Atopic eczema linked to cardiovascular disease risk

The evidence in favor of a link between chronic inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and cardiovascular disease is growing. However, there are conflicting data and some of the uncertainty may be a result of a dose-response effect, where the increased cardiovascular risk is seen only in people with more severe disease.

This study and its finding of increased cardiovascular risk in patients with severe or more active eczema supports the case for targeted screening of this group for standard cardiovascular disease risk factors. It also could prompt incorporation of severe eczema as an independent cardiovascular disease risk factor in calculation of thresholds for primary prevention interventions.

The findings also may have implications for health care resources allocated to treatment of eczema, as prevention of cardiovascular disease could contribute to the argument in favor of the more expensive next-generation biologic treatments for eczema that are becoming available.

John R. Ingram, MD, is senior lecturer and consultant dermatologist, dermatology and academic wound healing in the division of infection and immunity at Cardiff (U.K.) University. These comments are taken from an accompanying editorial No conflicts of interest were declared. (BMJ. 2018 May 23. doi: 10.1136/bmj.k2064).