Increased Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis

Maternal Interleukin-17 and disease activity influence pregnancy outcomes in women with psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis

OBJECTIVE

We aimed in this study to evaluate the impact of maternal interleukin -17A and the activity of the illness on pregnancy outcomes in Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients.

METHODS

This prospective cohort research was carried out on 48 Psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis pregnant women attending the inpatient and outpatient clinics of the Rheumatology & Rehabilitation and Obstetrics & Gynecology Departments, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University Hospitals in Egypt and 30 apparently healthy age- and sex-matched pregnant women between January 1,2018, and December 31, 2019.

RESULTS

The study group patients had a higher risk of preterm labour (32-36 weeks gestation) (aRR 1.80, 95% CI 0.79-4.17), oligohydramnios (aRR 3.15, 95% CI 1.26-8.42), Caesarean delivery (aRR 1.57, 95% CI 1.41-2.68), and delivering infants small for gestational age (aRR 7.04, 95% CI 2.36-12.42). There was significant difference between the control group and the study groups regarding the level of IL-17A.

CONCLUSION

Many females with PsA and AS have uninhibited pregnancy with regard to adverse events, but in comparison with normal pregnancies particularly with high IL-17A during the third trimester we noticed a growing risk of preterm labour, oligohydramnios and cesarean section. Further studies are needed to evaluate high maternal IL-17A levels and fetal outcomes.

Athrogenic indexes: Useful markers for predicting metabolic syndrome in axial spondyloarthritis

INTRODUCTION

Metabolic syndrome is a pathological entity associated with a high risk of cardiovascular disease. Data regarding the frequency of this syndrome, lipid profile, and atherogenic index of plasma in patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis are scarce. We aim to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with spondyloarthritis. We also aim to determine discriminative values of atherogenic indexes between patients with and without metabolic syndrome.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study including 51 patients meeting the ASAS 2009 criteria for radiographic axial spondyloarthritis. We measured the following parameters: triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoproteins (HDL_c), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL_c), and total cholesterol (TC). We calculated TC/HDL_c, TG/HDL_c, LDL_c/HDL_c ratios, and atherogenic index of plasma (LogTG/HDL_c).

RESULTS

Metabolic syndrome was noted in 33% of cases. Patients with active disease had a higher body mass index (26.89±5.88 versus 23.63±4.47kg/m², p=0.03), higher TG (1.41±0.64 versus 0.89±0.5mmol/L, p=0.05) and a lower HDL_c level (1±0.28 versus 1.31±0.22mmol/L, p=0.01). However, the LogTG/HDL_c and TG/HDL_c were higher in patients under TNFα inhibitors. The ability of the TG/HDL_c ratio and LogTG/HDL_c to distinguish patients with or without metabolic syndrome were good at cut-offs of 1.33 and 0.22, respectively (specificity: 91.2% and sensitivity 70.6% for both ratios).

CONCLUSION

Our study showed that metabolic syndrome is frequent in patients with axial spondyloarthritis. Atherogenic indexes can be used for predicting metabolic syndrome in these patients.

Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Psoriatic Arthritis: Systematic Literature Review and Results From the CARMA Cohort

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in a systematic literature review (SLR) and in the Spanish CArdiovascular in RheuMAtology (CARMA) cohort.

METHODS

A SLR and a subanalysis of the CARMA cohort were performed. In the SLR, PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov up to March 2019 were searched. Systematic literature reviews, clinical trials, and observational studies that analyzed the prevalence or frequency of MetS in PsA were analyzed. Two reviewers selected the articles, assessed the quality of the studies, and collected data, independently. In addition, data on sociodemographic characteristics and MetS in patients with PsA from the CARMA cohort were collected and analyzed. Comparative descriptive analysis was performed.

