scholarly journals Vascular Function and Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis: the Role of Physical Activity

2010 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
George S. Metsios ◽  
Antonios Stavropoulos Kalinoglou ◽  
Aamer Sandoo ◽  
Jet J.C.S. Veldhuijzen van Zanten ◽  
Tracey E. Toms ◽  
...  

Inflammation disturbs biochemical pathways involved in homeostasis of the endothelium. Research has established clear links between inflammatory mediators, particularly C-reactive protein and tumour necrosis factor alpha, endothelial dysfunction, and atherosclerosis. Endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis may be subclinical at early stages, and thus the ability to detect them with non-invasive techniques is crucially important, particularly in populations at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, such as those with rheumatoid arthritis. This may allow the identification of interventions that may reverse these processes early on. One of the best non-pharmacological interventions that may achieve this is physical activity. This review explores the associations between inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and atherosclerosis and discusses the role of exercise in blocking specific pathways in the inflammation, endothelial dysfunction - atherosclerosis network.

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Varvara L. Мarchuk ◽  
Nickolai V. Sobotyuk ◽  
Sergei V. Bochantsev

The review analyzes the role of chronic inflammatory diseases in the induction of endothelial dysfunction as a factor in the acceleration of atherosclerotic changes in the cardiovascular system. The importance of non-invasive techniques for evaluating endothelial dysfunction to detect preclinical atherosclerotic changes in children and adolescents with rheumatic was discussed. It is postulated that the detection of early signs of endothelial dysfunction in children and adolescents with rheumatic diseases, along with traditional risk factors, should become an integral part of the strategy for preventing adverse cardiovascular events in subsequent age periods.


RMD Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. e001102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mette Holland-Fischer ◽  
Reimar W Thomsen ◽  
Ulrik Tarp ◽  
Mette Nørgaard

ObjectivePatients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) experience an increased risk of infections, but the prognosis of infections is unclear. We examined if patients with RA have worse outcomes from pneumonia than non-RA individuals.MethodsIn a population-based cohort study, we computed 90-day mortality rates and crude and adjusted HRs comparing pneumonia patients with and without RA. Among patients with RA, we evaluated prognostic effects of RA medications including prednisolone and disease activity as assessed by C reactive protein (CRP) or platelet levels measured 30–180 days before admission to avoid any influence from the subsequent infection.ResultsAmong 52 577 patients hospitalised for the first time with pneumonia, 1220 (2.3%) had RA. The 90-day mortality was 19.9% for patients with RA and 18.9% for non-RA patients (adjusted 90-day HR of 1.05 (95% CI 0.92 to 1.19)). Compared with CRP levels <8 mg/L, CRP levels ≥20 mg/L predicted increased mortality in patients with RA with adjusted 90-day HRs of 4.98 (95% CI 2.19 to 11.36). Compared with methotrexate monotherapy, both prednisolone (HR 1.43 (95% CI 0.91 to 2.22)) and no RA therapy (HR 1.35 (95% CI 0.85 to 2.14)) tended to increase 90-day mortality. Compared with patients who used prednisolone and had low CRP levels, high CRP predicted increased mortality both in patients who used prednisolone (HR 3.09, 95% CI 1.25 to 7.65) and those who did not (HR 2.35, 95% CI 0.94 to 5.87).ConclusionsOverall, RA does not increase mortality following hospitalisation for pneumonia. However, high RA disease activity prior to admission predicts increased pneumonia mortality in patients regardless of prednisolone use.


2010 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
George S. Metsios ◽  
Antonios Stavropoulos-Kalinoglou ◽  
Aamer Sandoo ◽  
Jet J.C.S.Veldhuijzen van Zanten ◽  
Tracey E. Toms ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nashwan S. Albabawaty ◽  
Ali Y. Majid ◽  
Mohammed H. Alosami ◽  
Halla G. Mahmood

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (32) ◽  
pp. 3915-3927 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Ballestri ◽  
Claudio Tana ◽  
Maria Di Girolamo ◽  
Maria Cristina Fontana ◽  
Mariano Capitelli ◽  
...  

