scholarly journals Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Complex Challenge with Increased Atherosclerotic Risk

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 11
Author(s):  
Saba Ahmed ◽  
Benna Jacob ◽  
Steven E. Carsons ◽  
Joshua De Leon ◽  
Allison B. Reiss

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) carries significant risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Traditional ASCVD risk factors fail to account for this accelerated atherosclerosis. Shared inflammatory pathways are fundamental in the pathogenesis of both diseases. Considering the impact of RA in increasing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, the characterization of therapies encompassing both RA and ASCVD management merit high priority. Despite little progress, several drugs discussed here promote remission and or lower rheumatoid disease activity while simultaneously conferring some level of atheroprotection. Methotrexate, a widely used disease-modifying drug used in RA, is associated with significant reduction in cardiovascular adverse events. MTX promotes cholesterol efflux from macrophages, upregulates free radical scavenging and improves endothelial function. Likewise, the sulfonamide drug sulfasalazine positively impacts the lipid profile by increasing HDL-C, and its use in RA has been correlated with reduced risk of myocardial infraction. In the biologic class, inhibitors of TNF-α and IL-6 contribute to improvements in endothelial function and promote anti-atherogenic properties of HDL-C, respectively. The immunosuppressant hydroxychloroquine positively affects insulin sensitization and the lipid profile. While no individual therapy has elicited optimal atheroprotection, further investigation of combination therapies are ongoing.

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 265-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sinan Sarsam ◽  
Abeer Berry ◽  
George Degheim ◽  
Robby Singh ◽  
Marcel Zughaib

Objective Hyperlipidemia is an important risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Many patients are intolerant to or have limited benefit from statins. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors have been approved for treating hyperlipidemia in these patients. We sought to investigate the impact of these medications in a real-world cardiology practice. Methods This was a retrospective study of 17 patients with either heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia or established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels above the treatment target despite maximally tolerated statins. Baseline lipid profile was compared with a repeat lipid profile obtained 4 to 6 weeks after initiating treatment with a PCSK9 inhibitor. Results The average duration of PCSK9 inhibitor treatment was 10.7 months. Lipid profile comparison showed that total cholesterol decreased from 243 ± 72 to 148 ± 39 (mg/dL) (39% reduction), triglycerides decreased from 185 ± 86 to 149 ± 62 (mg/dL) (19.5% reduction), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased from 56 ± 20 to 62 ± 26 (mg/dL) (10.7% increase), and LDL-C decreased from 154 ± 30 to 57 ± 32 (mg/dL) (63% reduction) from baseline. Conclusions PCSK9 inhibitors as add-on therapy to maximally tolerated statins resulted in an approximately 63% reduction in LDL-C.


2007 ◽  
Vol 293 (4) ◽  
pp. R1666-R1670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter T. McNicholas

Considerable evidence is now available of an independent association between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and cardiovascular disease. The association is particularly strong for systemic arterial hypertension, but there is growing evidence of an association with ischemic heart disease and stroke. The mechanisms underlying cardiovascular disease in patients with OSAS are still poorly understood. However, the pathogenesis is likely to be a multifactorial process involving a diverse range of mechanisms, including sympathetic overactivity, selective activation of inflammatory molecular pathways, endothelial dysfunction, abnormal coagulation, and metabolic dysregulation, the latter particularly involving insulin resistance and disordered lipid metabolism. Therapy with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has been associated with significant benefits to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, both in short-term studies addressing specific aspects of morbidity, such as hypertension, and more recently in long-term studies that have evaluated major outcomes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, there is a clear need for further studies evaluating the impact of CPAP therapy on cardiovascular outcomes. Furthermore, studies on the impact of CPAP therapy have provided useful information concerning the role of basic cell and molecular mechanisms in the pathophysiology of OSAS.


CHEST Journal ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 156 (4) ◽  
pp. A348
Author(s):  
Ligia Puiu ◽  
Roxana Maria Nemes ◽  
Carmen Monica Pop ◽  
Emilia Tabacu ◽  
Calin Pop ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 1157-1167
Author(s):  
Zhirong Yang ◽  
Duncan Edwards ◽  
Stephen Burgess ◽  
Carol Brayne ◽  
Jonathan Mant

Background: Prior atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), including coronary heart disease (CHD) and peripheral artery disease (PAD), are common among patients with stroke, a known risk factor for dementia. However, whether these conditions further increase the risk of post-stroke dementia remains uncertain. Objective: To examine whether prior ASCVD is associated with increased risk of dementia among stroke patients. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink with linkage to hospital data. Patients with first-ever stroke between 2006 and 2017 were followed up to 10 years. We used multi-variable Cox regression models to examine the associations of prior ASCVD with dementia and the impact of prior ASCVD onset and duration. Results: Among 63,959 patients, 7,265 cases (11.4%) developed post-stroke dementia during a median of 3.6-year follow-up. The hazard ratio (HR) of dementia adjusted for demographics and lifestyle was 1.18 (95% CI: 1.12–1.25) for ASCVD, 1.16 (1.10–1.23) for CHD, and 1.25 (1.13–1.37) for PAD. The HRs additionally adjusted for multimorbidity and medications were 1.07 (1.00–1.13), 1.04 (0.98–1.11), and 1.11 (1.00–1.22), respectively. Based on the fully adjusted estimates, there was no linear relationship between the age of ASCVD onset and post-stroke dementia (all p-trend >0.05). The adjusted risk of dementia was not increased with the duration of pre-stroke ASCVD (all p-trend >0.05). Conclusion: Stroke patients with prior ASCVD are more likely to develop subsequent dementia. After full adjustment for confounding, however, the risk of post-stroke dementia is attenuated, with only a slight increase with prior ASCVD.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. e024382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Lioufas ◽  
Nigel D Toussaint ◽  
Eugenia Pedagogos ◽  
Grahame Elder ◽  
Sunil V Badve ◽  
...  

