In a new study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology, scientists have found that two biomarkers predict cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in people with psoriatic disease. People with psoriatic disease, which includes psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, are more likely to develop CVD than the general population.
The study, which included 1000 adults with psoriatic disease, found that elevated blood levels of two indicators of cardiovascular health, namely, cardiac high-sensitivity troponin I (cTnI) and N-terminal pro-brain-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), were associated with higher risks of experiencing cardiovascular problems independent of traditional risk factors such as hypertension and high cholesterol.
These findings pave the way for further studies exploring the clinical potential of measuring cTnI and NT-proBNP levels in helping assess the heart health of individual patients with psoriatic disease.
“Our study provides new insights regarding the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. However, at this time, ordering tests of cardiac biomarkers is not recommended for risk stratification of asymptomatic patients with psoriatic disease,” said senior Lihi Eder, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine at Women’s College Hospital and University of Toronto.
Source: Wiley
