Thromboembolic and atherosclerotic cardiovascular events in inflammatory bowel disease: epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical management

Long-term risk of cardiovascular disease associated with MASLD and different cardiometabolic risk factors in IBD patients: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

To examine the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks associated with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and different numbers of cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) based on a long-term prospective cohort.

METHODS

Prevalent IBD patients at baseline who were free of CVD, cancer, alcoholic liver disease, cancer and hepatitis B/C virus seropositive were included (N = 4204). MASLD, MASLD subtypes [pure MASLD, MASLD with increased alcohol intake (MetALD)], lean/non-lean MASLD and CMRFs at baseline were defined according to the latest criteria proposed by AASLD and EASL. The primary outcome was incident CVD, including ischaemic heart disease (IHD), heart failure (HF) and stroke. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the relationship.

RESULTS

Overall, 1528 (36.4%) were diagnosed with MASLD at baseline. During a median of 13.1-year follow-up, 503 incident CVDs were identified. Compared with IBD-only, IBD-MASLD patients had an increased risk of CVD (HR = 1.77, 95%CI: 1.26-2.49), especially in those with MetALD (HR = 2.34, 1.34-4.11) and lean MASLD (HR = 2.30, 1.13-4.66). As the number of CMRFs increased, the risks of CVD were significantly increased (p trend <0.001), with a 116% and 92% excess risk in MASLD with 3 CMRFs (HR = 2.16, 1.48-3.15) and ≥4 CMRFs (HR = 1.92, 1.27-2.91). Similar excess risk of incident IHD and HF was observed in IBD-MASLD, either pure MASLD or MetALD, as well as lean/non-lean MASLD.

CONCLUSIONS

MASLD is associated with increased CVD risk in IBD patients, with greater risk as number of CMRFs increased and evidently higher risk in MetALD and lean MASLD patients.

Cardiovascular implications of inflammatory bowel disease: An updated review

Emerging data highlights the heightened risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) in patients with chronic inflammatory disorders, particularly those afflicted with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This review delves into the epidemiological connections between IBD and ASCVD, elucidating potential underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, it discusses the impact of current IBD treatments on cardiovascular risk. Additionally, the cardiovascular adverse effects of novel small molecule drugs used in moderate-to-severe IBD are investigated, drawing parallels with observations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. This article aims to comprehensively evaluate the existing evidence supporting these associations. To achieve this, we conducted a meticulous search of PubMed, spanning from inception to August 2023, using a carefully selected set of keywords. The search encompassed topics related to IBD, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, as well as ASCVD, including coronary artery disease, cardiovascular disease, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, conduction abnormalities, heart blocks, and premature coronary artery disease. This review encompasses various types of literature, including retrospective and prospective cohort studies, clinical trials, meta-analyses, and relevant guidelines, with the objective of providing a comprehensive overview of this critical intersection of inflammatory bowel disease and cardiovascular health.

Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events by Baseline Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis Treated with Tofacitinib: Data from the OCTAVE Clinical Programme

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease have increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular [CV] disease [ASCVD]. Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of ulcerative colitis [UC]. We report major adverse CV events [MACE] in the UC OCTAVE programme, stratified by baseline CV risk.

METHODS

Rates of MACE were analysed by baseline [first tofacitinib exposure] CV risk profile: prior ASCVD, or 10-year ASCVD risk categories [low, borderline, intermediate, high].

RESULTS

Of 1157 patients [2814.4 patient-years of exposure; ≤7.8 years' tofacitinib treatment], 4% had prior ASCVD and 83% had no prior ASCVD and low-borderline baseline 10-year ASCVD risk. Eight [0.7%] patients developed MACE; one had prior ASCVD. Incidence rates [unique patients with events/100 patient-years of exposure; 95% confidence intervals] for MACE were: 0.95 [0.02-5.27] in patients with prior ASCVD; and 1.81 [0.05-10.07], 1.54 [0.42-3.95], 0.00 [0.00-2.85], and 0.09 [0.01-0.32] in patients without prior ASCVD and with high, intermediate, -borderline, and low baseline 10-year ASCVD risk, respectively. For the 5/7 patients with MACE and without prior ASCVD, 10-year ASCVD risk scores were numerically higher [>1%] prior to MACE versus at baseline, primarily due to increasing age.

