Patients Taking Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs Also Developed Less New Diabetes

Decreased incidence was associated with TNF antagonists and hydroxychloroquine but not with methotrexate.

Chronic inflammatory diseases, including psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis, have been linked to increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. Psoriasis particularly has been linked to obesity, insulin resistance, and the metabolic syndrome. Evidence from small studies suggests that immunosuppressive agents used to treat inflammatory disease might moderate risk for cardiac disease.

These investigators sought an association between use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) by 13,905 patients with psoriasis or rheumatoid arthritis and risk for diabetes. They compared rates of new diabetes in groups of patients with no prior diabetes who had received one of four immunosuppressive regimens:

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, with o…

Reviewing Author

Jeffrey P. Callen, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory board XOMA; Eli Lilly; Celgene

Equity Various trust accounts

Editorial boards JAMA Dermatology; UpToDate

Leadership positions in professional societies Association of Professors of Dermatology (President-Elect)