Systematic Review of Accelerated Epigenetic Aging in Chronic Inflammatory Dermatology Conditions
Clinical Summary
View sourceWhat was studied
A systematic review of studies using epigenetic clocks to estimate biological age in dermatology patients, searching PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Six articles were included: atopic dermatitis (1), hidradenitis suppurativa (1), and psoriasis (4).
Key findings
Psoriatic arthritis—but not psoriasis alone—showed significantly increased epigenetic aging versus controls. Pediatric atopic dermatitis showed faster biological aging across the Horvath, Skin and Blood, PhenoAge, and GrimAge clocks, and hidradenitis suppurativa showed increased biological age in affected skin tissue.
Study limitations
Only six studies across three conditions were included; correlations with disease severity were not established; current epigenetic clocks may not be tailored to inflammation or skin-specific biomarkers, limiting accuracy for these diseases.
Clinical implications
Expect accelerated epigenetic aging in psoriatic arthritis, while psoriasis alone may not; signals are also seen in pediatric atopic dermatitis and in hidradenitis suppurativa skin tissue. Evidence remains preliminary and should not yet guide patient-level decisions.
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