CONCLUSIONS

Most patients receiving tofacitinib in the UC OCTAVE programme had low baseline 10-year ASCVD risk. MACE were more frequent in patients with prior ASCVD and higher baseline CV risk. This analysis demonstrates potential associations between baseline CV risk and MACE in patients with UC, suggesting CV risk should be assessed individually in clinical practice.

CLINICALTRIALS.GOV

NCT00787202; NCT01465763; NCT01458951; NCT01458574; NCT01470612.

Cardiovascular risk profiles in patients with inflammatory bowel disease differ from matched controls from the general population

AIMS

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). We compared cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and 10-year risk in IBD patients to the general population.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In this cross-sectional study, consecutive IBD patients ≥45 years were included. History of ASCVD and CVD risk factors (smoking, hypertension, overweight, hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome) were assessed. The Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE2) algorithm was used to estimate 10-year CVD risk. One to four age/sex-matched controls were derived from the prospective population-based Rotterdam Study cohort. In total, 235 IBD patients were included {56% women, median age 59 years [interquartile range (IQR) 51-66]} and matched to 829 controls [56% women, median age 61 years (IQR 56-67)]. Inflammatory bowel disease patients experienced ASCVD events more often compared with matched controls [odds ratio (OR) 2.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23-3.27], specifically heart failure (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.02-4.01) and coronary heart disease (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.7-3.13). Inflammatory bowel disease patients showed lower odds of overweight (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.35-0.66) and hypercholesterolaemia (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.31-0.65) and higher odds of hypertension (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.19-2.32), as well as higher waist circumference (+4 cm, P = 0.006) and triglyceride levels (+0.6 mmol/L, P < 0.001) as compared with controls. Mean 10-year CVD risk was 4.0% [standard deviation (SD) ±2.6] in 135 IBD patients vs. 6.0% (SD ±1.6) in 506 controls.

CONCLUSION

The increased CVD risk in IBD is discrepant with the 10-year CVD risk estimate. Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation may underestimate CVD risk in IBD patients due to differing CVD risk profiles compared with the general population, including a lower prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia and overweight and a higher prevalence of hypertension, abdominal obesity, and hypertriglyceridaemia.

Incidence and disease-related risk factors for cerebrovascular accidents in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Risk of cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains inconclusive. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to estimate the incidence of and identify the risk factors for CVA in patients with IBD.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science were searched for articles published up to January 13, 2023 to identify those reported the incidence of CVA in IBD patients, along with the total person-years or related data to calculate it. The main outcomes were the incidence of and risk factors for CVA in IBD.

RESULTS

Based on the analysis of 10 studies, the pooled incidence of CVA in IBD patients was 2.74 per 1000 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.83-4.10 person-years; I2  = 99.2%), which was higher than that in the general population (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.21, 95% CI 1.09-1.34, P = 0.0002; I2  = 84.8%). Risk factors for CVA in IBD patients were age (significance in different definitions), ulcerative colitis (IRR 1.214, 95% CI 1.000-1.474, P = 0.0499; I2  = 81.9%), disease flares (IRR 1.699, 95% CI 1.359-2.122, P < 0.0001; I2  = 28.7%) and chronic activity (IRR 2.202, 95% CI 1.378-3.519, P = 0.0010; I2  = 83.0%).

