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Merashli M, Bucci T, Arcaro A, Gentile F, Ames PRJ. Subclinical atherosclerosis in Behcet's disease and its inverse relation to azathioprine use: an updated meta-analysis. Clin Exp Med 2023; 23:3431-3442. [PMID: 37169964 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-023-01084-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
To evaluate the intima media thickness of carotid arteries (IMT) and its clinical, laboratory and treatment correlates in Behcet's disease (BD). Systematic search of EMBASE and PubMed databases from January 2016 to October 2022; we employed random effect meta-analyses for continuous outcomes and Peto's odds ratio for rare events. The meta-analysis included 36 case control studies: the IMT was greater in BD (n = 1103) than in controls (n = 832) (p < 0.0001) with wide heterogeneity (I2 = 86.9%); a sensitivity analysis that included mean age of BD participants, gender, disease duration and activity, atherogenic index of plasma, blood pressure, C-reactive protein, ethnicity, smoking status, anti-inflammatory and immune suppressive agents, revealed that male gender, mean age of participants and azathioprine use (the latter two in inverse fashion) partly explained the heterogeneity variance (p = 0.02, p = 0.005, and p = 0.01). The IMT was greater in vascular (n = 114) than in non-vascular BD (n = 214) (p = 0.006). BD patients (n = 782) had a greater pooled prevalence of carotid plaques than controls (n = 537) (13.1% vs. 2.97%, p < 0.0001). Subclinical carotid artery atherosclerosis represents a vascular feature of BD, independently of the traditional cardiovascular risk factors. The inverse correlations between IMT, age and azathioprine use suggest that thicker carotid arteries at disease onset eventually regress with immune suppressive treatment: this assumption needs verification on adequately designed clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mira Merashli
- Department of Rheumatology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Tommaso Bucci
- Department of General Surgery, Surgical Specialties and Organ Transplantation "Paride Stefanini", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia Arcaro
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences 'V. Tiberio', University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Gentile
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences 'V. Tiberio', University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Paul R J Ames
- Immune Response and Vascular Disease Unit, CEDOC, Nova University Lisbon, Rua Camara Pestana, Lisbon, Portugal.
- Department of Haematology, Dumfries Royal Infirmary, Cargenbridge, Dumfries, DG2 7AH, Scotland, UK.
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Nassef EM, Elabd HA, El Nagger BMMA, Elzomor HM, Kotb HG, Sabry S, Zaghloul BA, Hassan AS, Mohamed EES. Serum Endocan Levels and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Behçet's Syndrome. Int J Gen Med 2022; 15:6653-6659. [PMID: 36003085 PMCID: PMC9394648 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s373863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim Behçet disease (BD) is a rare chronic relapsing-remitting inflammatory systemic vasculitis. BD patients were reported to have marked acceleration of subclinical atherosclerosis (SCA). Endocan is a soluble proteoglycan mainly secreted by the activated endothelium. The present study aimed to assess the relation between serum endocan levels and SCA in BD patients. Subjects and Methods The study included 40 adult BD patients in addition to twenty age- and sex-matched healthy controls. BD was diagnosed according to International Study Group criteria. Upon recruitment, all participants were subjected to careful history taking and thorough clinical examination. BD activity was assessed using Behçet Syndrome Activity Score. Measurement of serum endocan was performed using quantitative double-antibody sandwich ELISA kit. CIMT measurement was done using B-mode ultrasound. Results Comparison between patients and controls regarding serum endocan levels revealed significantly higher endocan levels in BD patients [median (IQR): 155.0 (69.3–610.0) versus 73.8 (51.9–94.6)]. Using ultrasound assessment, SCA was found in 14 BD patients (35.0%). Comparison between patients with SCA and patients without regarding the clinical and laboratory data revealed that the former group had significantly higher CRP [median (IQR): 36.5 (26.8–43.5) versus 21.0 (11.8–26.8) mg/dL, p < 0.001] and endocan [median (IQR): 622.0 (107.4–974.8) versus 104.5 (64.0–342.0) mg/dL, p = 0.004] levels. Logistic regression analysis recognized endocan [OR (95% CI): 1.0 (1.0–1.012), p0.035] levels as significant predictor of SCA in multivariate analysis. Conclusion The present study identified the clinical value of serum endocan levels as a possible early marker of vascular involvement in BD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eman Mostafa Nassef
- Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hemmat Ahmed Elabd
- Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department, Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | - Hala Mohamed Elzomor
- Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department, Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hend Gamal Kotb
- Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Seham Sabry
- Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Boshra Ahmed Zaghloul
- Radiodiagnosis Department, Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Asmaa S Hassan
- Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Eman El Sayed Mohamed
- Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
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Aydogan Baykara R, Yilmaz PD, Göktepe MH, Kadiyoran C, Ogul M, Kucuk A, Cumhur Cüre M, Cüre E. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 is associated with atherosclerosis in patients with Behcet's disease. Clin Exp Hypertens 2022; 44:480-486. [PMID: 35502687 DOI: 10.1080/10641963.2022.2071921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The incidence of cardiovascular disease is increased in patients with Behcet's disease (BD). Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) causes the acceleration of atherosclerosis. We aimed to investigate whether there is a relationship between PCSK9 with carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT), a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, and BD disease activity. METHODS Fifty-eight patients with BD and 58 age-, gender-, and body mass index (BMI)-matched healthy control subjects were included in the study. The disease activity of the patients was estimated. Individuals' cIMT values were measured, and PCSK9 levels were studied. RESULTS Patients with BD' cIMT (0.51 ± 0.1 vs 0.41 ± 0.1 mm, p < .001) and PCSK9 (623.2 ± 101.7 ± 10.1 vs 528.3 ± 242.7 ng/ml, p = .007), values were significantly higher than the control group. In stepwise regression analysis, there was an independent relationship between cIMT with PCSK9 (β = 0.179, p < .050). There was no independent relationship between disease activities with PCSK9. Based on the ROC curve analysis, the PCSK9 optimal cutoff value for cIMT was 595.1 ng/ml, sensitivity 66.7%, specificity 64.7% (AUC = 0.672; 95% CI: 0.530-0.815, p = .040). CONCLUSION There is a strong independent association between subclinical atherosclerosis and PCSK9 in patients with BD. There may be no independent association between PCSK9 and disease activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabia Aydogan Baykara
