Risk of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACE) in Patients with Psoriasis

About the Project

This PhD studentship is funded by a psoriasis association research grant.

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease associated with several comorbidities, including major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), which are among the leading causes of death worldwide. Although some studies suggest that people with psoriasis have an increased risk of MACE compared with the general population, others have reported no significant association. The impact of systemic therapies, particularly biologics, on cardiovascular risk also remains uncertain.

Objectives: This project aims to address several knowledge gaps by: (1) Conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the risk of MACE in people with psoriasis; (2) Estimating the incidence and relative risk of MACE in people with psoriasis compared with the general population using the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank; (3) Estimating the incidence and relative risk of MACE among people with moderate-to-severe psoriasis treated with biologic therapies using the British Association of Dermatologists Biologics and Immunomodulators Register (BADBIR); (4) Identifying prognostic factors associated with the development of cardiovascular disease in people with psoriasis; (5) Assessing the performance of the general population cardiovascular risk prediction tool QRISK3 in people with psoriasis; (6) Developing and externally validating an extended version of QRISK3 tailored for people with psoriasis, using BADBIR for model development and the SAIL Databank for external validation.

Methods

Study 1: A systematic review and meta-analysis will synthesise the available peer-reviewed literature on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in people with psoriasis, incorporating evidence from both observational studies and randomised controlled trials.

Study 2: A population-based study using the SAIL Databank will evaluate the incidence and risk of fatal and non-fatal MACE in people with psoriasis.

Study 3: A prospective cohort study using BADBIR will evaluate the incidence and risk of MACE, as well as the long-term cardiovascular safety of biologic treatments for psoriasis. Advanced statistical methods will be used to address biases commonly encountered in observational studies, including propensity score methods, competing risk analyses, and multiple imputation using chained equations.

Study 4: This prediction study will evaluate the performance of an existing CVD risk prediction model and assess the benefit of extending it for use in people with psoriasis.

Funding Notes

The Psoriasis Association PhD Studentship will commence in October 2026 and is funded for three years. The award covers UK tuition fees and provides an annual stipend in line with UKRI rates, with total funding of £100,000 (£33,334 in year one and £33,333 in years two and three).

Environment

The PhD student will join a thriving research environment within the Division for Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Sciences.

Applicants are expected to hold (or about to obtain) a minimum upper second class undergraduate honours degree (or equivalent) in either Statistics, Medicine, Pharmacy. A Masters degree in a relevant subject and/or experience in Epidemiology / Biostatistics / Pharmacoepidemiology / Public Health is desirable.