About

Joel M Gelfand, MD MSCE, is the James J. Leyden, M.D. Endowed Professor in Clinical Investigation at the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Dermatology. He is also an Associate Fellow at the Center for Public Health Initiatives, a Senior Scholar at the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and the Medical Director of the Psoriasis and Phototherapy Treatment Center. His research focuses on epidemiology and clinical investigation related to dermatological conditions, particularly psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and associated comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and metabolic syndrome. Dr. Gelfand's work involves understanding the risks of myocardial infarction, lymphoma, stroke, and other health outcomes in patients with psoriasis, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of systemic treatments and phototherapy for psoriasis in clinical practice. His contributions include numerous publications on the epidemiology, systemic risks, and treatment outcomes of psoriasis and related conditions.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Dermatology
• Internal medicine
• Intensive care medicine
• Pathology
• Surgery
• Cardiology
• Physical therapy

Selected publications

• Hand eczema in US employees: a retrospective observational study of workers’ compensation and medical claims

  Journal of Medical Economics · 2026-04-15

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  AIMS: This research quantified the impact of hand eczema (HE) on US employees. METHODS: Retrospective observational analysis of real-world data from >500 large, self-insured employers from 2010 through 2024. The database includes detailed workers' compensation (WC) claims: eligibility, duration (days claims were open), medical costs, salary replacement, and absence days. The protocol included employees with medical claims (ICD-10s [L20.x, L23.x, L24.x, L25.x, L30.x] or ICD-9 = 691.x) and WC claims suggestive of HE based on body-parts and nature of injury. The analysis quantified HE-related WC claims: incidence, work loss, costs, and duration. HE-related WC incidence and average cost/claim were reported by industry. Costs inflation-adjusted to December 2024. RESULTS: = 26) of cases, with a mean duration of 277 days (SD = 680; median = 51). HE-related WC incidence was highest in manufacturing (11.2/100,000 person-years) and retail trade (10.5/100,000 person-years). Manufacturing had the highest average cost per claim ($29,587; SD=$94,790) and "healthcare and social assistance" had the highest average lost work time. CONCLUSION: HE-related WC claims were associated with significant lost work time and costs. Costs approached $30,000 per claim among those in the manufacturing industry. These findings underscore the severe burden of occupational HE and the need for early diagnosis and treatment to limit disability.

  PublisherDOI

• Cutaneous Manifestations of Vasculitis: A Cross‐Sectional Analysis From an International Cohort

  International Journal of Dermatology · 2026-05-21

  article

  The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions.

  PublisherDOI

• LB1133 Apremilast reduces epicardial adipose tissue in psoriasis patients

  Journal of Investigative Dermatology · 2025-07-21

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Cardiovascular disease risk in psoriatic disease: mechanisms and implications for clinical practice

  Current Opinion in Rheumatology · 2025-05-13 · 1 citations

  review

  PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Psoriasis is an immune-mediated pro-inflammatory skin condition that is associated with an increase in risk factors for cardiovascular disease, risk of ischemic heart disease, and cardiovascular death. Despite this, traditional modifiable atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk factors are underdiagnosed and undertreated in patients with psoriasis. RECENT FINDINGS: At a cellular level, psoriasis and atherosclerosis are driven by a host of shared inflammatory pathways, such as pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF, IL-6), immune cells, and platelets which act synergistically to drive endothelial damage and atherosclerosis progression. SUMMARY: Optimal prevention of cardiovascular disease in psoriasis centers around modifying known risk factors for the development of ASCVD and emerging data highlight the promise of treating inflammation to further decrease the risk of ASCVD.

  PublisherDOI

• Joint position statement from the National Psoriasis Foundation Medical Board and the International Psoriasis Council on routine testing for latent tuberculosis infection prior to and during treatment of psoriasis patients with interleukin 17 or interleukin 23 inhibitors

  Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · 2025-11-20 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Although testing for latent tuberculosis (TB) infection has been standard practice for psoriasis patients being treated with interleukin (IL) 17 or IL-23 inhibitors, evidence for this practice is weak. OBJECTIVES: To review evidence on safety of IL-17 and IL-23 inhibitors in the setting of latent TB infection and to provide a new Joint Position Statement on this topic. METHODS: Experts from the National Psoriasis Foundation and the International Psoriasis Council reviewed evidence regarding progression of latent TB infection to active disease in psoriasis patients receiving IL-17 or IL-23 blockers. A Joint Position Statement was formulated and approved to provide updated guidance to clinicians. RESULTS: 87.5% of the members from the National Psoriasis Foundation Medical Board and International Psoriasis Council approved a new Joint Position Statement regarding psoriasis patients being treated with IL-17 or IL-23 inhibitors, stating that testing for latent TB infection is not required. LIMITATIONS: This position statement allows for exceptions where continued testing for late nt TB infection could be considered, including for patients on concomitant immunosuppressive therapy and for those living in TB endemic areas. CONCLUSION: Psoriasis experts reached consensus that routine testing for latent TB infection is not required in psoriasis patients being treated with IL-17 or IL-23 inhibitors.

