Rheumatoid arthritis increases the risk of coronary heart disease via vascular endothelial injuries.
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased prevalence of coronary heart disease and a high cardiovascular mortality rate. The causes of increased coronary heart disease in RA patients are poorly understood. Conventional cardiovascular risk factors, such as inactivity, overweight or dyslipidemia may play a role, but they do not seem to be wholly responsible for the increased cardiovascular risk. RA is associated with a high incidence of inflammation and vascular endothelial injuries. Endothelial dysfunction is one of the key steps in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in non-RA patients. Therefore, we hypothesized that inflammation-induced vascular endothelial injuries may be responsible for the increased risk of coronary heart disease and high rates of cardiovascular mortality in patients with RA.
Wang
Lexin
L
School of Biomedical Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia. lwang@csu.edu.au
Feng
Guoqin
G
D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D015984:Causality; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015897:Comorbidity; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000276:immunology* / Q000293:injuries; D006801:Humans; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D018448:Models, Immunological; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*