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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
A TNF inhibitor's surprising heart benefit: Adalimumab, commonly used to treat psoriasis, was linked to a significant reduction in epicardial fat — a known cardiovascular risk factor — in a new randomized controlled trial. The effect was independent of weight loss or skin disease improvement, suggesting the drug may directly target inflammatory fat around the heart.
A psoriasis treatment may do double duty for the heart. A post hoc analysis of the Vascular Inflammation in Psoriasis (VIP) trial found that adalimumab — a TNF inhibitor widely used for moderate-to-severe psoriasis — was associated with a meaningful early reduction in epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), a type of fat that sits directly on the heart's surface and is an independent risk factor for major cardiovascular events. Notably, this reduction occurred regardless of changes in weight or psoriasis severity, pointing to a potential tissue-specific anti-inflammatory effect of TNF blockade.
This is the first randomized controlled trial to show a psoriasis treatment can improve an imaging-based marker of cardiovascular risk. Psoriasis itself is an established risk factor for heart attack, making this finding especially relevant for a patient population already at elevated cardiac risk.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: For patients with psoriasis — who face heightened cardiovascular risk — adalimumab may offer a cardiometabolic benefit beyond skin clearance, potentially reshaping how clinicians think about biologic therapy selection.
