Cardiovascular manifestations in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies

Cardiovascular involvement in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) is an understudied area which is gaining increasing recognition in recent times. Recent advances in imaging modalities and biomarkers have allowed the detection of subclinical cardiovascular manifestations in IIM. However, despite the availability of these tools, the diagnostic challenges and underestimated prevalence of cardiovascular involvement in these patients remain significant. Notably, cardiovascular involvement remains one of the leading causes of mortality in patients with IIM. In this narrative literature review, we outline the prevalence and characteristics of cardiovascular involvement in IIM. Additionally, we explore investigational modalities for early detection of cardiovascular involvement, as well as newer approaches in screening to facilitate timely management. Key points • Cardiac involvement in IIM in majority cases is subclinical and a major cause of mortality. • Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is sensitive for detection of subclinical cardiac involvement.

Cardiovascular Abnormalities in Juvenile Dermatomyositis: A Scoping Review for the Clinical Rheumatologists

Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a common form of inflammatory myositis in children. Vasculopathy and endothelial dysfunction play significant roles in the pathogenesis of JDM. Cardiac involvement in JDM is often underestimated, and it may be a potential indicator of poor prognosis. Cardiac dysfunction in JDM can occur both in the acute and chronic stages of the disease. Amongst the acute complications, acute congestive heart failure (CHF), myocarditis, arrhythmia, and complete heart block are common. However, these remain unrecognized due to a lack of overt clinical manifestations. Increased rates of cardiovascular abnormalities have been noted with anti-SRP and anti-Jo 1 auto-antibody positivity. Long-term follow-up studies in JDM have shown an increased prevalence of hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and metabolic syndrome in adolescence and adulthood. Monitoring of body-mass index, blood pressure, and laboratory evaluation of fasting glucose and lipid profile may help in identifying metabolic syndrome in children with JDM. Steroid-sparing agents, daily exercise, and a healthy diet may reduce such long-term cardiac morbidities. Current use of multimodality imaging such as stress-echocardiography, contrast-enhanced echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography has increased the diagnostic yield of subclinical heart disease during acute and chronic stages of JDM. This review elaborates on different aspects of cardiac dysfunction in JDM. It also emphasizes the importance of cardiac screening in long-term follow-up of children with JDM.

Associations between cardiac and pulmonary involvement in patients with juvenile dermatomyositis-a cross-sectional study

This study aimed at exploring the association between detectable cardiac and pulmonary involvement in long-term juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) and to assess if patients with cardiac and pulmonary involvement differ with regard to clinical characteristics. 57 JDM patients were examined mean 17.3 (10.5) years after disease onset; this included clinical examination, myositis specific/associated autoantibodies (immunoblot), echocardiography, pulmonary function tests and high-resolution computed tomography. Cardiac involvement was defined as diastolic and/or systolic left ventricular dysfunction and pulmonary involvement as low diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide, low total lung capacity and/or high-resolution computed tomography abnormalities. Patients were stratified into the following four groups: (i) no organ involvement, (ii) pulmonary only, (iii) cardiac only, and (iv) co-existing pulmonary and cardiac involvement. Mean age was 25.7 (12.4) years and 37% were males. One patient had coronary artery disease, seven had a history of pericarditis, seven had hypertension and three had known interstitial lung disease prior to follow-up. There was no association between cardiac (10/57;18%) and pulmonary (41/57;72%) involvement (p = 0.83). After stratifying by organ involvement, 21% of patients had no organ involvement; 61% had pulmonary involvement only; 7% had cardiac involvement only and 11% had co-existing pulmonary or cardiac involvement. Patients with co-existing pulmonary or cardiac involvement had higher disease burden than the remaining patients. Patients with either cardiac or pulmonary involvement only, differed in clinical and autoantibody characteristics. We found no increased risk of developing concomitant cardiac/pulmonary involvement in JDM. Our results shed light upon possible different underlying mechanisms behind pulmonary and cardiac involvement in JDM.

