Spondyloarthritis & psoriatic arthritis
Epicardial fat as a cardiovascular risk factor in inflammatory arthritis
Authors' conclusion
Higher EFV in SpA and its association with inflammatory markers and coronary atherosclerosis highlight the increased CV risk in this population.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthritis (SpA), including AS and PsA)
- Exposure
- SpA vs RA
- RAn = 114reference
- Outcome
- Epicardial fat volume (EFV) assessed from CACS CT scans
Methodological detailsregression models adjusted for age, sex and Framingham risk score (FRS)
- Regression models adjusted for age, sex and FRS
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
EFV
β
18.3
95% CI 5.5–31.1P = 0.004
adjusted for age and sex
β
17.4
95% CI 5.8–28.9
adjusted for FRS
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Association of high sensitivity CRP with epicardial fat volume (EFV)
- β adjusted for FRS
- 0.97 (95% CI 0.39-1.56)
Association of arthritis clinical disease activity indices with EFV
- No similar association was found between individual arthritis-clinical disease activity indices and EFV
Association of coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) with EFV (only atherosclerotic marker associated)
- β adjusted for FRS
- 0.02 (95% CI 0.01-0.05)
Original publication
Epicardial fat as a cardiovascular risk factor in inflammatory arthritis. Semin Arthritis Rheum. Published 19 April 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →