Preclinical atherosclerosis in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases: a case-control study

Abstract

Background: An independent role of chronic inflammation in the atherosclerotic process in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) has been suggested, but data are still contentious. We assessed preclinical atherosclerosis in the IBD patients without traditional risk factors. Methods:In this case-control study we assessed the early atherosclerotic alterations by carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) measurement in IBD patients and matched controls. The normal CIMT values were ≤0.9 mm; moderate thickness when >0.9 and ≤1.2 mm, and pre-clinical atherosclerosis when >1.2 mm. We selected a homogeneous group of IBD patients, all in ongoing biologic therapy, without any traditional risk factor for atherosclerosis as well as controls. Conclusions: This case-control study found that the atherosclerotic process is not more apparent in IBD patients without traditional risk factors.

Endothelial Dysfunction and Arterial Stiffness in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…In 23 studies with 1367 IBD patients and 1127 matched controls [ 13 , 25 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 ], cIMT was found to be significantly increased in patients with IBD compared with the matched controls (Cohen’s d: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.34, 0.93; p < 0.01, Figure 2 A). However, the heterogeneity among the studies was significant (I 2 = 91.84%; p < 0.01).…”

“…The following supporting information can be downloaded at: , Table S1: Participant characteristics of included studies; Table S2: Measures of disease activity and data on treatment in patients with IBD of included studies; Table S3: Outcomes of patients with IBD and Controls in included studies; Figure S1: Funnel plot of publication bias of cIMT, cfPWV, and FMD. References [ 13 , 14 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 ] are cited in the supplementary materials.…”