Increased arterial stiffness in inflammatory bowel diseases is dependent upon inflammation and reduced by immunomodulatory drugs

Abstract Background Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are associated with an increased cardiovascular risk that is not fully explained by traditional cardiovascular risk factors but may be due to inflammation and mediated by an increased arterial stiffness. Aims: Study 1, to investigate the relationship between inflammation and arterial stiffening; Study 2, to look whether aortic stiffening is reduced by immunomodulatory therapy in IBD. Methods Study 1 (Cross-sectional study): pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured in 74 IBD subjects (40 ulcerative colitis and 34 Crohn's disease) and 80 matched controls. Study 2 (Longitudinal study): the effect of therapy on PWV was measured at baseline and 3.4 ± 0.5 years later in 14 IBD subjects treated only with salicylates, 11 subjects treated with steroids and azathioprine, 7 subjects treated with anti TNF-alpha and 30 matched controls. Results Study 1: All parameters were comparable between subjects with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Compared to controls, subjects with ulcerative colitis and those with Crohn's disease have both higher carotid-femoral PWV (7.0 ± 1.1, 7.8 ± 1.7 and 8.0 ± 1.6 m/s, respectively; P P Conclusion Increased arterial stiffness in IBD is dependent upon inflammation and reduced by immunomodulatory drugs.