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Malatya Turgut Ozal University, Malatya, Turkey
| | - Pinar Diydem Yilmaz
- Department of Radiology, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Mevlüt Hakan Göktepe
- Department of Internal Medicine, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Cengiz Kadiyoran
- Department of Radiology, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Ogul
- Department of Internal Medicine, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Adem Kucuk
- Department of Rheumatology, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
| | | | - Erkan Cüre
- Department of Internal Medicine, Bagcilar Medilife Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
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Lo Gullo A, Giuffrida C, Morace C, Squadrito G, Magnano San Lio P, Ricciardi L, Salvarani C, Mandraffino G. Arterial Stiffness and Adult Onset Vasculitis: A Systematic Review. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:824630. [PMID: 35646970 PMCID: PMC9133451 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.824630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic inflammation represents the cornerstone of the raised cardiovascular (CV) risk in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD), including vasculitis. Standardized mortality ratios in these patients are higher as compared to the general population, and the excess of premature mortality is due to early atherosclerotic events. Thus, IRD patients need appropriate CV risk assessment and management according to this CV disease (CVD) burden. Adequate control of CV risk is still lacking in usual care, but early diagnosis of silent and subclinical CVD is crucial to improve the long-term prognosis of these patients. Increased arterial stiffness may provide a pathophysiological link between inflammation and increased cardiovascular risk. Several noninvasive methods are now available to estimate artery stiffness in the clinical setting, including pulse wave velocity assessment. The independent predictive value of arterial stiffness for cardiovascular events has been demonstrated in general as well as in selected populations, and reference values adjusted for age and blood pressure have been suggested. Thus, arterial stiffness is an interesting biomarker for cardiovascular risk stratification. This systematic review summarizes the additional value that PWV measurement can provide in the setting of vasculitis, with a focus in the different clinical stages and CV risk prevention. This systematic review is registered with registration number: Prospero CRD42021259603.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Lo Gullo
- Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine, ARNAS Garibaldi, Catania, Italy
- *Correspondence: Alberto Lo Gullo
| | - Clemente Giuffrida
- Emergency Unit, Department of Emergency Urgency Unit, IRCCS Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo - Piemonte, Messina, Italy
| | - Carmela Morace
- Internal Medicine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Giovanni Squadrito
- Internal Medicine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Paola Magnano San Lio
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Luisa Ricciardi
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Carlo Salvarani
- Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy AUSL-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Mandraffino
- Internal Medicine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
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Uslu Yurteri E, Üstüner E, Torgutalp M, Yayla ME, Okatan IE, Sezer S, Keleşoğlu Dinçer AB, Gülöksüz AEG, Turgay TM, Kinikli G, Ateş A. Can Subclinical Atherosclerosis Be Assessed More Precisely in Behçet Syndrome Patients by Using a Particular Cutoff Value for Carotid Intima Media Thickness? J Clin Rheumatol 2022; 28:e73-e76. [PMID: 34321437 DOI: 10.1097/rhu.0000000000001643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Behçet syndrome (BS) is a multisystemic chronic vasculitic disease. Among previous studies, although there are some that showed increased risk of subclinical atherosclerosis in BS, there are also others that showed the opposite. The objective of this study is to evaluate subclinical atherosclerosis in BS by using the cutoff value for intima-media thickness in the 2013 European Society of Cardiology/European Society of Hypertension guideline. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 100 BS patients and 30 healthy volunteers at a single center in a 4-month period. All ultrasound scans were performed in a blind manner to the clinical assessment, and they were carried out by the same researcher by a B-mode ultrasonography. RESULT When we grouped the patients based on the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis, the frequency of subclinical atherosclerosis in the BS patients was found to be higher than that in the healthy controls (32% and 7%, respectively; p = 0.006). When a cutoff is used for carotid intima-media thickness, increased atherosclerosis risk is observed in BS patients with vascular involvement (p = 0.043). CONCLUSIONS Although higher inflammation and increased atherosclerosis in vascular BS patients were expected, this situation was not supported much in previous studies. We think that this may have been caused by mere comparison of numerical data, and usage of a cutoff value could be more significant in distinguishing what is normal and what is abnormal as in several medical parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Evren Üstüner
- Radiology, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
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