Impact of biologic therapies on risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with psoriasis: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Concerns have been raised regarding an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) (myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident or cardiovascular death) in patients treated with anti-interleukin (IL)-12/23 agents for moderate-to-severe psoriasis. We aimed to examine the risk of MACEs in adult patients with plaque psoriasis that are exposed to biologic therapies via a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Data were obtained from systematic searches in the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE and Embase, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, European Medicines Agency, individual pharmaceutical companies online search platforms and five trials registers (up to 31 March 2016). We selected RCTs reporting adverse events in adults with plaque psoriasis receiving at least one licensed dose of biologic therapy, conventional systematic therapy or placebo. We calculated Peto odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and calculated I² statistics to assess heterogeneity. Overall, 38 RCTs involving 18 024 patients were included. No MACEs were observed in 29 studies, while nine RCTs reported 10 patients experiencing MACEs. There was no statistically significant difference in risk of MACEs associated with the use of biologic therapies overall (OR 1·45, 95% CI 0·34-6·24); tumour necrosis factor-α inhibitors (adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab) (OR 0·67, 95% CI 0·10-4·63); anti-IL-17A agents (secukinumab and ixekizumab) (OR 1·00, 95% CI 0·09-11·09) or ustekinumab (OR 4·48, 95% CI 0·24-84·77). No heterogeneity was observed in these comparisons. In conclusion, the limited existing evidence suggests that licensed biologic therapies are not associated with MACEs during the short randomized controlled periods in clinical trials.