Cardiovascular involvement in systemic autoimmune diseases

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Cardiology
• Immunology

Background:

• Autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and systemic vasculitis significantly increase cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
• CVD in these patients involves accelerated atherosclerosis, often presenting earlier and asymptomatically compared to the general population.
• Specific risk factors include chronic inflammation, disease activity/duration, and immunosuppressive therapies, alongside traditional CVD risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the significant burden of cardiovascular disease in patients with autoimmune conditions.
• To discuss the unique risk factors contributing to accelerated atherosclerosis in this population.
• To review current diagnostic approaches for cardiovascular involvement, emphasizing early, subclinical detection.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of cardiovascular complications in autoimmune diseases.
• Analysis of traditional and specific risk factors for atherosclerosis in RA, SLE, APS, systemic sclerosis, and vasculitis.
• Comparison of diagnostic modalities for coronary stenosis and microcirculation abnormalities.

Main Results:

• Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in autoimmune disease patients.
• Accelerated atherosclerosis occurs at a younger age and may be asymptomatic.
• Early cardiovascular involvement may manifest as silent microcirculation disorders.

Conclusions:

• Patients with autoimmune diseases face a heightened risk of premature and often asymptomatic cardiovascular disease.
• Early detection of subclinical microcirculation abnormalities is essential for timely intervention.
• Integrating advanced non-invasive methods alongside traditional diagnostics improves cardiovascular risk assessment in autoimmune populations.