Cardiovascular complications in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: does heart matter in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies?

This review presents a detailed study of original researches and previously published reviews concerning cardiovascular involvement in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). We aimed to summarize the current knowledge on the cardiac involvement in IIM, evaluate its impact on mortality and indicate areas still awaiting to be investigated. We searched MEDLINE database (until January 2019) and the reference lists of articles. Selection criteria included only published data, available in English, both original researches and reviews. Articles related to cardiovascular involvement in IIM were selected and analysed. The references were also screened, and relevant articles were included. Cardiovascular involvement is frequent in IIM but typically remains subclinical. Among far less prevalent symptomatic forms, congestive heart failure is the most common. Myocardium and conduction system seems to be predominantly affected. High rate of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction was observed. Non-specific changes of ST-T segment were the most common abnormalities in electrocardiography. Patients with IIM were more frequently affected by atrial fibrillation as compared with other autoimmune diseases. Increased risk of myocardial infarction was observed; furthermore, patients often develop comorbidities that enhance cardiovascular risk. Since cardiovascular disorders remain one of the major causes of death and subclinical involvement is frequent, active screening is justified. Growing availability of the novel imaging techniques may facilitate diagnosis. Correlation between myocardial involvement and the type of autoantibodies and impact of different therapeutic options on the progression of cardiovascular lesions require further studies.

Systemic and Tissue Inflammation in Juvenile Dermatomyositis: From Pathogenesis to the Quest for Monitoring Tools

Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM) is a systemic immune-mediated disease of childhood, characterized by muscle weakness, and a typical skin rash. Other organ systems and tissues such as the lungs, heart, and intestines can be involved, but may be under-evaluated. The inflammatory process in JDM is characterized by an interferon signature and infiltration of immune cells such as T cells and plasmacytoid dendritic cells into the affected tissues. Vasculopathy due to loss and dysfunction of endothelial cells as a result of the inflammation is thought to underlie the symptoms in most organs and tissues. JDM is a heterogeneous disease, and several disease phenotypes, each with a varying combination of affected tissues and organs, are linked to the presence of myositis autoantibodies. These autoantibodies have therefore been extensively studied as biomarkers for the disease phenotype and its associated prognosis. Next to identifying the JDM phenotype, monitoring of disease activity and disease-inflicted damage not only in muscle and skin, but also in other organs and tissues, is an important part of clinical follow-up, as these are key determinants for the long-term outcomes of patients. Various monitoring tools are currently available, among which clinical assessment, histopathological investigation of muscle and skin biopsies, and laboratory testing of blood for specific biomarkers. These investigations also give novel insights into the underlying immunological processes that drive inflammation in JDM and suggest a strong link between the interferon signature and vasculopathy. New tools are being developed in the quest for minimally invasive, but sensitive and specific diagnostic methods that correlate well with clinical symptoms or reflect local, low-grade inflammation. In this review we will discuss the types of (extra)muscular tissue inflammation in JDM and their relation to vasculopathic changes, critically assess the available diagnostic methods including myositis autoantibodies and newly identified biomarkers, and reflect on the immunopathogenic implications of identified markers.

Physical Activity and Heart Rate Variability in Adolescents with Abdominal Obesity

Physical activity is a protective factor for autonomic dysfunction. However, whether this occurs in adolescents with abdominal obesity is still unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the association between physical activity and heart rate variability (HRV) in adolescents with and without abdominal obesity. This cross-sectional study included 1152 boys (age: 17 ± 1 years). HRV measures of time (root mean square of the squared differences between adjacent normal RR intervals-RMSSD and the percentage of adjacent intervals over 50 ms-PNN50) and frequency domains (balance sympathetic-vagal-LF/HF) were evaluated, as well as total physical activity, commuting physical activity, leisure-time physical activity, and abdominal obesity. All physical activity domains were associated with better RMSSD, PNN50, and LF/HF in normal weight adolescents (p < 0.05), whereas in adolescents with abdominal obesity only leisure-time physical activity was associated with better PNN50 (b = 0.174, p = 0.035) independent of age, period of the day, body mass index, and blood pressure. In conclusion, higher leisure-time physical activity, but not total and commuting physical activity levels, was associated with improved HRV in adolescents with abdominal obesity.

