The Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors class of drugs disrupt intracellular signalling. While initially developed for rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, they have also become an important therapy for the treatment of inflammatory-driven conditions such as Crohn’s disease and atopic eczema.
Though it has been recognised for some time that rheumatoid arthritis itself increases the risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), a recent post-marketing study found that JAK inhibitor use also increases the risk of MACE when used in rheumatoid arthritis.
Whether this elevated risk also applies to patients with atopic eczema prescribed a JAK inhibitor is uncertain but possible, given the likely association between the condition and MACE. A recent meta-analysis examined whether or not the use of these drugs in patients with atopic eczema increased the risk of MACE and, together with advice from the European Medicines Agency, provides a framework for prescribing these drugs in patients at an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events.
Read a full analysis of the links between JAK inhibitors and MACE in rheumatoid arthritis and atopic eczema, and explore the latest evidence, on our sister site Hospital Healthcare Europe.
