Atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease in patients with rheumatic disease, with focus on SLE: risk factors and underlying mechanisms

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women often develops in the absence of conventional risk factors. Prenatal loss, a common pregnancy outcome, may result in physiologic changes that could affect future risk of myocardial infarction. Little is known about the impact of pregnancy loss on early markers of CVD risk. Hypothesis: Pregnancy loss affects carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis among 1,769 disease-free women from the Mexican Teachers’ Cohort who had been pregnant to evaluate the relation between pregnancy loss and CIMT. In 2008 participants answered a baseline questionnaire on reproductive history, risk factors for chronic disease and medical conditions that was updated in 2011. We defined pregnancy loss as abortion and/or stillbirth. Between 2012 and 2016, CIMT was measured by trained neurologists using ultrasound in three clinical sites. We log-transformed CIMT and defined carotid atherosclerosis as CIMT ≥0.8mm or plaque. We used multivariable linear and logistic regression models to assess the relation between pregnancy loss, CIMT and carotid atherosclerosis. Results: Mean age of participants was 49.8 (SD ± 5.1) years. The prevalence of pregnancy loss was 22% (394 of 1769) , while we observed carotid atherosclerosis in 23% (405 of 1769) of participants. Comparing participants who reported a pregnancy loss to those who did not, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio for carotid atherosclerosis was 1.52 (95% CI 1.12, 2.06). Women who experienced a stillbirth had 2.32 higher odds (95% CI 1.03, 5.21) of carotid atherosclerosis than those who did not. Mean CIMT appeared to be higher in women who reported a pregnancy loss relative to those who did not, however, in multivariable analyses, pregnancy loss and stillbirth were not significantly associated with CIMT. Conclusions: Abortion and stillbirth may be associated with a higher risk of CVD. Additional investigation on potential underlying mechanisms for this association is required.

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Alzheimer’s Disease and Cardiovascular Disease: A Particular Association

Cardiology Research and Practice ◽

10.1155/2020/2617970 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Giacomo Tini ◽

Riccardo Scagliola ◽

Fiammetta Monacelli ◽

Giovanni La Malfa ◽

Italo Porto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Heart Valve Disease ◽

Search Term ◽

Artery Disease ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

Reported Data ◽

The Impact

Background and aim. During ageing, the prevalence of dementia, and especially of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD), increases. The aim of this review is to investigate the relationship between AD and CVD and its risk factors, with a view to explain the underlying mechanisms of this association. Methods. This review is based on the material obtained via MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, and Clinical Trials databases, from January 1980 until May 2019. The search term used was “Alzheimer’s disease,” combined with “cardiovascular disease,” “hypertension,” “dyslipidaemia,” “diabetes mellitus,” “atrial fibrillation,” “coronary artery disease,” “heart valve disease,” and “heart failure.” Out of the 1,328 papers initially retrieved, 431 duplicates and 216 records in languages other than English were removed. Among the 681 remaining studies, 98 were included in our research material on the basis of the following inclusion criteria: (a) the community-based studies; (b) using standardized diagnostic criteria; (c) reporting raw prevalence data; (d) with separate reported data for sex and age classes. Results. While AD and CVD alone may be considered deleterious to health, the study of their combination constitutes a clinical challenge. Further research will help to clarify the real impact of vascular factors on these diseases. It may be hypothesized that there are various mechanisms underlying the association between AD and CVD, the main ones being hypoperfusion and emboli, atherosclerosis, and the fact that, in both the heart and brain of AD patients, amyloid deposits may be present, thus causing damage to these organs. Conclusions. AD and CVD are frequently associated. Further studies are needed in order to understand the effect of CVD and its risk factors on AD in order to better comprehend the effects of subclinical and clinical CVD on the brain. Finally, we need to clarify the impact of the underlying hypothesized mechanisms of this association and to investigate gender issues.

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Cardiovascular disease and risk factors in persons with type 2 diabetes diagnosed in a large population screening: The Nord-Trondelag Diabetes Study, Norway

Journal of Internal Medicine ◽

10.1046/j.1365-2796.2000.00759.x ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 248 (6) ◽

pp. 492-500 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

T. Claudi ◽

K. Midthjell ◽

J. Holmen ◽

K. Fougner ◽

O. Kruger ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Large Population ◽

Population Screening

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Serum uric acid. Its relationship to coronary heart disease risk factors and cardiovascular disease, Evans County, Georgia

Archives of Internal Medicine ◽

10.1001/archinte.132.3.401 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 132 (3) ◽

pp. 401-410 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

R. Klein

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Coronary Heart Disease ◽

Uric Acid ◽

Heart Disease ◽

Serum Uric Acid ◽

Coronary Heart Disease Risk ◽

Disease Risk ◽

Heart Disease Risk Factors ◽

Heart Disease Risk

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Serum Retinol and β-carotene Levels and Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease in Morbid Obesity

International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research ◽

10.1024/0300-9831/a000018 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 80 (3) ◽

pp. 159-167 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Gabriela Villaça Chaves ◽

Gisele Gonçalves de Souza ◽

Andréa Cardoso de Matos ◽

Dra. Wilza Abrantes Peres ◽

Silvia Elaine Pereira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Morbid Obesity ◽

Serum Levels ◽

World Health ◽

Morbidly Obese ◽

Serum Retinol ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Β Carotene

Objective: To evaluate retinol and β-carotene serum levels and their relationship with risk factors for cardiovascular disease in individuals with morbid obesity, resident in Rio de Janeiro. Methodology: Blood serum concentrations of retinol and β-carotene of 189 morbidly obese individuals were assessed. The metabolic syndrome was identified according to the criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) and World Health Organization (WHO). Lipid profile, insulin resistance, basal insulin, glycemia, blood pressure, and anthropometry and their correlation with retinol and β-carotene serum levels were evaluated. Results: Metabolic syndrome diagnosis was observed in 49.0% of the sample. Within this percentage the levels of β-carotene were significantly lower when body mass index increased. Serum retinol didn't show this behavior. Serum retinol inadequacy in patients with metabolic syndrome (61.3%), according to WHO criterion, was higher (15.8%) than when the whole sample was considered (12.7%). When metabolic syndrome was diagnosed by NCEP criterion, β-carotene inadequacy was higher (42.8%) when compared to the total sample (37.5%). There was a significant difference between average β-carotene values of patients with and without metabolic syndrome (p=0.048) according to the classification of the NCEP. Lower values were found in patients with metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: Considering the vitamin A contribution in antioxidant protection, especially when risk factors for cardiovascular disease are present, it is suggested that great attention be given to morbidly obese. This could aid in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, which affects a significant part of the population.

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