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Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
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Abdominal aortic calcification in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: does anti-tumor necrosis factor α use

Aikaterini Mantaka1,2, Nikolaos Galanakis3, Dimitrios Tsetis1,3

  • 1Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.

Intestinal Research
|August 5, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Over a third of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients show moderate-severe abdominal aortic calcium (AAC) deposition. Anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) therapy may protect against atherosclerosis in IBD patients.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Gastroenterology
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Abdominal aortic calcium (AAC) is a marker for early atherosclerosis.
  • No prior studies evaluated AAC in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate AAC deposition in IBD patients.
  • To correlate AAC with IBD characteristics and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors.

Main Methods:

  • AAC quantified via CT or enterography in 98 IBD patients and matched controls.
  • Correlations assessed with IBD features, disease activity, labs, and CVD risk factors.

Main Results:

  • Moderate-severe AAC found in 35.7% of IBD patients vs. 30.6% of controls.
  • IBD with CVD and ulcerative colitis showed higher severe atherosclerotic lesions.
  • Extensive disease and lifetime steroid use were independent AAC risk factors in non-CVD IBD patients.
  • Anti-TNF-α use was negatively associated with AAC in non-CVD IBD patients.

Conclusions:

  • Over one-third of IBD patients exhibit moderate-severe AAC.
  • Anti-TNF-α agents may offer protection against AAC deposition and atherosclerosis in IBD.
Abstract

Keywords:
Abdominal aortic calciumAtherosclerosisColitis, ulcerativeCrohn diseaseTumor necrosis factor-alpha

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