitis C.

Finally, if you hear the phrase “psoriasis of the liver” or “liver psoriasis,” the person probably means cirrhosis of the liver.