Cardiovascular risk in systemic sclerosis: Micro- and Macro-vascular involvement

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by fibrosis of multiple organs (kidney, heart, lung, gastrointestinal tract, and skin), endothelial damage leading to vascular disease, and autoantibody production. Although the microvascular disease is well-understood, mechanistic insi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Eleni Pagkopoulou, Marina Poutakidou, Alexandros Garyfallos, George Kitas, Theodoros Dimitroulas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2017-01-01
Series:Indian Journal of Rheumatology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.indianjrheumatol.com/article.asp?issn=0973-3698;year=2017;volume=12;issue=6;spage=211;epage=217;aulast=Pagkopoulou
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849404254948687872
author Eleni Pagkopoulou
Marina Poutakidou
Alexandros Garyfallos
George Kitas
Theodoros Dimitroulas
author_facet Eleni Pagkopoulou
Marina Poutakidou
Alexandros Garyfallos
George Kitas
Theodoros Dimitroulas
author_sort Eleni Pagkopoulou
collection DOAJ
description Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by fibrosis of multiple organs (kidney, heart, lung, gastrointestinal tract, and skin), endothelial damage leading to vascular disease, and autoantibody production. Although the microvascular disease is well-understood, mechanistic insights explaining the presence and extent of macrovascular disease in SSc patients has been a matter of intense debate, especially in the past few years. Patients with systemic sclerosis have an increased risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), possibly mediated by inflammatory and fibrotic mechanisms. The excess cardiovascular risk in SSc is suggested by increased arterial stiffness, carotid intima thickening, and reduced flow-mediated dilatation. Given the involvement of the microvasculature, the differentiation between primary and ischemic heart disease is difficult. There is a relative paucity of data regarding clinical and preclinical CVD in SSc. Therefore, large cohort studies are required to clarify whether CVD is predominantly associated with atherosclerosis or microvascular involvement. The aim of this review is to discuss primary and ischemic heart disease and their contribution to CVD in SSc.
format Article
id doaj-art-9931a507edcc4064a3deff57719e0b4b
institution Kabale University
issn 0973-3698
0973-3701
language English
publishDate 2017-01-01
publisher SAGE Publishing
record_format Article
series Indian Journal of Rheumatology
spelling doaj-art-9931a507edcc4064a3deff57719e0b4b2025-08-20T03:37:03ZengSAGE PublishingIndian Journal of Rheumatology0973-36980973-37012017-01-01126211217Cardiovascular risk in systemic sclerosis: Micro- and Macro-vascular involvementEleni PagkopoulouMarina PoutakidouAlexandros GaryfallosGeorge KitasTheodoros DimitroulasSystemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by fibrosis of multiple organs (kidney, heart, lung, gastrointestinal tract, and skin), endothelial damage leading to vascular disease, and autoantibody production. Although the microvascular disease is well-understood, mechanistic insights explaining the presence and extent of macrovascular disease in SSc patients has been a matter of intense debate, especially in the past few years. Patients with systemic sclerosis have an increased risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), possibly mediated by inflammatory and fibrotic mechanisms. The excess cardiovascular risk in SSc is suggested by increased arterial stiffness, carotid intima thickening, and reduced flow-mediated dilatation. Given the involvement of the microvasculature, the differentiation between primary and ischemic heart disease is difficult. There is a relative paucity of data regarding clinical and preclinical CVD in SSc. Therefore, large cohort studies are required to clarify whether CVD is predominantly associated with atherosclerosis or microvascular involvement. The aim of this review is to discuss primary and ischemic heart disease and their contribution to CVD in SSc.http://www.indianjrheumatol.com/article.asp?issn=0973-3698;year=2017;volume=12;issue=6;spage=211;epage=217;aulast=PagkopoulouCardiovascular diseaseprimary heart involvementsystemic sclerosisvascular complications
spellingShingle Eleni Pagkopoulou
Marina Poutakidou
Alexandros Garyfallos
George Kitas
Theodoros Dimitroulas
Cardiovascular risk in systemic sclerosis: Micro- and Macro-vascular involvement
Indian Journal of Rheumatology
Cardiovascular disease
primary heart involvement
systemic sclerosis
vascular complications
title Cardiovascular risk in systemic sclerosis: Micro- and Macro-vascular involvement
title_full Cardiovascular risk in systemic sclerosis: Micro- and Macro-vascular involvement
title_fullStr Cardiovascular risk in systemic sclerosis: Micro- and Macro-vascular involvement
title_full_unstemmed Cardiovascular risk in systemic sclerosis: Micro- and Macro-vascular involvement
title_short Cardiovascular risk in systemic sclerosis: Micro- and Macro-vascular involvement
title_sort cardiovascular risk in systemic sclerosis micro and macro vascular involvement
topic Cardiovascular disease
primary heart involvement
systemic sclerosis
vascular complications
url http://www.indianjrheumatol.com/article.asp?issn=0973-3698;year=2017;volume=12;issue=6;spage=211;epage=217;aulast=Pagkopoulou
work_keys_str_mv AT elenipagkopoulou cardiovascularriskinsystemicsclerosismicroandmacrovascularinvolvement
AT marinapoutakidou cardiovascularriskinsystemicsclerosismicroandmacrovascularinvolvement
AT alexandrosgaryfallos cardiovascularriskinsystemicsclerosismicroandmacrovascularinvolvement
AT georgekitas cardiovascularriskinsystemicsclerosismicroandmacrovascularinvolvement
AT theodorosdimitroulas cardiovascularriskinsystemicsclerosismicroandmacrovascularinvolvement