Cardiovascular Risk in Systemic Inflammatory Arthritis

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology and Cardiology
• Immunology and Inflammation
• Public Health and Epidemiology

Background:

• Growing body of literature addresses cardiovascular (CV) disease in systemic inflammatory arthritis (SIA).
• Key SIA subtypes discussed include rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).
• Focus areas encompass CV involvement, risk stratification, management strategies, and treatment modalities.

Discussion:

• SIA pathogenesis contributes to accelerated atherosclerosis and increased CV morbidity/mortality.
• Inflammation is a shared pathway linking SIA and CV disease.
• Comorbidities common in SIA, such as hypertension and dyslipidemia, exacerbate CV risk.

Key Insights:

• Patients with SIA exhibit a significantly higher risk of CV events compared to the general population.
• Multidisciplinary approaches are essential for comprehensive CV risk assessment and management in SIA.
• Emerging evidence supports the role of targeted therapies in mitigating CV risk in SIA.

Outlook:

• Further research is needed to elucidate specific CV risk factors and develop tailored prevention strategies for different SIA subtypes.
• Longitudinal studies are crucial to evaluate the long-term impact of novel treatments on CV outcomes.
• Integration of CV screening into routine SIA care pathways is recommended.