The Burden and Measurement of Cardiovascular Disease in SSc

Overview

Journal Nat Rev Rheumatol

Specialty Rheumatology

Date 2010 Jun 3

PMID 20517296

Citations 11

Authors

Mo Yin Mok

Chak Sing Lau

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The prognosis for patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) has improved in the past three decades, with fewer patients succumbing to renal-crisis-related death. While pulmonary fibrosis and hypertension are currently the most frequent causes of death, there is evidence that cardiovascular disease will have an important role in the long-term prognosis of SSc in the future. Ischemia-reperfusion injury and endothelial dysfunction are cardinal features of SSc, and may predispose a patient to microvascular disease and atherosclerosis. In order to alleviate the cardiovascular burden in patients with SSc, it is important to detect endothelial dysfunction, microvascular flow disturbance and atherosclerosis. Noninvasive techniques that evaluate flow-mediated dilatation and arterial pulse waves (endothelial function measurements), microvascular blood flow (measurement of the microcirculation), carotid intima-media thickness and left ventricular hypertrophy (detection of atherosclerosis) are recommended. In addition, these measurements will facilitate trials of therapeutic strategies that, in addition to controlling conventional risk factors, prevent and treat cardiovascular disease in patients with SSc.

Citing Articles

Aberrant lipid profiles and lymphocyte counts in systemic sclerosis population, reassessing predictive value for concurrent cardiovascular diseases.

Guo R, Gao J, Yang Y, Xu K Front Immunol. 2025; 16:1530909.

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Relationships between systemic sclerosis and atherosclerosis: screening for mitochondria-related biomarkers.

Wang F, Lyu X, Qin Y, Xie M Front Genet. 2024; 15:1375331.

PMID: 39050259 PMC: 11266065. DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1375331.

Endothelial Dysfunction in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Systemic Sclerosis: A Common Trigger for Different Microvascular Diseases.

Moschetti L, Piantoni S, Vizzardi E, Sciatti E, Riccardi M, Franceschini F Front Med (Lausanne). 2022; 9:849086.

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High D-dimer plasma concentration in systemic sclerosis patients: Prevalence and association with vascular complications.

Furtado S, Dunogue B, Jourdi G, Chaigne B, Chibah A, Legendre P J Scleroderma Relat Disord. 2022; 6(2):178-186.

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Systemic sclerosis and risk of cardiovascular disease: A PRISMA-compliant systemic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

Cen X, Feng S, Wei S, Yan L, Sun L Medicine (Baltimore). 2020; 99(47):e23009.

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