  PublisherDOI

• Moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis and systemic corticosteroids are associated with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome

  JAAD International · 2025-10-25 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Global Burden of Psoriasis from 1990 to 2021 and Potential Factors: A Systematic Analysis

  Journal of Investigative Dermatology · 2025-09-08 · 14 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Platelet Activation and a Platelet Biosignature Are Associated With Cardiovascular Risk in Patients With Controlled Psoriasis

  Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology · 2025-09-04 · 4 citations

  article

  BACKGROUND: The underlying mechanisms of atherosclerosis and strategies for identifying high cardiovascular risk in psoriasis are incompletely understood. Platelet activity is increased in psoriasis and induces vascular dysfunction. We investigated the platelet phenotype and platelet transcriptome as one potential mechanism to explain cardiovascular risk in psoriasis. METHODS: Psoriasis and controls underwent platelet aggregation and activation studies and platelet RNA sequencing to generate a psoriasis platelet transcriptomic score. The relationship between the platelet transcriptomic score and cardiovascular risk was assessed by arterial stiffness, coronary calcium, and longitudinally in an independent cohort of high cardiovascular-risk individuals undergoing lower extremity arterial revascularization. RESULTS: Psoriasis subjects (n=73; median age, 51 years; body surface area of psoriasis, 3%) compared with controls (n=56; median age, 41 years) trended older ( P =0.08) and had greater body mass index ( P =0.01) and higher hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) values ( P =0.01). Platelet aggregation in response to collagen ( P =0.0049) and ADP ( P =0.033), and leukocyte-, neutrophil-, and lymphocyte-platelet aggregates ( P <0.05 for each comparison) were all higher in psoriasis versus controls. Platelet RNA sequencing comparing 51 patients with psoriasis with 39 controls identified 329 upregulated and 345 downregulated genes ( P <0.05). Pathway analysis identified dysregulated platelet activation, apoptosis, VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), interferon, senescence, IL (interleukin)-1, and clotting cascade signaling between psoriasis and controls. Using a phenotypic rank–based scoring methodology, a psoriasis platelet transcriptomic score comprised of 142 genes differentiated psoriasis from controls. This score correlated with arterial stiffness ( r =0.26; P =0.031) and coronary calcium ( r =0.58; P =0.0069). In a separate cohort of high cardiovascular-risk patients undergoing lower extremity arterial revascularization, the psoriasis platelet transcriptomic score associated with incident myocardial infarction (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.7 [95% CI, 1.4–10.1]; P =0.015). CONCLUSIONS: Platelet aggregation and activation are increased in patients with controlled psoriatic disease, with the platelet transcriptome associated with proinflammatory, proatherothrombotic pathways, and cardiovascular risk. Our results warrant further investigation of platelet involvement promoting heightened cardiovascular disease in psoriasis.

  PublisherDOI

• Facing Our FAERS: Disproportionality Analyses, Signal Detection, and Interpretation

  Journal of Investigative Dermatology · 2025-08-22 · 1 citations

  editorialOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Subclinical atherosclerosis is increased in moderate‐to‐severe atopic dermatitis

  Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology · 2025-06-27 · 3 citations

  letter

  The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant RC1AR058204

  NIH · $1.0M · 2012

• NIH Grant F32AR048100

  NIH · $132k · 2003

• NIH Grant K23AR051125

  NIH · $662k · 2009

• NIH Grant K24AR064310

  NIH · $870k · 2018

• NIH Grant R01HL089744

  NIH · $3.8M · 2015

Frequent coauthors

• Nehal N. Mehta

  National Heart Lung and Blood Institute

  264 shared

• Martin P. Playford

  203 shared

• Heather Teague

  National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

  181 shared

• Aditya A. Joshi

  PES University

  175 shared

• Justin Rodante

  National Heart Lung and Blood Institute

  148 shared

• Mark A. Ahlman

  Augusta University

  147 shared

• Parasuram Krishnamoorthy

  Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

  143 shared

• Balaji Natarajan

  140 shared

Labs

• Gelfand LabPI

Awards & honors

• James J. Leyden, M.D. Endowed Professor in Clinical Investig…
• Endowed Professorship, James J. Leyden, M.D. Endowed Profess…