Premature atherosclerosis in systemic sclerosis patients: Its relation to disease parameters and to traditional risk factors.

To detect premature atherosclerosis in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients and its relation to disease parameters and traditional risk factors. This study included 40 SSc patients and 40 healthy age and sex matched controls. All patients were subjected to full history taking, clinical examination, relevant laboratory and radiological investigations. Doppler ultrasonography (US) of the common carotid was performed to measure intima-media thickness (ccIMT) and Doppler US of the brachial artery was performed to measure flow mediated dilatation (FMD). The mean value of ccIMT was 0.59 ± 0.2 mm in SSc patients and 0.51 ± 0.09 mm in controls and the difference was significant (P = 0.03). A statistically significant difference was found in mean brachial artery diameter before and after hyperemia, in flow change and in FMD between SSc patients and controls. ccIMT showed significant positive correlation with age, C-reactive protein (CRP), cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoprotein (P < 0.05). FMD showed significant positive correlation with daily dose of steroids (P = 0.04). Brachial artery diameter after hyperemia showed significant negative correlation with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Peak systolic velocity before ischemia showed significant positive correlation with body mass index (BMI) and significant negative correlation with insulin level. Our findings confirm the presence of premature atherosclerosis in SSc patients assessed by significant impairment of FMD, flow change and ccIMT, and it is associated with traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as age, dyslipidemia and obesity (BMI) as well as with the use of steroids and markers of inflammation such as CRP and ESR.

Sedky Abdou MM ，El Desouky SM ，Helmy El Kaffas KM ，Ahmed Hassan AM ... -  《-》

Endothelial dysfunction precedes atherosclerosis in systemic sclerosis--relevance for prevention of vascular complications.

Szucs G ，Tímár O ，Szekanecz Z ，Dér H ，Kerekes G ，Szamosi S ，Shoenfeld Y ，Szegedi G ，Soltész P ... -  《RHEUMATOLOGY》

A comparative study of arterial stiffness, flow-mediated vasodilation of the brachial artery, and the thickness of the carotid artery intima-media in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases.

Soltész P ，Dér H ，Kerekes G ，Szodoray P ，Szücs G ，Dankó K ，Shoenfeld Y ，Szegedi G ，Szekanecz Z ... -  《-》

Subclinical atherosclerosis in systemic sclerosis: Different risk profiles among patients according to clinical manifestations.

Like other autoimmune diseases, systemic sclerosis (SSc) has been described to be associated with accelerated atherosclerosis (ATS). Before clinical manifestations of cardiovascular disease (CVD) occur, subclinical ATS can be investigated in different ways. To evaluate the presence of subclinical ATS in a group of patients with SSc, and to identify different risk profiles among patients. Subclinical ATS was reviewed in 43 SSc patients and 27 healthy controls, using 2 methods: carotid ultrasound and flow mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery. Plaques were statistically more frequent in SSc patients than in controls (65% vs 30%, P = .006); intima-media thickness of common carotid artery (CCA-IMT) resulted in statistically higher (median value 0.8 mm vs 0.55 mm; P < .0001) while FMD was significantly lower (median value 9% vs 14%; P = .0086) in patients compared to healthy controls. Among the SSc patients, thickening of CCA-IMT was significantly associated with the presence of diastolic dysfunction of left ventricle (absence of diastolic dysfunction: odds ratio [OR] 0.2, 95% CI 0.04-0.92, P = .038) and with a higher Framingham score (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.03-1.6], P = .024). The diffuse cutaneous form was slightly protective against pathological FMD (OR 0.12, 95% CI 0.022-0.71, P = .019). This study confirms the involvement of macrocirculation in SSc patients, detecting the presence of subclinical ATS markers more frequently in patients compared to healthy controls. Framingham score, diastolic dysfunction of left ventricle and limited cutaneous form of the disease appeared to be associated with a higher risk of developing ATS.

Sciarra I ，Vasile M ，Carboni A ，Stefanantoni K ，Iannace N ，Angelelli C ，Scarno AG ，Valesini G ，Riccieri V ... -  《-》

[Prognostic value of brachial artery flow--mediated dilation and carotid artery intima-media thickness in hypertensive patients].

Savoiu G ，Drăgan S ，Nicola T ，Fira-Mladinescu O ，Gorun C ，Noveanu L ，Tudor A ，Muntean D ，Mihalas G ... -  《-》