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Angeloudi E, Anyfanti P, Dara A, Pagkopoulou E, Bekiari E, Sgouropoulou V, Garyfallos A, Doumas M, Kitas GD, Dimitroulas T. Peripheral nailfold capillary microscopic abnormalities in rheumatoid arthritis are associated with arterial stiffness: Results from a cross-sectional study. Microvasc Res 2023; 150:104576. [PMID: 37414357 DOI: 10.1016/j.mvr.2023.104576] [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: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Vascular injury eventually resulting in the establishment of cardiovascular disease is a serious complication in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) is a non-invasive imaging modality that enables the quantitative and qualitative assessment of the peripheral microvasculature. Nevertheless, capillaroscopic patterns remain inadequately defined in RA, especially regarding their clinical significance as potential markers of systemic vascular impairment. Consecutive RA patients underwent NVC using a standardized protocol, to assess the following parameters: capillary density, avascular areas, capillary dimensions, microhemorrhages, subpapillary venous plexus, and presence of ramified, bushy, crossed and tortuous capillaries. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and pulse pressure were measured as well-acknowledged markers of large artery stiffening. The vast majority of our cohort (n = 44) presented a combination of non-specific and abnormal capillaroscopic parameters. Capillary ramification was associated with both PWV and pulse pressure, even after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors and systemic inflammation. Our study highlights the high prevalence of a wide range of capillaroscopic deviations from the normal patterns in RA. Furthermore, it provides for the first time evidence of an association between structural disorders of the microcirculation and markers of macrovascular dysfunction, suggesting that NVC might have a role as an index of generalised vascular impairment in RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Angeloudi
- Second Medical Department, Hippokration Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Panagiota Anyfanti
- Second Medical Department, Hippokration Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Athanasia Dara
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Eleni Pagkopoulou
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Eleni Bekiari
- Second Medical Department, Hippokration Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Sgouropoulou
- 1st Department of Paediatrics, Hippokration Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Alexandros Garyfallos
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Michael Doumas
- 2nd Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - George D Kitas
- Department of Rheumatology, Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, Dudley, UK; School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Theodoros Dimitroulas
- Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
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Dimitroulas T, Anyfanti P, Bekiari E, Angeloudi E, Pagkopoulou E, Kitas G. Arterial stiffness in rheumatoid arthritis: Current knowledge and future perspectivess. INDIAN JOURNAL OF RHEUMATOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.4103/injr.injr_254_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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Cardiovascular Risk in Systemic Sclerosis. CURRENT TREATMENT OPTIONS IN RHEUMATOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40674-020-00152-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Genetic regulation of dimethylarginines and endothelial dysfunction in rheumatoid arthritis. Amino Acids 2019; 51:983-990. [PMID: 31062169 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-019-02740-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) confers an increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk which accounts for much of the premature morbidity and mortality observed in this population. Alterations in vascular function and morphology leading to increased atherosclerotic burden are considered the main drivers of CVD in RA individuals with systemic inflammation playing a key role in the dysregulation of endothelial homeostasis and initiation of vascular injury. Dimethylarginines are endogenous inhibitors of nitric oxide (NO) synthase and have emerged as novel, independent biomarkers of CVD in a wide range of conditions associated with vascular pathology. In RA several reports have demonstrated abnormal dimethylarginine metabolism attributable to various factors such as systemic inflammation, decreased degradation or upregulated synthesis. Although a causal relationship between dimethylarginines and vascular damage in RA has not been established, the tight interrelations between inflammation, dimethylarginines and endothelial dysfunction suggest that determination of dimethylarginine regulators may shed more light in the pathophysiology of the atherosclerotic process in RA and may also provide new therapeutic targets. The Alanine-Glyoxylate Aminotransferase 2 (AGTX2)-dependent pathway is a relatively recently discovered alternative pathway of dimethylarginine catabolism and its role on RA-related atherosclerotic disease is yet to be established. As factors affecting dimethylarginine concentrations linked to CVD risk and endothelial dysfunction are of prominent clinical relevance in RA, we present preliminary evidence that gene variants of AGTX-2 may influence dimethylarginine levels in RA patients and provide the rationale for larger studies in this field.
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Sakkas LI. Mediterranean Journal of Rheumatology September 2017 Highlights. Mediterr J Rheumatol 2017; 28:110-111. [PMID: 32185267 PMCID: PMC7046060 DOI: 10.31138/mjr.28.3.110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lazaros I. Sakkas
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
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