Association between Vascular Inflammation and Inflammation in Adipose Tissue, Spleen, and Bone Marrow in Patients with Psoriasis

• Main Authors: Hannah Kaiser, Amanda Kvist-Hansen, Martin Krakauer, Peter Michael Gørtz, Kristoffer Mads Aaris Henningsen, Xing Wang, Christine Becker, Claus Zachariae, Lone Skov, Peter Riis Hansen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
• Series: Life
• Subjects: psoriasis; cardiovascular disease; ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT; vascular inflammation; adipose tissue
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/11/4/305

Psoriasis is associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) with significant overlap of inflammatory pathways. A link between vascular inflammation and inflammation in multiple adipose tissue types, spleen, and bone marrow may exist. Therefore, we investigated these associations using ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (¹⁸F-FDG-PET/CT) in patients with psoriasis (<i>n</i> = 83) where half had established CVD. Carotid ultrasound imaging was also performed. Inflammation was measured by FDG uptake in the aorta, visceral- (VAT), subcutaneous- (SAT), and pericardial (PAT) adipose tissues, and spleen and bone marrow, respectively. Vascular inflammation was associated with FDG uptakes in all adipose tissues, including VAT (β = 0.26; <i>p</i> < 0.001), SAT (β = 0.28; <i>p</i> < 0.001), PAT (β = 0.24; <i>p</i> < 0.001), spleen (β = 1.35; <i>p</i> = 0.001), and bone marrow (β = 1.14; <i>p</i> < 0.001). Adjustments for age, sex, body mass index, and high sensitivity C-reactive protein did not change the results. These associations were generally preserved in the patients without prior CVD. No associations were observed between vascular inflammation and carotid intima-media thickness or presence of carotid plaques, respectively. The results suggest an inflammatory link between vascular and adipose tissues, spleen, and bone marrow in patients with psoriasis.