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Law L, Lindqvist P, Liv P, Hellman U, Lejon K, Geijer M, Söderberg S, Forsblad-d'Elia H. Increased carotid intima-media thickness in patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis compared to controls and associations with markers of inflammation. Clin Rheumatol 2024; 43:1559-1570. [PMID: 38443604 PMCID: PMC11018678 DOI: 10.1007/s10067-024-06913-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There is an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (r-axSpA). In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to, overall and stratified by sex, (i) compare ultrasound derived carotid intima media thickness (cIMT), between patients and controls, and (ii) investigate associations between cIMT, clinical disease activity and inflammation-related laboratory markers in patients with r-axSpA. METHOD In total, 155 patients diagnosed with r-axSpA using the modified New York criteria and 400 controls were included. Bilateral carotid ultrasound, laboratory testing, and questionaries were acquired. Disease-specific assessments were carried out for patients. Linear regression analysis was used to assess associations. RESULTS Linear regression analyses showed that patients with r-axSpA had increased mean cIMT compared to controls (mean ± SD, 0.8 ± 0.1 mm vs 0.7± 0.1 mm, respectively, unstandardized β (95% CI) -0.076 (-0.10, -0.052), P < 0.001) adjusted for smoking status and age. Linear regression analyses for patients with r-axSpA showed that only males presented significant associations between cIMT and inflammation-related laboratory markers, white blood cell (WBC) count (mean ± SD, 6.8 ± 1.6 109/L) and monocytes (0.6 ± 0.2 109/L); WBC count (unstandardized β (95% CI) 0.019 (0.0065, 0.031), P = 0.003, R2 = 0.57) and monocytes (0.13 (0.0047, 0.26), P = 0.041, R2 = 0.55), adjusted for age, smoking status, body mass index, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, ASDAS-CRP, and treatment with DMARDs and glucocorticoids. No significant association was found between cIMT and clinical disease activity assessed by ASDAS-CRP. CONCLUSION Patients with r-axSpA had significantly increased cIMT compared to controls. In male patients, higher WBC and monocyte count were associated with an increase in cIMT suggesting the role of inflammation in the development of atherosclerosis. Key Points •Carotid intima-media thickness was increased in patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis compared to controls. •White blood cell and monocyte counts were associated with carotid intima-media thickness in male patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Law
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Unit of Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Per Lindqvist
- Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Clinical Physiology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Per Liv
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Section of Sustainable Health, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Urban Hellman
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Unit of Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Kristina Lejon
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Mats Geijer
- Department of Radiology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Radiology, Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Stefan Söderberg
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Unit of Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Helena Forsblad-d'Elia
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Unit of Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Clinic of Rheumatology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Ben Tekaya A, Boukriba S, Fendri A, Rouached L, Saidane O, Bouden S, Tekaya R, Ben Salem K, Mahmoud I, Habiba M, Abdelmoula L. Endothelial dysfunction and increased carotid intima-media thickness in patients with spondyloarthritis without traditional cardiovascular risk factors. RMD Open 2022; 8:rmdopen-2022-002270. [PMID: 35793876 PMCID: PMC9260841 DOI: 10.1136/rmdopen-2022-002270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The aim of our study was to assess subclinical atherosclerosis in spondyloarthritis (SpA) by combining three ultrasound methods (flow-mediated dilation (FMD), carotid intima–media thickness (cIMT) and Ankle Brachial Index (ABI)) and to determine the predictive factors of theses parameters. Methods This was a case control study conducted over 12 months including 47 patients with SpA-free-cardiovascular (CV) disease in comparison with age and sex matched 47 healthy controls. Sociodemographic, clinical and biological features as well as therapeutic modalities were recorded in our patients. All subjects had Doppler ultrasound with measurement of cIMT, FMD and ABI. Ultrasound measurements were compared between patients and controls. Linear regression was performed and assessed by machine learning to determine the predictive models of markers of subclinical atherosclerosis. Results We found higher cIMT (p<0.0001), lower FMD (p=0.008) and higher left ABI (0.048) in patients with SpA compared with controls. cIMT was positively correlated to patient-related parameters (age, systolic blood pressure) and disease parameters (age at onset of SpA, disease duration and renal involvement). Biologically, cIMT was positively correlated with creatinine, blood-glocose, total cholesterol (CT) and CT/cholesterol-high density lipoprotein ratio. FMD was negatively correlated with male gender, age, systolic blood pressure, creatinine, blood glucose and Left Lequesne Index. ABI was significantly associated with diastolic blood pressure. Multiple regression analysis identified age, CT and creatinine as independents predictive factors for increased cIMT. Regarding endothelial dysfunction, blood glucose and Left Lequesne Index were the independents predictive factors of decreased FMD. Conclusion Our study supported the accelerated subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with SpA. This subclinical atherosclerosis was mainly mediated by traditional CV risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aicha Ben Tekaya