IntroductionPatients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at heightened cardiovascular risk, which has been associated with abnormalities of bone and mineral metabolism. A deeper understanding of these abnormalities should facilitate improved treatment strategies and patient-level outcomes, but at present there are few large, randomised controlled clinical trials to guide management. Positive associations between serum phosphate and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in both the general and CKD populations have resulted in clinical guidelines suggesting that serum phosphate be targeted towards the normal range, although few randomised and placebo-controlled studies have addressed clinical outcomes using interventions to improve phosphate control. Early preventive measures to reduce the development and progression of vascular calcification, left ventricular hypertrophy and arterial stiffness are crucial in patients with CKD.Methods and analysisWe outline the rationale and protocol for an international, multicentre, randomised parallel-group trial assessing the impact of the non-calcium-based phosphate binder, lanthanum carbonate, compared with placebo on surrogate markers of cardiovascular disease in a predialysis CKD population—the IMpact of Phosphate Reduction On Vascular End-points (IMPROVE)-CKD study. The primary objective of the IMPROVE-CKD study is to determine if the use of lanthanum carbonate reduces the burden of cardiovascular disease in patients with CKD stages 3b and 4 when compared with placebo. The primary end-point of the study is change in arterial compliance measured by pulse wave velocity over a 96-week period. Secondary outcomes include change in aortic calcification and biochemical parameters of serum phosphate, parathyroid hormone and FGF-23 levels.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval for the IMPROVE-CKD trial was obtained by each local Institutional Ethics Committee for all 17 participating sites in Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia prior to study commencement. Results of this clinical trial will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences.Trial registration numberACTRN12610000650099.


2020 ◽  
Vol 222 (6) ◽  
pp. 929-939 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris deFilippi ◽  
Mabel Toribio ◽  
Lai Ping Wong ◽  
Ruslan Sadreyev ◽  
Ida Grundberg ◽  
...  

Abstract Background People with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH) demonstrate increased atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Statins are being studied to prevent ASCVD in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but little is known regarding the effects of statins on a broad range of inflammatory and cardiovascular proteins in this population. Methods We used a highly specific discovery proteomic approach (Protein Extension Assay), to determine statin effects on over 350 plasma proteins in relevant ASCVD pathways among HIV and non-HIV groups. Responses to pitavastatin calcium were assessed in 89 PWH in the INTREPID trial and 46 non-HIV participants with features of central adiposity and insulin resistance. History of cardiovascular disease was exclusionary for both studies. Results Among participants with HIV, PCOLCE (enzymatic cleavage of type I procollagen) significantly increased after pitavastatin therapy and PLA2G7 (systemic marker of arterial inflammation) decreased. Among participants without HIV, integrin subunit alpha M (integrin adhesive function) and defensin alpha-1 (neutrophil function) increased after pitavastatin therapy and PLA2G7 decreased. At baseline, comparing participants with and without HIV, differentially expressed proteins included proteins involved in platelet and endothelial function and immune activation. Conclusions Pitavastatin affected proteins important to platelet and endothelial function and immune activation, and effects differed to a degree within PWH and participants without HIV.


2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Ruth Wu-Wong ◽  
William Noonan ◽  
Masaki Nakane ◽  
Kristin A. Brooks ◽  
Jason A. Segreti ◽  
...  

Endothelial dysfunction increases cardiovascular disease risk in chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study investigates whether VDR activation affects endothelial function in CKD. The 5/6 nephrectomized (NX) rats with experimental chronic renal insufficiency were treated with or without paricalcitol, a VDR activator. Thoracic aortic rings were precontracted with phenylephrine and then treated with acetylcholine or sodium nitroprusside. Uremia significantly affected aortic relaxation (% in NX rats versus % in SHAM at 30 M acetylcholine). The endothelial-dependent relaxation was improved to –%, –%, and –% in NX rats treated with paricalcitol at 0.021, 0.042, and 0.083 g/kg for two weeks, respectively, while paricalcitol at 0.042 g/kg did not affect blood pressure and heart rate. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) suppression alone did not improve endothelial function since cinacalcet suppressed PTH without affecting endothelial-dependent vasorelaxation. N-omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester completely abolished the effect of paricalcitol on improving endothelial function. These results demonstrate that VDR activation improves endothelial function in CKD.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document