Over the last several years a significant literature has developed regarding the association between psoriasis and cardiovascular disease. The link between these two conditions is assumed to involve chronic inflammation but may also include other genetic and/or environmental factors. Now in this article we see another chronic inflammatory condition, moderate to severe AD, associated with the development of cardiovascular disease. If this association is validated through further studies, it will be of significant importance for our patients. From a causal perspective, it is especially notable that the association is higher with more severe disease, with its higher levels of inflammation in the skin.

Key Takeaways
• Source: PLOS ONE
• Conclusions/Relevance: “Among patients with moderate-to-severe AD in an integrated health care system, IRs [incidence rates] per 1000 person-years were highest for MACE (2.6), followed by VTE (2.0), DVT (1.6), and PE (0.7). IRs were higher for older versus younger patients, patients with diabetes versus patients without, former smokers versus patients who had never smoked, and men versus women, except for PE, which was higher in women.”
• The IRs of cardiovascular events in patients aged 12 years or older with moderate-to-severe AD remains to be elucidated, although AD patients have been shown to be at increased CV risk. In this retrospective study, U.S. investigators explored this topic in a cohort of Kaiser Permanente Northern California patients.
• One limitation of the current study includes a paucity of some risk-stratification variables, including smoking status, BMI, and race. Another limitation is the extrapolation of these results to other populations because of the inclusion/exclusion criteria applied.