Ultrasound may help CVD risk assessment of those with skin condition

A new study published in PLOS One has shown that a carotid ultrasound improves the cardiovascular risk stratification in those who have the chronic inflammatory skin condition hidradenitis suppurative (HS), according to a recent article by Cardiovascular Business.  

The study, published Jan. 4, concluded that cardiovascular risk in HS patients may be under assessed when a traditional Framingham risk score (FRS) is used. According to Cardiovascular Business, hidradenitis suppurative (HS) affects 1 to 4 percent of the general population and contributes to an increased risk of patients developing adverse cardiovascular outcomes.  

Marcos Antonio Gonzalez-Lopez, MD, PhD, from the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital in Santander, Spain, and his colleagues tested for atherosclerotic plaques and performed carotid ultrasound on 60 HS patients without a history of having any cardiovascular complications, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.  

“These observations suggest that HS itself may be an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic (cardiovascular) disease, and support the hypothesis that, as well as in other chronic inflammatory conditions, the persistent systemic inflammation may be crucial to explain the premature and accelerated atherogenesis in this disorder,” Gonzalez-Lopez et al. wrote. 

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A recent graduate from Dominican University (IL) with a bachelor’s in journalism, Melissa joined TriMed’s Chicago team in 2017 covering all aspects of health imaging. She’s a fan of singing and playing guitar, elephants, a good cup of tea, and her golden retriever Cooper.

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