Cardiovascular Risk in Rheumatic Patients Treated with JAK Inhibitors: The Role of Traditional and Emerging...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Rheumatology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients have elevated cardiovascular risk despite treatments.
• Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) are used for RA and PsA, but their impact on cardiovascular risk markers needs further study.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the cardiovascular risk profile and biomarker dynamics in RA and PsA patients receiving JAKi therapy.
• To investigate lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels, a novel cardiovascular risk marker, in this patient cohort.

Main Methods:

• A 12-month prospective observational study of 48 adult RA and PsA patients on JAKis.
• Assessment of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, lipid profiles, uric acid (UA), and Lp(a) at baseline and follow-up.
• Cox regression analysis to identify predictors of non-major cardiovascular events.

Main Results:

• Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels remained stable, showing a strong correlation between baseline and 12-month measurements.
• No major cardiovascular events occurred, but 47.9% experienced non-major events (e.g., uncontrolled hypertension, angina).
• Active smoking, obesity, arterial hypertension, uric acid (UA), and total cholesterol (TC) were significant predictors of non-major cardiovascular events.

Conclusions:

• Traditional cardiovascular risk factors are prevalent and predictive in JAKi-treated RA and PsA patients, necessitating comprehensive risk management.
• Stable Lp(a) levels suggest its potential utility as a complementary biomarker for cardiovascular risk stratification in this population.