[ad_1]
Biological anti-inflammatory drugs used to treat severe psoriasis could prevent heart disease in patients with skin condition, according to a study published today in Cardiovascular research, Journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). For one year of treatment, biological therapy improved coronary plaque in the same way as the effect of a low-dose statin.
"The severity of psoriasis is linked to the burden of coronary heart disease – our findings suggest that psoriasis treatment could potentially benefit coronary heart disease," said Dr. Nehal Mehta, author of the study, responsible for inflammatory diseases and cardiometabolic at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD.
Psoriasis causes scaly skin patches, often on the elbows, knees, scalp and lower back. Patients with a skin condition have a high risk of heart disease – young patients with severe psoriasis are at twice the risk of having a first heart attack at the age of 40 to 50 years.
Patients with psoriasis often suffer from inflammation throughout the body and may receive biological anti-inflammatory therapy when the condition of their skin is severe and topical treatments or phototherapy have failed. This study examined whether the treatment of severe psoriasis with a biological product could improve the health of coronary arteries.
The study found that patients with severe psoriasis who were on biological therapy for 1 year had an 8% reduction in the total and uncalcified weight of coronary plaque, a common cause of heart attacks, similar to the previous one. effect of a low dose statin. The composition of coronary plaques is also improved in people taking biological products, which makes them less risky. The coronary plaque load increased by 2% in patients who did not take a biological product.
Dr. Mehta said, "We found that these anti-inflammatory drugs commonly used to treat severe psoriasis also improve plaque in the coronary artery by making them more stable and less likely to cause a heart attack. This has occurred in the absence of changes in traditional cardiovascular risk factors, including blood pressure and blood lipids. "
During the one-year study, systemic inflammation badessed by blood markers only decreased in the group undergoing biological treatment. Dr. Mehta said that it is too early to say whether biological products exert their effects on coronary plaques directly or by reducing systemic inflammation.
"This preliminary study provides the first evidence that a biological treatment is badociated with a reduction and stabilization of coronary plaque and strongly justifies the conduct of a randomized trial testing the impact of biological therapy." on the progression of coronary artery disease in patients with psoriasis. "
Dr. Mehta noted that some patients with severe psoriasis choose not to take a biologic drug because they inhibit the immune system and may increase the risk of infection. In addition, they must be injected.
Previous research has shown that in heart attack patients, biological anti-inflammatory therapy reduces the risk of another cardiovascular event. "With the results of this study and our current one, my message to psoriasis patients is to take untreated inflammation seriously," said Dr. Mehta. "A person with severe psoriasis has an increased risk of heart attack, and psoriasis treatment can reduce this risk."
The observational study included 121 patients with severe psoriasis qualified for biological treatment. Of these, 89 followed biological therapy (one of three types) and 32 used topical therapy. All patients underwent imaging of their coronary arteries with CT angiography at baseline and one year later to evaluate the amount and characteristics of plaques, such as the necrotic nucleus, which causes plaque rupture.
To read more, click here.
Source link