RESULTS

The SLR included 18 articles, of moderate to high quality, with PsA patients of both sexes, with mean ages between 42 and 59 years. The rate of MetS varied from 23.5% to 62.9%. The most commonly used classification method was that of the National Cholesterol Education Program. Additionally, 724 PsA patients from the CARMA cohort were analyzed; 327 (45.4%) were women, 157 (21.8%) smokers, with a mean age of 51 years and a mean PsA disease duration of 9 years. Hypertension was the most common abnormal finding (66.8%), followed by hyperglycemia (42.6%) and hypertriglyceridemia (30.6%). Notably, 222 patients (30.6%) had MetS.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of MetS in PsA varies, depending on the definition. Whereas 23.5% to 62.9% of PsA patients have MetS, in the CARMA cohort almost a third of patients with PsA have MetS.

Clinical Characteristics of Psoriatic Arthritis in Chinese Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION

The clinical features of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) varied in different studies from different countries, nevertheless rarely reported from China. We aimed to show the portraits of Chinese PsA patients.

METHODS

Demographics as well as clinical and laboratory data at the first visit of a PsA cohort were collected. Joints and entheses were further assessed by imaging techniques. The correlation between psoriasis severity index (PASI) and disease activity in PsA (DAPSA) was analyzed. The metabolic comorbidities were also explored among patients with different disease activity.

RESULTS

Three hundred patients with definite PsA were enrolled in this study; 159 (53.0%) of them were male. Their median age was 39 (31, 51) years with disease duration of 3 (0.6, 7) years; 15.6% patients were HLA-B27-positive, and 37.8% patients reported a family history of psoriasis or PsA. Among 300 patients, psoriasis presented earlier than arthritis in most of them (214, 74.0%), while 48 (16.6%) patients presented with arthritis before psoriasis. Articular involvement was found in 293 (97.7%) patients. Polyarticular type was most common, with proximal interphalangeal as most frequently involved joints. Axial joint involvement was found in 45 (15.4%) patients. Dactylitis was observed in 94 (31.3%) patients, most often at the second, third, and fourth toes. Enthesitis was found in 18 (6.0%) patients by physical examination, however in 129/227 (56.8%) patients by ultrasound. The DAPSA score was correlated with PASI (r = 0.22, p = 0.021). A variety of comorbidities were more often observed in patients with moderate/high disease activity comparing with those in remission/low-disease activity, especially type 2 diabetes with statistically significant difference (19.1 vs. 4.1%, p = 0.023). However, further logistic regression analysis showed diabetes was not independently associated with moderate/high disease activity. The most frequently prescribed medication was methotrexate (101, 66.4%). Biological agents were applied in 25 (16.4%) patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Polyarticular involvement was most common in Chinese PsA patients. Ultrasound dramatically increased the identification of peripheral enthesitis. Active PsA patients were more likely to have comorbidities.

High Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis From Northeastern Brazil: Association With Traditional Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Biologic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this cross-sectional study were to evaluate the prevalence of MetS in PsA patients compared with sex- and age-matched healthy controls and to test possible associations with clinical and laboratory variables.

METHODS

The prevalence of MetS was determined for 76 PsA patients and 76 sex- and age-matched healthy controls, using the criteria of NCEP/ATPIII and Harmonizing, adjusted for South Americans. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for MetS.

RESULTS

Metabolic syndrome was significantly more prevalent in the PsA group than in the control group (53.9% vs 18.4%, p < 0.001). Psoriatic arthritis was associated with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, increased waist circumference (WC), elevated body mass index, and raised levels of blood glucose and triglycerides. When comparing MetS and non-Mets PsA patients, MetS was not significantly associated with disease activity, skin involvement, or quality of life. In the logistic regression model, the variables independently associated with MetS were use of biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (p = 0.001), elevated arterial pressure (p = 0.006), age (p = 0.0015), WC (p = 0.004), and low HDL (p = 0.042).

CONCLUSIONS

In this study on PsA patients from Northeastern Brazil, MetS was highly prevalent and associated with biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs use, increased WC, and low HDL.

