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Hypertension, diabetes influenced CVD risk in psoriatic arthritis patients
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Increased arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus influenced the risk for cardiovascular disease in patients with psoriatic arthritis, according to study results.
Researchers evaluated 158 patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA; mean age, 53.7 years; 51.3% men) according to CASPAR criteria at a rheumatology referral center. They defined cardiovascular disease (CVD) as incidence of coronary artery or cerebrovascular ischemic disease.
Patients had a mean articular disease duration of 13.7 years; 42% of patients had polyarticular subtypes. Eighty-five patients were treating with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and 21 patients were taking low-dose prednisone. Methotrexate (n=94), leflunomide (n=18), sulfasalazine (n=13) and chloroquine (n=4), also were used by patients.
Fifty-five percent of patients had arterial hypertension (AH), while 32% had dyslipidemia (DLP), 29% had hypertriglyceridemia and 23% had diabetes mellitus. (DM). Mean cholesterol levels were 186.5 ± 38.6 mg/dL, LDL-cholesterol was measured at 112.3 ± 30.6 mg/dL and triglycerides at 127.4 ± 65.6 mg/dL, with values similar for both sexes.
Researchers said 14% of the cohort had CVD, with similar patterns across all patients for sex, age, disease duration, joint involvement subtype, disease activity, C-reactive protein and lipid levels regardless of CVD presence. CVD patients had a greater prevalence of AH (95% vs. 45%; P<.001), DLP (75% vs. 27.7%; P<.001) and DM (60% vs. 19%; P<.001) compared with non-CVD patients. The OR for the impact of AH on the risk for CVD was 21 (95% CI, 2.74-160.86) and for DM, OR=5.4 (95% CI, 2.09-13.94).
“The high prevalence of CVD in PsA patients influenced by AH and DM indicates that early recognition and specific treatment is mandatory in order to reduce the risk of CVD,” the researchers concluded. “Strategies for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular comorbidities should be emphasized in the multidisciplinary approach of PsA management in order to avoid early morbidity and mortality.”
Disclosure: The researchers reported no relevant financial disclosures.
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