Systemic Inflammatory Diseases as Crohn’s disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Longer Psoriasis Duration May Mean Higher CVD Risk

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Longer Psoriasis Duration May Mean Higher CVD Risk

Effect size ‘similar to that of smoking’

Several studies have shown that methotrexate, which has anti-inflammatory effects, reduces CV risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, suggesting that good anti-inflammatory control may be expected to reduce CV risk in patients with psoriasis.

Menter has worked closely with the senior author of the current study, Nehal Mehta, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, to identify cardiovascular issues in the psoriasis population. In one recent study, investigators found that the prevalence of moderate-to-severe coronary calcification was similar between patients with psoriasis and those with type 2 diabetes, and approximately five times greater than healthy controls.

Investigators found that moderate-to-severe psoriasis was a significantly stronger predictor of coronary calcification than type 2 diabetes, and the effect was independent of known CV and cardiometabolic risk factors.

SOURCE

https://www.medpagetoday.com/Dermatology/Psoriasis/68429?xid=nl_mpt_cardiodaily_2017-10-09&eun=g99985d0r