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of CVA modestly increased in IBD patients. Both the traditional and IBD-related risk factors should be managed to prevent CVA in these patients. Since the effects of risk factors were derived from pooled results of only 2-3 studies, further research is needed to confirm our results.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases in inflammatory bowel diseases: to the heart of the issue

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and stroke are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Along to the traditional risk factors for these diseases, chronic inflammation is known to be an important player in accelerating the process of atherosclerosis, which can result in an increased incidence of arterial thromboembolic events. As in other chronic inflammatory diseases, in the past few years, several studies suggested that subjects affected by inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) may also be at an incremented risk of atherosclerotic disease, especially during the periods of disease's flare. Therefore, IBD treatment may assume an important role for achieving both disease remission and the control of the atherosclerotic risk. In this article we aimed to perform a comprehensive review on evidence on the increased risk of arterial thromboembolic events in patients affected by IBD and discuss the potential role of IBD therapy in reducing this risk.

Comparative Risk of Thrombotic and Cardiovascular Events with Tofacitinib and Anti-TNF Agents in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

BACKGROUND

Tofacitinib and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have been associated with increased risks for thromboembolic and cardiovascular events, but drug attributable risk is unknown.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study in a US claims database. We identified patients with IBD by International Classification of Disease (ICD) codes, stipulated 180 days of continuous enrollment prior to tofacitinib or anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) initiation to determine new users. Primary outcomes were ICD codes for venous thromboembolism (VTE) and cardiovascular (CV) events. We constructed propensity score (PS)-weighted Cox proportional hazard models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and time-to-event outcomes comparing tofacitinib and anti-TNF. We conducted a subgroup analysis of patients ≥ 50 years.

RESULTS

We identified 305 patients with IBD initiating tofacitinib and compared them with 19,096 initiating anti-TNFs. After weighting, balance was achieved across all demographic covariates. VTE occurred in 5% of patients treated with tofacitinib and 4% of anti-TNF users; in a PS-weighted cohort, tofacitinib did not confer a significantly elevated VTE risk compared with anti-TNF therapy (HR: 1.72, 95% CI: 0.74-3.01). A major CV event (MACE) occurred in 2% of tofacitinib users and 1% of anti-TNF users; tofacitinib also did not confer a significantly elevated risk for MACE (HR: 2.50, 95% CI: 0.37-6.18). Those with a Charlson comorbidity index ≥ 2 had greater risks for thromboembolic and cardiovascular events. Similar findings were noted in patients ≥ 50 years.

CONCLUSIONS

In this large, active comparator, study, we demonstrate that tofacitinib was not associated with a higher risk of adverse thrombotic events compared with anti-TNFs in patients with IBD.

Cardiovascular and disease-related features associated with extra-articular manifestations in axial spondyloarthritis. A multicenter study of 888 patients

OBJECTIVES

To determine the potential impact of extra-articular manifestations (EAMs) on disease characteristics and cardiovascular (CV) risk in patients with axial spondylarthritis (axSpA).

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study from the AtheSpAin cohort, a Spanish multicenter cohort to study atherosclerosis in axSpA. Data on the history of CV events, subclinical carotid atherosclerosis, and disease-related features, including EAMs, were collected.

RESULTS

888 axSpA patients were recruited. Concomitant acute anterior uveitis (AAU), psoriasis (PSO), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) were present in 177 (19.9%), 96 (10.8%), and 57 (6.4%) patients, respectively. When compared with axSpA patients without EAMs, a significant increase in past CV events was observed in patients with PSO (9% versus 4%, p = 0.048) and in those with at least one EAM (7% versus 4%, p = 0.032) or with more than one EAM (11% versus 4%, p = 0.022). The frequency of carotid plaques and the values of cIMT were higher in patients with EAMs than in those without EAMs, although only the univariable analysis for carotid plaques in patients with PSO (39% versus 30%, p = 0.038) and for cIMT in patients with AAU (665 ± 156 µm versus 637 ± 139 µm, p = 0.042) and those with at least one EAM (661 ± 155 µm versus 637 ± 139 µm, p = 0.024) showed significant results. In addition, patients with PSO or IBD were found to have specific disease-related features, such as higher ESR at diagnosis, and more frequent use of glucocorticoids and TNF inhibitors than those without EAMs. Also, PSO patients had more commonly peripheral involvement and those with AAU more severe radiographic damage than those without EAMs. The frequency of HLA B27 was higher in patients with AAU and lower in those with PSO or IBD compared to those without EAMs.

