Cardiovascular injury in systemic autoimmune diseases: an update

Familial aggregation of myocardial infarction and coaggregation of myocardial infarction and autoimmune disease: a nationwide population-based cross-sectional study in Taiwan

OBJECTIVE

This study examined how a history of myocardial infarction (MI) in a person's first-degree relatives affects that person's risk of developing MI and autoimmune diseases.

DESIGN

Nationwide population-based cross-sectional study SETTING: All healthcare facilities in Taiwan.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 24 361 345 individuals were enrolled.

METHODS

Using data from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan, we conducted a nationwide cross-sectional study of data collected from all beneficiaries in the Taiwan National Health Insurance system in 2015, of whom 259 360 subjects had at least one first-degree relative affected by MI in 2015. We estimated the absolute risks and relative risks (RRs) of MI and autoimmune disease in those subjects, and the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors to their MI susceptibility.

RESULTS

The absolute risks of MI for subjects with at least one affected first-degree relative and the general population were 0.87% and 0.56%, respectively, in 2015. Patients with affected first-degree relatives were significantly associated with a higher RR of MI (1.76, 95% CI: 1.68 to 1.85) compared with the general population. There was no association with a higher RR of autoimmune disease. The sibling, offspring and parental MI history conferred RRs (95% CI) for MI of 2.35 (1.96 to 2.83), 2.21 (2.05 to 2.39) and 1.60 (1.52 to 1.68), respectively. The contributions of heritability, shared environmental factors and non-shared environmental factors to MI susceptibility were 19.6%, 3.4% and 77.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals who have first-degree relatives with a history of MI have a higher risk of developing MI than the general population. Non-shared environmental factors contributed more significantly to MI susceptibility than did heritability and shared environmental factors. A family history of MI was not associated with an increased risk of autoimmune disease.

Cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases in females: The role of microvasculature and dysfunctional endothelium

Cardiovascular (CV) diseases are becoming increasingly frequent and associated with a high incidence of CV events, disability and death. It is known that there is a relationship between CV burden and systemic autoimmune diseases (SADs) that is mainly due to inflammation and autoimmunity, but the other mechanisms underlying the high CV risk of SAD patients have not yet been fully clarified. The aim of this review article is to discuss some of the specific factors associated with the accelerated atherosclerosis (ATS) characterising SADs (female sex, the microcirculation and the endothelium) in order to highlight the importance of an early diagnosis and the prompt implementation of preventive measures, as well as the possible role of new therapeutic strategies such as vaccine immunomodulation. Finally, as the natural history of ATS begins with endothelial injury (a potentially reversible process that is influenced by various factors) and microvascular damage plays a central role in the etiopathogenesis of SADs, it underlines the crucial need for the development of reliable means of detecting sub-clinical abnormalities in the microcirculation, particularly coronary microcirculation dysfunction.