- Rheumatology Department Charles Nicolle Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Seif Boukriba
- Radiology Department, La Rabta Hospital, Faculty of medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Ahmed Fendri
- Radiology Department, La Rabta Hospital, Faculty of medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Leila Rouached
- Rheumatology Department Charles Nicolle Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Olfa Saidane
- Rheumatology Department Charles Nicolle Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Selma Bouden
- Rheumatology Department Charles Nicolle Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Rawdha Tekaya
- Rheumatology Department Charles Nicolle Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | | | - Ines Mahmoud
- Rheumatology Department Charles Nicolle Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Mizouni Habiba
- Radiology Department, La Rabta Hospital, Faculty of medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Leila Abdelmoula
- Rheumatology Department Charles Nicolle Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
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Forsblad-d'Elia H, Law L, Bengtsson K, Smeds J, Ketonen M, Sundström B, Ljung L, Geijer M, Söderberg S, Lindqvist P. Biomechanical Properties of Common Carotid Arteries Assessed by Circumferential 2D Strain and β Stiffness Index in Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis. J Rheumatol 2020; 48:352-360. [PMID: 32611672 DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.200146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) related to atherosclerosis, preceded by arterial stiffness. We aimed to examine common carotid artery (CCA) biomechanical properties using ultrasound to calculate β stiffness index (indicating arterial stiffness) and, a more recently developed technique, 2-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking strain (indicating arterial motion and deformation, strain) to (1) compare with age- and sex-matched controls, and (2) analyze relationships between strain and stiffness with disease characteristics and traditional risk factors for CVD in patients with AS. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, a cohort of 149 patients with AS, mean age 55.3 ± 11.2 years, 102 (68.5%) men, and 146 (98%) HLA-B27-positive, were examined. Bilateral CCA were examined for circumferential 2D strain and β stiffness index. A subgroup of 46 patients was compared with 46 age- and sex-matched controls, both groups without hypertensive disease, diabetes, myocardial infarction, or stroke. RESULTS Mean bilateral circumferential 2D strain was lower in AS patients compared with controls (7.9 ± 2.6% vs 10.3 ± 1.9%, P < 0.001), whereas mean bilateral β stiffness index was higher (13.1 ± 1.7 mmHg/mm vs 12.3 ± 1.3 mmHg/mm, P = 0.02). In multivariable linear regression analyses, strain was associated with age, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, history of anterior uveitis, and treatment with conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) and/or biological DMARD (R2 0.33), while stiffness was associated with age (R2 0.19). CONCLUSION Both CCA circumferential 2D strain and β stiffness index differed between patients with AS and controls. Strain was associated with AS-related factors and age, whereas only age was associated with stiffness, suggesting that the obtained results reflect different pathogenic vascular processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Forsblad-d'Elia
- H. Forsblad-d'Elia, MD, L. Law, BSc, J. Smeds, MD, B. Sundström, RPT, L. Ljung, MD, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Rheumatology, Umeå University, Umeå;
| | - Lucy Law
- H. Forsblad-d'Elia, MD, L. Law, BSc, J. Smeds, MD, B. Sundström, RPT, L. Ljung, MD, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Rheumatology, Umeå University, Umeå
| | - Karin Bengtsson
- K. Bengtsson, MD, Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, and Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Department of Rheumatology, Gothenburg
| | - Johan Smeds
- H. Forsblad-d'Elia, MD, L. Law, BSc, J. Smeds, MD, B. Sundström, RPT, L. Ljung, MD, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Rheumatology, Umeå University, Umeå
| | - Maria Ketonen
- M. Ketonen, MD, Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Clinical Physiology, Umeå University, Umeå
| | - Björn Sundström
- H. Forsblad-d'Elia, MD, L. Law, BSc, J. Smeds, MD, B. Sundström, RPT, L. Ljung, MD, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Rheumatology, Umeå University, Umeå
| | - Lotta Ljung
- H. Forsblad-d'Elia, MD, L. Law, BSc, J. Smeds, MD, B. Sundström, RPT, L. Ljung, MD, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Rheumatology, Umeå University, Umeå
| | - Mats Geijer
- M. Geijer, MD, Department of Radiology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, and Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Gothenburg and Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund
| | - Stefan Söderberg
- S. Söderberg, MD, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå
| | - Per Lindqvist
- P. Lindqvist, BSc, Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Clinical Physiology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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