CONCLUSION

Patients with axSpA and EAMs, in addition to displaying their own disease-related features, are likely to have an increased CV risk that appears proportional to the number of EAMs and could be related to proatherogenic factors other than traditional CV risk factors, such as the inflammatory load and the use of glucocorticoids.

Ischemic Heart Disease in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Risk Factors, Mechanisms and Prevention

According to new research, a possible association between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and an increased risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD) has been demonstrated, but this concern is still debatable. The purpose of this review is to investigate the link between IHD and IBD, as well as identify further research pathways that could help develop clinical recommendations for the management of IHD risk in IBD patients. There is growing evidence suggesting that disruption of the intestinal mucosal barrier in IBD is associated with the translocation of microbial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and other endotoxins into the bloodstream, which might induce a pro-inflammatory cytokines response that can lead to endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis and acute cardiovascular events. Therefore, it is considered that the long-term inflammation process in IBD patients, similar to other chronic inflammatory diseases, may lead to IHD risk. The main cardiovascular risk factors, including high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, diabetes, smoking, and obesity, should be checked in all patients with IBD, and followed by strategies to reduce and manage early aggression. IBD activity is an important risk factor for acute cardiovascular events, and optimizing therapy for IBD patients should be followed as recommended in current guidelines, especially during active flares. Large long-term prospective studies, new biomarkers and scores are warranted to an optimal management of IHD risk in IBD patients.

Liver-side of inflammatory bowel diseases: Hepatobiliary and drug-induced disorders

Hepatobiliary disorders are among the most common extraintestinal manifestations in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), both in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC), and therefore represent a diagnostic challenge. Immune-mediated conditions include primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) as the main form, variant forms of PSC (namely small-duct PSC, PSC-autoimmune hepatitis overlap syndrome and IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis) and granulomatous hepatitis. PSC is by far the most common, presenting in up to 8% of IBD patients, more frequently in UC. Several genetic foci have been identified, but environmental factors are preponderant on disease pathogenesis. The course of the two diseases is typically independent. PSC diagnosis is based mostly on typical radiological findings and exclusion of secondary cholangiopathies. Risk of cholangiocarcinoma is significantly increased in PSC, as well as the risk of colorectal cancer in patients with PSC and IBD-related colitis. No disease-modifying drugs are approved to date. Thus, PSC management is directed against symptoms and complications and includes medical therapies for pruritus, endoscopic treatment of biliary stenosis and liver transplant for end-stage liver disease. Other non-immune-mediated hepatobiliary disorders are gallstone disease, whose incidence is higher in IBD and reported in up to one third of IBD patients, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, pyogenic liver abscess and portal vein thrombosis. Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is an important issue in IBD, since most IBD therapies may cause liver toxicity; however, the incidence of serious adverse events is low. Thiopurines and methotrexate are the most associated with DILI, while the risk related to anti-tumor necrosis factor-α and anti-integrins is low. Data on hepatotoxicity of newer drugs approved for IBD, like anti-interleukin 12/23 and tofacitinib, are still scarce, but the evidence from other rheumatic diseases is reassuring. Hepatitis B reactivation during immunosuppressive therapy is a major concern in IBD, and adequate screening and vaccination is warranted. On the other hand, hepatitis C reactivation does not seem to be a real risk, and hepatitis C antiviral treatment does not influence IBD natural history. The approach to an IBD patient with abnormal liver function tests is complex due to the wide range of differential diagnosis, but it is of paramount importance to make a quick and accurate diagnosis, as it may influence the therapeutic management.