: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) embraces histopathological entities ranging from the relatively benign simple steatosis to the progressive form nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is associated with fibrosis and an increased risk of progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. NAFLD is the most common liver disease and is associated with extrahepatic comorbidities including a major cardiovascular disease burden. : The non-invasive diagnosis of NAFLD and the identification of subjects at risk of progressive liver disease and cardio-metabolic complications are key in implementing personalized treatment schedules and follow-up strategies. : In this review, we highlight the potential role of ultrasound semiquantitative scores for detecting and assessing steatosis severity, progression of NAFLD, and cardio-metabolic risk. : Ultrasonographic scores of fatty liver severity act as sensors of cardio-metabolic health and may assist in selecting patients to submit to second-line non-invasive imaging techniques and/or liver biopsy.


Author(s):  
Raffaella Bianucci ◽  
Rosa Boano ◽  
Gino Carnazza ◽  
Rudy Lallo ◽  
Grazia Mattutino ◽  
...  

Mummy 527 B* belongs to the “Giovanni Marro” Egyptian Collection of the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography of the University of Turin. This mummy of a oneyear- old pre-dynastic child was found in Gebelein in 1935 in a small necropolis discovered during excavations of the “Missione Archeologica Italiana” led by G. Farina, the new Director of the Egyptian Museum of Turin, with the participation of Prof. G. Marro as anthropologist. A whole body spiral CT scan with thin slices (1,00 mm thickness, 0,5 mm reconstruction interval) was followed by multiplanar and 3D reconstruction. The aim was to evaluate the child’s age at death and the presence of lethal pathologies. This study confirms the fundamental role of non-invasive techniques in the study of such rare pre-dynastic specimens.


2010 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 711-716 ◽  
Author(s):  
WILL FOSTER ◽  
DAVID CARRUTHERS ◽  
GREGORY Y.H. LIP ◽  
ANDREW D. BLANN

Objective.To determine whether abnormalities in microvascular and macrovascular function in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are associated with plasma markers [von Willebrand factor (VWF)] of endothelial dysfunction and inflammation [C-reactive protein (CRP)] and whether the abnormalities would be altered by treatment. Endothelial dysfunction and inflammation in RA may contribute to adverse cardiovascular events. Although endothelial dysfunction in RA has been demonstrated by altered plasma markers, the relationships with macrovascular and microvascular function are relatively unexplored.Methods.We recruited 66 patients with chronic RA, 48 community controls (CC), and 25 patients with diabetes and hypertension as a disease control group (DC). Subjects had venous blood sampled for plasma markers, and underwent laser Doppler perfusion imaging of forearm skin (to assess microvascular circulation) following acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside iontophoresis, to assess endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent responses, respectively. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation assessed endothelial dysfunction in a macrovascular bed. A subgroup of 29 patients with RA were assessed pretherapy and after 2–4 weeks of antirheumatic therapy.Results.As expected, patients with RA had higher CRP, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and VWF. Endothelium-independent vasoreactivity was abnormal in RA, and this correlated negatively with CRP. All aspects of microvascular function were abnormal in the DC compared to the CC. Macrovascular function was preserved in RA but was abnormal in the DC group. Four weeks of antiinflammatory therapy reduced CRP and ESR but had no effect on any vascular function index in the patients with RA.Conclusion.Patients with RA have abnormal endothelium-independent microvascular function that correlates with inflammation but is not altered by short-term antiinflammatory therapy.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takayuki Matsumoto ◽  
Rita C. Tostes ◽  
R. Clinton Webb

The endothelium plays a pivotal role in vascular homeostasis, and endothelial dysfunction is a major feature of cardiovascular diseases, such as arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis, and diabetes. Recently, uridine adenosine tetraphosphate (Up4A) has been identified as a novel and potent endothelium-derived contracting factor (EDCF). Up4A structurally contains both purine and pyrimidine moieties, which activate purinergic receptors. There is an accumulating body of evidence to show that Up4A modulates vascular function by actions on endothelial and smooth muscle cells. In this paper, we discuss the effects of Up4A on vascular function and a potential role for Up4A in cardiovascular diseases.


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