Systematic review and meta-analysis on prevalence of metabolic syndrome in psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis

BACKGROUND

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriasis (PsO) are associated with systemic inflammation and increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with systemic inflammation, and conditions associated with MetS, such as obesity, are associated with difficulty in attaining minimal disease activity (MDA) in individuals with inflammatory arthritis. This systematic review aims to determine whether there is an increased prevalence of MetS in PsA populations compared with PsO and RA populations.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted to assess the prevalence of MetS in PsA, PsO, and RA populations following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. The quality of the studies reviewed was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist for Prevalence Studies.

RESULTS

The pooled prevalence of MetS in PsA populations was 0.46 ± 0.06 (95% CI 0.40-0.51). In comparison, the prevalence of MetS in PsO and RA populations was 0.34 ± 0.03 (95% CI 0.32-0.37) and 0.31 ± 0.04 (95% CI 0.27-0.35), respectively. Patients with PsA were 1.62 ± 0.036 (95% CI 1.50-1.74) and 1.66 ± 0.038 (95% CI 1.54-1.79) times more likely to have MetS compared with PsO and RA populations.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of MetS is significantly increased in PsA populations compared with PsO and RA populations. Further studies should be performed using a standardized definition of MetS in PsA, RA, and PsO populations to determine whether addressing the metabolic components in MetS offers any therapeutic benefits and in terms of attaining MDA and improving cardiovascular health.

Association between syndesmophyte and metabolic syndrome in patients with psoriatic arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis: a cross-sectional study

Objective

To investigate the prevalence of and factors associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) or ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Methods

This cross-sectional study included PsA or AS patients who attended Siriraj Hospital (Bangkok, Thailand) during March 2014 to October 2017. The Harmonized MetS definition was used to diagnose MetS. Demographic, clinical, and spinal radiographic data were collected. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with MetS.

Results

Among 319 patients, 153 had AS and 166 had PsA. MetS was present in 43% of PsA and 19% of AS (p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis identified body mass index (BMI) > 23 (odds ratio [OR]: 3.7), female gender (OR range: 3.8–3.9), and the number of syndesmophytes or ankylosis [SynAnk] (OR: 1.1) were associated with MetS among PsA patients. For AS patients, BMI > 23 (OR: 9.1) and age > 40 (OR: 4.3) were associated with MetS. Disease activity index was not associated with MetS.

Conclusions

MetS was significantly more prevalent in PsA than in AS. Structural change of the spine was associated with MetS in PsA. PsA patients with being female, BMI > 23 or evidence of spinal change should be informed to screen for MetS. AS patients with age > 40 or BMI > 23 should be informed to screen for MetS.

Detection of subclinical skin manifestation in patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis by fluorescence optical imaging

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the frequency of subclinical skin inflammation in both hands by fluorescence optical imaging (FOI) in patients with psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis (Pso/PsA) vs. rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and healthy individuals, and to correlate these findings with cardiovascular (CV) risk factors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The FOI scans were analyzed retrospectively to detect clinically invisible skin enhancement (0-3 scale) in both hands without relationship to underlying joints or blood vessels. We further characterized the FOI patterns and sorted the scans into groups based on the assumed diagnosis (Pso/PsA, RA, and healthy controls), which was compared with the physician's diagnosis. Furthermore, the associations between CV risk factors and imaging findings were investigated by regression analyses.

RESULTS

We included FOI scans of patients with Pso/PsA (n = 80), RA (n = 78), and healthy controls (n = 25). Subclinical skin enhancement on the back of their hands was more common in Pso/PsA (72.5%) than in RA patients (20.5%) and healthy individuals (28.0%) (p < 0.001). Based on the FOI pattern, the majority of patients with Pso/PsA (72.5%), RA (76.9%), and healthy controls (68.0%) were classified correctly using the physician-based diagnosis as reference (overall agreement of 74%, kappa = 0.57). No CV risk factors except body weight (kg) were associated with subclinical skin enhancement (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02-1.06; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Subclinical subdermal skin inflammation was common in Pso/PsA patients using FOI. Based on the FOI pattern, most patients with Pso/PsA and were classified with the correct diagnosis. We demonstrated an important influence of the body weight on our FOI results. FOI may be a helpful novel tool to study microcirculation in rheumatic diseases with skin involvement.

