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Endothelial and Cardiac Dysfunction in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Does Treatment Modify the Inflammatory Load on
Charilaos Triantafyllou1, Maria Nikolaou1, Ignatios Ikonomidis2
1Department of Cardiology, Amalia Fleming General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Insights
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) significantly increase cardiovascular risks. However, IBD treatments may improve cardiovascular function, offering potential benefits for patients.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology and Cardiology
- Immunology and Vascular Biology
Background:
- Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), involve complex inflammation affecting gastrointestinal physiology and immunity.
- IBD is linked to arterial endothelial dysfunction, altered cardiac structure and function, accelerated arterial stiffness, atherosclerosis, and increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the association between IBD and cardiovascular dysfunction.
- To evaluate the impact of IBD treatments on cardiovascular dysfunction.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of 25 surveys (2005-2018) on IBD and CV dysfunction.
- Literature review of studies (2007-2018) on IBD treatment effects on CV dysfunction.
Main Results:
- The majority of studies confirm a significant association between IBD and impaired CV function.
- Emerging evidence suggests IBD treatments may ameliorate CV dysfunction and provide CV benefits.
Conclusions:
- IBD is strongly associated with cardiovascular dysfunction and increased CV risk.
- IBD treatments show potential for improving cardiovascular outcomes, warranting further research into their CV benefits.
Abstract:
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), largely represented by Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), alter gastrointestinal physiology and mucosal immunity through a complex inflammatory process. These diseases can lead to significant arterial endothelial dysfunction. There is also evidence linking IBD with a modification of cardiac structure and function. A growing body of research has associated IBD with an acceleration of arterial stiffness and atherosclerosis and an increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. The focus of this review is two-fold. Firstly, the literature on IBD in relation to CV dysfunction was evaluated (mainly based on 25 relevant surveys carried out between 2005 and 2018). The vast majority of these studies support a significant association of IBD with a deterioration in CV function. Secondly, the literature available regarding the effect of IBD treatment on CV dysfunction was considered based on studies published between 2007 and 2018. This literature search suggests that IBD treatment may have the potential to ameliorate CV dysfunction resulting in CV benefits. This review will analyse the literature as well as consider emerging research perspectives regarding how IBD treatment could improve CV dysfunction.
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