Cardiovascular Risk Increased in Psoriatic Arthritis

Individuals with psoriatric arthritis (PsA) have approximately the same increased cardiovascular risk as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, according to a literature review by researchers in the Netherlands.

Their analysis of 28 relevant articles published between 1966 and 2011 led to the conclusion that, compared to controls, people with PsA are significantly more likely to show surrogate markers of cardiovascular risk including subclinical atherosclerosis, arterial stiffness, and indicators of metabolic syndrome such as obesity and dyslipidemia.

This suggests that physicians should be as vigilant for cardiovascular risk in patients with PsA as they are with their patients who have RA. Whether reducing these risk factors or suppressing inflammation will modify cardiovascular risk remains to be determined.