The Impact of Comorbidity on Patient-Reported Outcomes in Psoriatic Arthritis: A Systematic Literature Review

INTRODUCTION

A systematic literature review was conducted with the aim to analyse the impact of comorbidity on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

METHODS

A sensitive search strategy of the Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library (up to March 2019) was applied to retrieve studies for inclusion in this systematic literature review. Abstracts of the ACR and EULAR scientific meetings were also searched. The selection criteria were: (1) patients with PsA (population) with a comorbidity (intervention) and (2) report of any impact of the comorbidity on PROs. Systematic literature reviews, randomized controlled trials and observational were included in this systematic literature review. Two of the authors selected the articles and collected the data.

RESULTS

Eighteen articles were included in this systematic literature review, with most being cross-sectional studies that included more than 9000 patients with PsA. Some studies analysed the impact of an individual comorbidity, such as fibromyalgia (FM), and in others the analysis was according to the number of comorbidities. The most frequently analysed PROs were function, quality of life and fatigue. Analysis of the studies included in the review showed that patients with a higher number of comorbidities and/or more severe comorbidities reported worse impacts of their disease on function, patient's global assessment (PGA), pain, fatigue, work disability and quality of life. Specifically, FM had a negative impact on the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), function, quality of sleep and quality of life; anxiety and depression had a negative impact on function and fatigue; metabolic syndrome had a negative impact on BASDAI, function, PGA and quality of life; obesity had a negative impact on function and pain; smoking (current and ex-smokers) had a negative impact on pain, function, fatigue, quality of life and overall health; alcohol intake had a negative impact on pain, function, fatigue, quality of life and overall health.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence and impact of medical comorbidity on PROs are very high in patients with PsA.

The Association of Metabolic Syndrome and Psoriasis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Study

Background:

Metabolic syndrome worsens complications in psoriasis patients by predisposing them to cardiovascular diseases. Psoriasis has been widely associated with metabolic syndrome; however, it has still not been proven owing to a limited number of studies and some of those reporting conflicting results.

Objective:

Psoriasis has reportedly been associated with metabolic syndrome; however, it has yet not been established beyond doubt owing to conflicting literature. The present meta-analysis of observational studies aims to evaluate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in psoriasis patients and establish an inferring point that psoriasis patients are certainly susceptible to metabolic syndrome. The study will benefit clinicians to assess and monitor psoriasis patients for several associated comorbid conditions and in its treatment.

Methods:

A systematic web search for ‘Psoriasis’, ‘Metabolic Syndrome’, ‘Hypertension’, ‘Plasma Glucose’, ‘Dyslipidaemia’, ‘Waist Circumference’ was performed, collecting all original observational studies on humans up to April 30, 2018. Depending on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, articles were screened for eligibility. Due to the presence of significant heterogeneity, the Odds Ratio (OR) was calculated using a random-effect model with Der-Simonian and Laird method. The statistical heterogeneity was determined using I2 statistics. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software, Version 3 was used to perform all the analysis.

Results:

Sixty-three studies encompassing 15,939 psoriasis patients and 103,984 controls were included in this meta-analysis. Among them, 30.29 % of psoriasis patients were reported with metabolic syndrome in comparison to 21.70 % of subjects in the control group. The present study clearly indicates an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome among psoriasis patients (OR: 2.077 [95% CI, 1.84 - 2.34]).

Conclusions:

The findings support the fact that psoriasis patients have a higher incidence of metabolic syndrome. Our study also recommends that psoriasis patients should be regularly monitored for metabolic syndrome complications and its associated risk factors such as hypertension, raised triglyceride, lowered HDL Cholesterol, increased fasting plasma glucose, and waist circumference.

