Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring is strongly associated with cardiovascular (CV) events among the general population; however, its prognostic value among individuals with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) is not well characterized. OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:This study aims to assess the prevalence of CAC derived from routine chest computed tomography (CT) using a validated artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm and its association with adverse CV events among those with IMIDs. METHODS:The authors studied a retrospective cohort of all patients 40 to 70 years of age with a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, or psoriatic disease, and no prior atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease who underwent chest CT at 2 medical centers in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, from 2000 to 2023 as part of routine care. The presence and severity of CAC was determined using a validated AI methodology. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to assess the association of CAC-AI categories (CAC-AI = 0, CAC-AI = 1-99, and CAC-AI ≥100) with all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (nonfatal myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, nonfatal stroke, or CV mortality). All models were adjusted for age, sex, and traditional CV risk factors. RESULTS:In total, 2,546 individuals with IMIDs (median age 59 years [Q1-Q3: 53-65 years]; 1,694 [66.5%] women) were included with a median follow-up of 8.1 years. Among this cohort, 53% had CAC-AI >0 while only 6.0% were on a statin. A low burden of CAC (CAC-AI = 1-99) was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted HR: 1.41; P = 0.010) and MACE (adjusted HR: 2.05; P < 0.001) with even greater risk observed among individuals with CAC-AI ≥100 (adjusted HR: 2.45; P < 0.001) and MACE (adjusted HR: 3.24; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS:Among those with IMIDs, incidental CAC-AI was highly prevalent and significantly associated with both all-cause mortality and MACE. These findings suggest that CAC-AI may provide important prognostic information, allowing for improved risk stratification and treatment within an already high-risk and undertreated population.

BACKGROUND:Recurrent pericarditis (RP) guidelines recommend second-line corticosteroids after aspirin/nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs/colchicine, but complications of protracted use underscore the importance of corticosteroid-sparing strategies. OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:Given clinical trial evidence supporting interleukin (IL)-1 pathway inhibition and US Food and Drug Administration approval of rilonacept in RP, the objective was to assess temporal trends in corticosteroid-sparing treatment of RP in a multicenter registry. METHODS:RESONANCE (REgiStry Of the NAtural history of recurreNt periCarditis in pEdiatric and adult patients; NCT04687358) combines retrospective and prospective data from clinical practice into a single observation period. Patients receiving treatment for idiopathic and postprocedural RP were included. Demographics and treatment intensifications were quantified. RESULTS:Of 313 patients with aspirin/nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs/colchicine treatment (median disease duration 1.9 years; 1 preenrollment recurrence), 44% (n = 138) intensified treatment. Before rilonacept approval in RP, 71% (n = 10) of patients intensified to corticosteroids for second-line therapy, and 29% (n = 4) intensified to IL-1 pathway inhibition. After rilonacept approval, the proportion of patients intensifying to second-line IL-1 pathway inhibition increased to 64% by 2023 (n = 27; rilonacept: 57%, anakinra: 7%), whereas the proportion of patients intensifying to corticosteroids decreased to 33% (n = 14), P = 0.02. Approximately 59% (n = 35) of second-line corticosteroid initiators later transitioned to IL-1 pathway inhibition. In patients starting second-line IL-1 pathway inhibition, 5% (n = 3, rilonacept) and 25% (n = 4, anakinra) subsequently used corticosteroids for >30 days. CONCLUSIONS:In RESONANCE, IL-1 pathway inhibition increasingly replaced corticosteroids as second-line therapy. Most patients starting corticosteroids transitioned to IL-1 pathway inhibition; few transitioned from second-line IL-1 pathway inhibition to long-term corticosteroids. These findings may inform treatment algorithms and patient-provider decision-making.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW/OBJECTIVE:Psoriasis is an immune-mediated pro-inflammatory skin condition that is associated with an increase in risk factors for cardiovascular disease, risk of ischemic heart disease, and cardiovascular death. Despite this, traditional modifiable atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk factors are underdiagnosed and undertreated in patients with psoriasis. RECENT FINDINGS/RESULTS:At a cellular level, psoriasis and atherosclerosis are driven by a host of shared inflammatory pathways, such as pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF, IL-6), immune cells, and platelets which act synergistically to drive endothelial damage and atherosclerosis progression. SUMMARY/CONCLUSIONS:Optimal prevention of cardiovascular disease in psoriasis centers around modifying known risk factors for the development of ASCVD and emerging data highlight the promise of treating inflammation to further decrease the risk of ASCVD.

Patients with psoriasis (PsO) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are at significantly increased risk for cardiovascular (CV) disease, attributed to chronic systemic inflammation and a high burden of cardiometabolic comorbidities. Despite this, CV risk factors in this population are frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated. This consensus document, developed by the Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Clinics Multicenter Advancement Network (PPACMAN), provides practical recommendations for dermatologists, rheumatologists, and primary care physicians to improve CV risk assessment and management in PsO and PsA. Key recommendations include conducting baseline CV risk assessments at diagnosis-particularly for patients with moderate-to-severe PsO, PsA, or those requiring biologic therapy-and routine screening for hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. The use of biomarkers such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and lipoprotein(a) may help refine risk stratification. Patients at elevated risk should be referred to their primary care provider or a cardiologist for further evaluation and may require additional imaging, including coronary artery calcium scoring. Lifestyle counseling on diet, exercise, weight management, and smoking cessation is essential. Pharmacologic strategies, such as earlier initiation of statins and consideration of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, are encouraged when clinically appropriate. Systemic inflammation should be reduced using anti-inflammatory therapies, although outcome data remain mixed. Clinicians must carefully assess the risks and benefits of NSAIDs, corticosteroids, and Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors. This document aims to bridge existing gaps in interdisciplinary care and facilitate earlier, more aggressive CV risk management in psoriatic disease, aligning with current cardiology and dermatology guidelines to reduce morbidity and mortality.