Immunosuppressive drugs for nontransplant comorbidities are not associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm growth
Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCUAbstract
Background: In the present study, we examined the association of immunosuppressant drug prescriptions with the growth of small abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). Methods: Participants with an AAA measuring between 30 and 50 mm were recruited from four Australian centers. AAA growth was monitored by ultrasound. The immunosuppressant drugs included conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (eg, methotrexate, sulfasalazine, leflunomide), steroids, hydroxychloroquine, other immunosuppressant drugs (eg, cyclosporine, azacitidine), or a combination of these drugs. Linear mixed effects modeling was performed to examine the independent association of an immunosuppressant prescription with AAA growth. A subanalysis examined the association of steroids with AAA growth. Results: Of the 621 patients, 34 (5.3%) had been prescribed at least one (n = 26) or more (n = 8) immunosuppressant drug and had been followed up for a median period of 2.1 years (interquartile range, 1.1-3.5 years), with a median of three ultrasound scans (interquartile range, two to five ultrasound scans). No significant difference was found in AAA growth when stratified by a prescription of immunosuppressant drugs on either unadjusted (mean difference, 0.2 mm/y; 95% confidence interval [CI], −0.4 to 0.7; P =.589) or risk factor-adjusted (mean difference, 0.2 mm/y; 95% CI, −0.3 to 0.7; P =.369) analyses. The findings were similar for the unadjusted (mean difference, 0.0 mm/y; 95% CI, −0.7 to 0.7; P =.980) and risk factor-adjusted (mean difference, 0.1 mm/y; 95% CI, −0.6 to 0.7; P =.886) subanalyses focused on steroid use. Conclusions: The results from this study suggest that AAA growth is not affected by immunosuppressant drug prescription. Studies with larger sample sizes are needed before reliable conclusions can be drawn.
Journal
JVS: Vascular Science
Publication Name
N/A
Volume
3
ISBN/ISSN
2666-3503
Edition
N/A
Issue
N/A
Pages Count
8
Location
N/A
Publisher
Elsevier
Publisher Url
N/A
Publisher Location
N/A
Publish Date
N/A
Url
N/A
Date
N/A
EISSN
N/A
DOI
10.1016/j.jvssci.2022.07.002