Metabolic Syndrome and psoriatic arthritis: considerations for the clinician

Introduction: Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is strictly interconnected with systemic inflammation, and increased evidence has described a close link between this condition and Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA).Areas covered: This review summarizes main studies exploring clinical aspects and prevalence of MetS in PsA cohorts. Further, there is accumulating evidence showing shared inflammatory pathways between MetS, its components, and PsA.Expert opinion: The high prevalence of MetS in PsA highlights the need for screening, evaluation, and close monitoring of MetS and its components (namely, diabetes mellitus, obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia) in psoriatic patients.Further studies should focus on the pathogenetic link between MetS and PsA. More studies are required to identify appropriate algorithms for the assessment and management of MetS in PsA patients.

Psoriasis and cardiovascular disorders: association or epiphenomenon? Meta-analysis of observational studies

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease believed to be correlated with numerous cardiovascular risk factors including increased blood pressure, elevated blood cholesterol level, diabetes, inactivity, high body mass index (obesity) and dyslipidaemia. The present meta-analysis intends to assess the association between psoriasis and cardiovascular risk factors. Three hundred and fifty articles were primarily screened using NCBI MEDLINE/PubMed and Cochrane library from its inception until June 30, 2018. Of these, 26 observational studies depending upon the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the study with 17,672 psoriasis patients and 66,407 non-psoriasis subjects. The psoriasis patients were found to be at significantly increased risk of systolic blood pressure (SBP) [ORs 2.31 (95% CI 1.12, 4.74)], diastolic blood pressure (DBP) [ORs 2.31 (95% CI 1.58, 3.38)], abdominal obesity [ORs 1.90 (95% CI 1.45, 2.50)] and triglycerides [ORs 1.80 (95% CI 1.29, 2.51)] as compared to non-psoriasis subjects. The subgroup analyses of studies based on the continents revealed that psoriasis patients from Middle East are prone to higher risk factors of CVD including increased levels of triglyceride, cholesterol, DBP, SBP, fasting blood sugar, body mass index and decreased HDL levels, whereas psoriasis patients from European population reported increased LDL-C and waist circumference. The present study supports a significant association between psoriasis and incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events. Contrary to the previous literature, our finding suggests that hypertension is a highly associative condition in psoriasis. The findings of this study could be validated amongst well-defined cohorts of patients with psoriasis individually in different regions to confirm the implication of the study.

Moderate Psoriatic Arthritis and Perspectives from Phosphodiesterase-4 Inhibition

Although there is no universally approved definition of moderate psoriatic arthritis (PsA), many clinicians see patients who they feel fit into this category: patients with limited joint involvement, but who might also show other manifestations of the disease, as well as a range of comorbidities. In his presentation, Dr Siebert described the challenges faced in treating this group of patients, who are mostly not captured in clinical trials. Recent advances in PsA treatment have focussed towards the severe end of the spectrum, suggesting that more must be learned around treatment options for patients with moderate disease. This represents a large unmet need. Given the heterogeneity of this patient population, a range of effective treatments is needed. Prof Gladman then presented data from longitudinal cohorts to illustrate the high burden of disease in patients with PsA who had a limited number of affected joints. By comparing patients with oligoarticular PsA (i.e., ≤4 affected joints) with those with polyarticular arthritis (≥5 affected joints), Prof Gladman showed that disease burden is not solely driven by the number of affected joints, but also by other PsA manifestations and/or comorbidities. There are clear gaps in our knowledge of PsA; to address these, population studies and trials of potential treatments are needed. Phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibition is one potential treatment strategy that is currently being investigated. Dr Behrens described a post-hoc analysis of data pooled from three Phase III clinical trials that suggests the PDE4 inhibitor apremilast may be an effective treatment for patients with moderate PsA. It is hoped that this will be confirmed by the ongoing FOREMOST trial, a Phase IV study of apremilast in patients with oligoarticular PsA.

Maternal and infant pregnancy outcomes in women with psoriatic arthritis: a Swedish nationwide cohort study

OBJECTIVE

Studies on pregnancy outcomes in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are scarce and typically of small size. Available studies have reported conflicting results. The aim of this study was to describe maternal and infant pregnancy outcomes among women with PsA compared with women without PsA.

DESIGN

Nationwide cohort study.

