To assess the incidence and risk factors for heart failure (HF) in patients with psoriatic disease (PsD) and describe their electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings.
A cohort analysis was conducted involving patients with PsD followed prospectively from 1978 to 2018. Participants were assessed according to a standard protocol every 6 to 12-months. The primary outcome was the time to first event of HF, further classified into ischemic and non-ischemic HF (secondary outcomes). The association between cardiovascular risk factors, measures of disease activity and HF events was assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression. Electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings associated with HF events were described.
A total of 1994 patients with PsD were analyzed with 64 incident HF events (38 ischemic, 26 non-ischemic). The incidence rate of first HF event was 2.85 per 1000 patient years. In all events, most common electrocardiographic findings were atrial fibrillation (22%) and bundle branch blocks (29%). Echocardiogram revealed 37% reduced ejection fraction and 63% preserved ejection fraction. In multivariable analysis, independent risk factors for all HF events were ischemic heart disease, adjusted mean (AM)-tender joint count, AM-swollen joint count, AM-erythrocyte sedimentation rate, AM-C-reactive protein, and physical function (by health assessment questionnaire) (all p<0.05). Minimal disease activity state was protective for all HF (p<0.05).
Increased risk of HF is associated with a combination of known cardiovascular risk factors and measures of disease activity, particularly in non-ischemic HF. The effect of inflammation on HF may be partially independent of atherosclerotic disease.