A study has suggested that in the treatment of patients with psoriasis, usage of certain biologic medicines appears to reduce aortic vascular inflammation and cardiometabolic risk biomarkers, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin (IL)-6.
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| Photo: Biologic Medicines for Psoriasis | InStyleHealth |
Experts conducted a meta-analysis of studies
investigating the efficacy of licensed biologic therapies on imaging and
biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk in patients with psoriasis. From the
five studies included in the final examination, 2 were retained for the
meta-analysis.
Comparing with placebo, adalimumab showed no significant
benefit for aortic vascular inflammation at weeks 12-16. Similarly, both
adalimumab and secukinumab conferred no beneficial effect on imaging biomarkers
(aortic vascular inflammation or flow mediated dilatation) relative to placebo.
Ustekinumab was the only exception which yielded a reduction in aortic vascular
inflammation at week 12 but not at week 52 after the open-label extension
period.
Concurrently, the strongest reduction in blood-based
cardiometabolic risk biomarkers was seen with adalimumab and phototherapy when
compared with placebo.
Surrogate marker findings revealed that ustekinumab
lowers aortic vascular inflammation, while tumor necrosis factor inhibitor and
phototherapy induce CRP and IL-6 reduction. Additional randomized controlled
trials assessing cardiovascular events are warranted to inform clinical
practice according to researchers.
Source: J Invest Dermatol 2021; doi:10.1016/j.jid.2021.03.024