SETTING

Nationwide Swedish registers.

POPULATION

A total of 41 485 singleton pregnancies in 1997-2014, of which 541 pregnancies were identified with PsA exposure and 40 944 pregnancies were unexposed.

METHODS

By linkage of national health and population register data, we obtained information on individual pregnancies and compared outcomes among pregnancies with PsA and non-PsA pregnancies. Relative risks were estimated by odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs using a generalised linear regression model with generalised estimating equations. Adjustments were made for maternal factors and calendar year of birth.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Maternal and infant pregnancy outcomes.

RESULTS

Pregnancies to women with PsA had increased risks of preterm birth (adjusted OR 1.63; 95% CI 1.17-2.28), elective and emergency caesarean deliveries (adjusted OR 1.47; 95% CI 1.10-1.97 and adjusted OR 1.43; 95% CI 1.08-1.88, respectively) compared with non-PsA pregnancies. No increased risks were observed for pre-eclampsia, stillbirth or other infant outcomes apart from preterm birth.

CONCLUSION

The majority of women with PsA have uneventful pregnancies with respect to adverse outcomes. In the present study, we found increased risks of preterm birth and caesarean delivery compared with non-PsA pregnancies.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

Women with psoriatic arthritis have uneventful pregnancies but are at increased risk of preterm birth and caesarean delivery.

Comorbidity in psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis

BACKGROUND

Comorbid conditions are common and impact outcomes in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but less data are available for psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

AIMS

To describe baseline demographics and prevalence of comorbidities in participants with PsA in an Australian cohort using data from the Australian Rheumatology Association Database (ARAD) and to compare the prevalence of comorbidities in ARAD participants with PsA with those with RA.

METHODS

ARAD is a voluntary national registry for inflammatory arthritis. Data, including demographic details, medication use, history of comorbid medical illnesses and patient-reported outcomes, all self-reported, were extracted from questionnaires completed at the time of database enrolment for participants with PsA and RA. Demographic information and prevalence of comorbidities were summarised using descriptive statistics. Prevalence of comorbidities in PsA and RA were compared using logistic regression, adjusting for age, gender, disease duration, education, employment and prednisone use.

RESULTS

There were 490 participants with PsA, 59.2% female, mean (standard deviation (SD)) age 50.4 (21.1) years and disease duration 16.4 (9.7) years, and 57.8% reported having two or more comorbidities. Hypertension (38.2%) and depression (35.9%) were the most common. Compared with RA, participants with PsA had greater odds of depression (adjusted OR (95% CI): 2.1 (1.7-2.6)), hypertension (1.7 (1.4-2.1)), hyperlipidaemia (2.0 (1.6-2.5)), diabetes (2.2 (1.6-3.0)) and a history of ischaemic heart disease (2.0 (1.3-2.9)).

CONCLUSIONS

High rates of comorbidity were found in ARAD participants with PsA. The prevalence of depression, cardiovascular risk factors and other comorbidities were higher in PsA than RA participants in our Australian cohort.

Cardiovascular risk management in rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis: online survey results from a national cohort study

BACKGROUND

Chronic inflammatory arthritis is associated with increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. Pharmacological management and healthy lifestyle modification is recommended to manage these risks, but it is not known how often these are utilised and whether there is any difference in their use between patients with different types of arthritis. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the proportion of participants with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) receiving pharmacological or lifestyle management strategies for CV risk factors. The secondary objective was to identify factors associated with use of management strategies.

METHODS

A survey was sent to online participants in the Australian Rheumatology Association Database, a voluntary national registry for inflammatory arthritis. Participants were asked whether they took medications for hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and diabetes, and to report their height, weight, level of physical activity, and dietary changes made. The use of management strategies was compared between participants with RA and PsA. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with physical activity and dietary changes.

