Certain biologics for psoriasis may reduce cardiometabolic burden

In the treatment of patients with psoriasis, use of certain biologic drugs appears to reduce aortic vascular inflammation and cardiometabolic risk biomarkers, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin (IL)-6, according to a study.

Researchers performed a meta-analysis of studies investigating the effect of licensed biologic therapies on imaging and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in patients with psoriasis. Of the five studies included in the final examination, two were retained for the meta-analysis.

Compared with placebo, adalimumab conferred no significant benefit for aortic vascular inflammation at weeks 12–16. Likewise, both adalimumab and secukinumab showed no beneficial effect on imaging biomarkers (aortic vascular inflammation or flow mediated dilatation) relative to placebo. The only exception was ustekinumab, which produced a reduction in aortic vascular inflammation at week 12 but not at week 52 after the open-label extension period.

Meanwhile, the strongest reduction in blood-based cardiometabolic risk biomarkers was seen with adalimumab (CRP, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, IL-6, and glycoprotein acetylation) and phototherapy (CRP and IL-6) when compared with placebo.

The surrogate marker findings demonstrate that ustekinumab lowers aortic vascular inflammation, while tumour necrosis factor inhibitor and phototherapy induce CRP and IL-6 decline. Additional randomized controlled trials evaluating cardiovascular events are warranted to inform clinical practice.