CARTIZ Registry to map Tirzepatide's impact on cartilage, cardiac, and metabolic health

The global prevalence of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and metabolic syndrome continues to rise, driving a parallel increase in associated comorbidities like osteoarthritis (OA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) including heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and coronary artery disease (CAD). Traditional treatments often manage individual symptoms but fail to address the underlying metabolic dysfunction contributing to this complex interplay, particularly the VAT-Articular-Cardiac-Aging Axis. There's a critical need to understand how novel metabolic therapies, such as GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonists, might influence these interconnected pathologies beyond glycemic control and weight loss, specifically regarding cartilage health and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), which is a key local inflammatory and metabolic driver in cardiac disease.

The CARTIZ registry is a prospective observational multi-institutional study enrolling an estimated 30 adults in Mexico already receiving tirzepatide for independent clinical indications. Participants are stratified into retrospective-prospective (existing tirzepatide users with historical data) and fully prospective cohorts. The registry documents tirzepatide exposure, with doses and intervals determined by the treating physician. Key assessments include quantitative knee cartilage T2 mapping via MRI, cardiac CT for epicardial adipose tissue radiomic phenotyping, longitudinal multi-frequency bioimpedance for body composition, and HLA stratification. A prespecified surgical tissue acquisition subcohort is also planned to provide deeper insights into tissue-level changes.