RESULTS

There were 858 respondents with RA and 161 with PsA (response rate 64.5%). Pharmacological treatment was reported by 93% of participants with hypertension and 70% with hyperlipidaemia. All participants with diabetes reported being managed with dietary modification, pharmacological treatment, or a combination of both. Adequate physical activity was reported by 50.8%. Only 27% of overweight or obese participants reported making any dietary change for their health in the past year. There was no difference between RA and PsA in reported utilisation of management strategies. Hyperlipidaemia and being overweight were associated with making dietary change. Obesity and arthritis disease activity were negatively associated with physical activity.

CONCLUSIONS

Most participants with RA and PsA reported using pharmacological treatment for CV risk factors. Relatively few reported using lifestyle modifications. Targeted lifestyle interventions should be implemented for RA and PsA patients.

Cardiovascular risk factors predicting cardiac events are different in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and psoriasis

OBJECTIVES

Increased cardiovascular risk in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is well established. Examining traditional cardiovascular risk factors alone underestimates cardiovascular risk in RA. Systematic inflammation, measured by erythrocyte sedimentation rate or C-reactive protein is also a major risk factor. However, the contribution of traditional cardiovascular risk factors (such as obesity and hyperlipidaemia) compared to inflammation is uncertain in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and RA. We examine the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) among patients with RA, PsA psoriasis, and controls adjusting for risk factors, inflammation and disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug treatment, to better define cardiovascular risk.

METHODS

Using the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage databank, comprising routinely collected Welsh health data from 1999 to 2013, the incidence and first occurrence of a MACE in individuals with RA (n = 8650), PsA (n = 2128) and psoriasis (n = 24,630) compared to controls (n = 11,87,706) was investigated.

RESULTS

Traditional cardiovascular risk factors are higher in RA, PsA and psoriasis than controls. After adjusting for these factors, additional cardiovascular risk was only significantly increased in female RA patients (HR = 1.3; 95% CI: 1.0-1.7; p = 0.05) and psoriasis (HR = 1.2; 95% CI: 1.0-1.4; p = 0.02) but not statistically significant for PsA (HR = 1.5; 95% CI: 0.9-2.5; p = 0.13). ESR and CRP were increased in patients with RA but not in patients with psoriasis.

CONCLUSION

Additional increased cardiovascular risk was observed in female RA and psoriasis but not PsA. Systematic inflammation is higher in RA but not psoriasis, indicating that there are varying mediators of cardiovascular risk across these conditions.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and degree of cardiovascular disease risk in patients with Psoriatic Arthritis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and degree of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We performed a cross-sectional study on 102 adult patients with PsA and a control group of 102 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MetS was diagnosed according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) and International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. The Framingham risk scores of 10-year risk of CVDs and coronary heart disease (CHD) were also calculated.

RESULTS

The prevalence of MetS was higher in patients with PsA than in those with RA, according to the NCEP-ATP III (40.6% vs. 24.7%, respectively; p=0.019) and IDF (46.8% vs. 27.9%, respectively; p=0.05) criteria. The prevalence of MetS was higher in female patients with PsA (p=0.009) than in male patients. A significantly increased prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia was determined in patients with PsA (p=0.019). No significant difference existed between the two groups with respect to 10-year CVD (p=0.333) and CHD (p=0.798) risks. Additionally, there were no significant differences between the clinical subtypes of PsA with regard to MetS (p=0.229).

CONCLUSION

MetS prevalence increased in patients with PsA compared with those with RA, whereas the risks were similar for CVDs and CHD. For this reason, optimal protection measures should be taken and guidelines should be applied to achieve adequate metabolic control in patients with PsA.

Geniposide reduces development of streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy via regulating nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathways

Renal pathology was a commonly seen complication in patients with diabetes. Geniposide (GPO) was previously demonstrated to modulate glucose metabolism in diabetes. This study was to investigate effects of GPO in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and its underlying mechanism. Renal function in diabetic rats was evaluated by levels of serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and urinary albumin. Renal inflammation was appraised by inflammatory cells infiltration and pro-inflammatory cytokines production. Renal monocytes, T lymphocytes infiltration, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression were quantitated by immunohistochemistry. Moreover, renal nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) was assayed by Western blotting. Diabetic rats showed renal dysfunction as evidenced by increased levels of Scr, BUN, urinary albumin, and elevator renal index. Histological examination revealed significant glomerular basement membrane (GBM) thickening. However, GPO notably improved renal function and diabetes-induced GBM changes. Additionally, diabetic rats showed noteworthy renal inflammation,as reflected by enhancement of monocytes and T lymphocytes infiltration, increased expression of ICAM-1, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1 (IL-1), and IL-6. Interestingly, the level of monocytes infiltration positively correlated with the severity of GBM. Further study indicated diabetic rats displayed increased activation of NF-κB, indicated by increased expression of NF-κB p65, IKKα, and p-IκBα in renal tissue. However, all the changes in renal inflammation and NF-κB pathway were obviously reversed in GPO-treated diabetic rats. Our works indicate GPO ameliorates structural and functional abnormalities of kidney in diabetic rats, which is associated with its suppression of NF-κB-mediated inflammatory response.

Is obesity in psoriatic arthritis associated with a poorer therapeutic response and more adverse effects of treatment with an anchor drug?

OBJECTIVES

To assess the association between obesity, control of inflammatory activity and increased adverse effects in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) with disease-modifying anti-inflammatory drugs (DMARD).

METHODS

A systematic literature review was performed using MEDLINE and EMBASE databases following the guidelines of the Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) consensus statement. Studies were selected if they included patients with PsA, obesity was studied as a predictive factor, and the outcome was adverse effects, including efficacy failure. Quality was assessed using an ad hoc risk of bias tool. A qualitative analysis was carried out by type of study and study population, quality and specific results.

RESULTS

We found 1043 articles, discarding most of them on the basis of title and abstract. Ten articles were studied in detail and finally excluded three. The majority concluded, with statistically significant results, that in patients with PsA and treated with TNFα inhibitors (TNFαi), obesity is associated with poorer chances of achieving and maintaining a minimal disease activity, higher treatment discontinuation rates, and lower skin response. Regarding conventional synthetic DMARD, a trend toward a moderate increase in transaminases with methotrexate (MTX) was observed in obese patients with PsA.

CONCLUSIONS

Obesity is a negative predictor of clinical response in patients with PsA being treated with TNFαi. Except MTX hepatotoxicity, no other adverse effects, either with TNFαi or other drugs, were found in relation to obesity in PsA.

The Epidemiology of Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disorder characterized by joint and entheseal inflammation with a prevalence of 0.05% to 0.25% of the population and 6% to 41% of patients with psoriasis. PsA is a highly heterogeneous inflammatory arthritis. In this review, current knowledge is discussed regarding the epidemiology of PsA, including disease manifestations, classification criteria for adult and juvenile PsA, methods for recognizing early PsA, including use of screening tools and knowledge of risk factors for PsA, and medical comorbidities associated with PsA.

Measuring psoriatic disease in clinical practice. An expert opinion position paper

Psoriasis is a common, immune-mediated chronic inflammatory disease with a primary involvement of skin and joints, affecting approximately 2% of the population worldwide. Up to one third of patients with psoriasis are diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Psoriasis and PsA are heterogeneous diseases whose severity depends on a number of clinical factors, such as areas affected and pattern of involvement, and are associated with a range of comorbid diseases and risk factors, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and liver disease. Thus measuring the severity of psoriatic disease needs to take into account the multidimensional aspects of the disease. Subjective measures including the impairment in quality of life or in daily living activities as well as the presence of cardio-metabolic comorbidities, are important for the outcome and add further levels of complexity that, to a certain extent, need to be assessed. Because of the wide range of comorbid conditions associated with psoriasis, comprehensive screening and treatment must be implemented for a most effective managing of psoriasis patients. A joint dermatologist-rheumatologist roundtable discussion was convened to share evidence on the real-life use of methods for measuring psoriasis severity comprehensively. Our objective was to provide an expert position on which clinical variables are to be taken into account when considering patients affected by psoriasis and/or PsA globally and on the assessment tools more suitable for measuring disease activity and/or severity in clinical practice.