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. 2023 Mar 28:103:adv5087.
doi: 10.2340/actadv.v103.5087.

Cardiovascular Screening Practices and Statin Prescription Habits in Patients with Psoriasis among Dermatologists, Rheumatologists and Primary Care Physicians

Emilio Berna-Rico #  1 , Carlota Abbad-Jaime de Aragon #  1 , Angel Garcia-Aparicio  2 , David Palacios-Martinez  3 , Asuncion Ballester-Martinez  1 , Jose-M Carrascosa  4 , Pablo De la Cueva  5 , Cristina Anton  6 , Carlos Azcarraga-Llobet  1 , Emilio Garcia-Mouronte  1 , Belen De Nicolas-Ruanes  1 , Lluis Puig  7 , Pedro Jaen  1 , Nehal N Mehta  8 , Joel M Gelfand  9 , Alvaro Gonzalez-Cantero  10
Affiliations

Cardiovascular Screening Practices and Statin Prescription Habits in Patients with Psoriasis among Dermatologists, Rheumatologists and Primary Care Physicians

Emilio Berna-Rico et al. Acta Derm Venereol. .

Abstract

Patients with psoriasis have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. This study evaluated cardiovascular screening practices and statin prescribing habits among dermatologists, rheumatologists and primary care physicians (PCPs) through an online questionnaire, which was distributed through the Spanish scientific societies of the above-mentioned specialties. A total of 299 physicians (103 dermatologists, 94 rheumatologists and 102 PCPs) responded to the questionnaire. Of these, 74.6% reported screening for smoking, 37.8% for hypertension, 80.3% for dyslipidaemia, and 79.6% for diabetes mellitus. Notably, only 28.4% performed global screening, defined as screening for smoking, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, and diabetes mellitus by the same physician, and 24.4% reported calculating 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, probably reflecting a lack of comprehensive cardiovascular risk assessment in these patients. This study also identified unmet needs for awareness of cardiovascular comorbidities in psoriasis and corresponding screening and treatment recommendations among PCPs. Of PCPs, 61.2% reported not being aware of the association between psoriasis and CVD and/or not being aware of its screening recommendations, and 67.6% did not consider psoriasis as a risk-enhancing factor when deciding on statin prescription. Thirteen dermatologists (12.6%) and 35 rheumatologists (37.2%) reported prescribing statins. Among those who do not prescribe, 49.7% would be willing to start their prescription.

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Conflict of interest statement

PdlC received consultancy/speaker’s honoraria from and/or participated in clinical trials sponsored by Abbvie, Almirall, Astellas, Biogen, Boehringer, Celgene, Janssen., LEO Pharma, Lilly, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi and UCB, not related with the submitted work. LP received consultancy/speaker’s honoraria from and/or participated in clinical trials sponsored by Abbvie, Almirall, Amgen, Biogen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Janssen, Leo-Pharma, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Sandoz, Sanofi, and UCB. NNM is a full-time US government employee and has served as a consultant for Amgen, Eli Lilly, and Leo Pharma, receiving grants/other payments; as a principal investigator and/or investigator for AbbVie, Celgene, AstraZeneca, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Novartis, and Abcentra, receiving grants and/or research funding; and as a principal investigator for the NIH, receiving grants and/or research funding. JMG served as a consultant for Abbvie, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celldex (DSMB), FIDE (which is sponsored by multiple pharmaceutical companies) GSK, Happify, Lilly (DMC), Leo, Janssen Biologics, Neumentum, Novartis Corp, Pfizer, UCB (DSMB), Neuroderm (DSMB), Regeneron, Trevi, and Mindera Dx., receiving honoraria; and receives research grants (to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania) from Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Pfizer Inc.; and received payment for continuing medical education work related to psoriasis that was supported indirectly by pharmaceutical sponsors. Dr Gelfand is a co-patent holder of resiquimod for treatment of cutaneous T cell lymphoma. Dr Gelfand is a Deputy Editor for the Journal of Investigative Dermatology receiving honoraria from the Society for Investigative Dermatology, is Chief Medical Editor for Healio Psoriatic Disease (receiving honoraria) and is a member of the Board of Directors for the International Psoriasis Council, receiving no honoraria. AG-C has served as a consultant for Abbie, Janssen, Novartis, Lilly, Almirall, Celgene, and Leo Pharma, receiving grants/other payments.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Factors that prompt cardiovascular risk factor (CVRF) screening. Bars indicate percentage of physicians within each specialty that marked every option. PCP: primary care physician.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Reasons for not screening for cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs). Bars indicate percentage of physicians within each specialty that marked every option. PCP: primary care physician.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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