The Vasculopathy of Juvenile Dermatomyositis

Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare autoimmune disease mainly characterized by muscle and skin involvement. Vasculopathy is considered central to the pathogenesis of the disease. The exact nature of vasculopathy is not yet understood but it is a complex process with both an inflammatory and a non-inflammatory, occlusive component. Impaired function of JDM vasculature includes immune complex deposition, altered expression of cell adhesion molecules predominantly inducing Th17 cell infiltration, and endothelial cell dysfunction. Development of vasculopathy is associated with the severe extra-muscular manifestations of JDM, such as gastrointestinal and cardiac manifestations, interstitial lung disease, ulcerative skin disease or development of calcinosis, and portends a poor prognosis. Correlation of histopathological findings, autoantibodies, and extensive diagnostic workup represent key elements to the early detection of vasculopathic features and early aggressive treatment. Monitoring of vasculopathy remains challenging due to the lack of non-invasive biomarkers. Current treatment approaches provide variable benefit, but better understanding of the essential pathogenic mechanisms should help lead to improved outcomes. Whilst acknowledging that evidence is limited, this review aims to describe the vasculopathy of JDM in the context of pathophysiology, clinical features, and treatment of disease.

Cardiac findings in children with juvenile Dermatomyositis at disease presentation

BACKGROUND

Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM) is a pediatric vasculopathy characterized primarily by skin and muscle involvement. Cardiac findings have been reported in children with JDM but have rarely been investigated in detail.

METHODS

We aimed to describe the relevant clinical and laboratory cardiac findings of a cohort of patients with JDM, followed at one centre, at disease diagnosis.

RESULTS

We performed a retrospective review of 105 patients with JDM, followed from 1991 to 2007. Six of 70 patients (9%, 6% of the entire cohort) had abnormal electrocardiographic (ECG) findings, while 26 of 54 patients (48%, 25% of the entire cohort) had abnormal echocardiographic (echo) findings. Many of these findings were either mild or unlikely to be a result of JDM.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that cardiac abnormalities at JDM disease onset are frequently seen, but are rarely significant findings due to disease; however, JDM patients should be considered for screening for cardiac disease as late cardiac complications are well recognized.

Cardiac involvement in adult and juvenile idiopathic inflammatory myopathies

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) include the main subgroups polymyositis (PM), dermatomyositis (DM), inclusion body myositis (IBM) and juvenile DM (JDM). The mentioned subgroups are characterised by inflammation of skeletal muscles leading to muscle weakness and other organs can also be affected as well. Even though clinically significant heart involvement is uncommon, heart disease is one of the major causes of death in IIM. Recent studies show an increased prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors in JDM and DM/PM, which need attention. The risk of developing atherosclerotic coronary artery disease is increased twofold to fourfold in DM/PM. New and improved diagnostic methods have in recent studies in PM/DM and JDM demonstrated a high prevalence of subclinical cardiac involvement, especially diastolic dysfunction. Interactions between proinflammatory cytokines and traditional risk factors might contribute to the pathogenesis of cardiac dysfunction. Heart involvement could also be related to myocarditis and/or myocardial fibrosis, leading to arrhythmias and congestive heart failure, demonstrated both in adult and juvenile IIM. Also, reduced heart rate variability (a known risk factor for cardiac morbidity and mortality) has been shown in long-standing JDM. Until more information is available, patients with IIM should follow the same recommendations for cardiovascular risk stratification and prevention as for the corresponding general population, but be aware that statins might worsen muscle symptoms mimicking myositis relapse. On the basis of recent studies, we recommend a low threshold for cardiac workup and follow-up in patients with IIM.