الفهرس 
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Abstract
Psoriasis is a genetically determined disease of the skin characterized by profound epidermal hyperproliferation and marked inflammation of epidermis and dermis, vascular changes and dermal inflammatory infiltrate. Many pathological features of psoriasis can be attributed to alternations in the growth and maturation of epidermal keratinocytes.
Epidermal keratinocytes are also crucial to cutaneous inflammatory and immune responses in psoriasis by elaborating various cytokines, adhesion molecules, and chemotactic factors. However, the regulatory and effector mechanisms underlying epidermal and immunological activation in psoriasis remain incompletely understood.
Recent concepts of the pathogenesis of psoriasis focus on the importance of the innate immune system and the role of dendritic cells, neutrophils, and antimicrobial peptides (AMP).
Various exogenous and endogenous factors such as streptococcal pharyngitis (with guttate psoriasis), stressful life events, humidity, Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection, trauma, smoking, drugs (beta-blockers, lithium, anti-malarial, Interferon), cold weather, diet and obesity have been shown to be associated with psoriasis
Psoriasis vulgaris is the most common variety of psoriasis, representing about 70% to 80% of psoriatic patients.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and synthesized in the skin from 7-dehydroxy cholesterol during exposure to ultraviolet B. Vitamin D is essential for calcium homeostasis, bone growth, and immune regulation. Vitamin D deficiency causes rickets,osteomalacia, osteoporosis,and muscle weakness. Vitamin deficiencies associated with cancers, cardiovascular diseases, schizophrenia, wheezing illness, and autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, psoriasis, vitiligo, and chronic urticaria.
The Aim of this Work is to investigate serum levels of vitamin D in patients with psoriasis compared with healthy controls, and to consider their relation to disease severity.
This study was carried out at Dermatology and Medical Biochemistry Departments, Menoufia Faculty of Medicine. It included thirty patients with chronic plaque psoriasis and ten age and gender matched healthy controls. Exclusion criteria included patients on topical therapy for psoriasis during the last four weeks prior to the study, patients on systemic therapy, subjects with obesity, smoking, diabetes mellitus, acute or chronic infections, malignancies, autoimmune disorders, and subjects with cardiac, hepatic or renal diseases, polycystic ovary syndrome and dermatological disease other than psoriasis.