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Markers suggest atherosclerosis in primary Sjögren’s syndrome patients
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Elevated pulse wave velocity and plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine levels in patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome might be useful markers to detect early endothelial dysfunction and subclinical atherosclerosis, according to study data.
Researchers in Italy conducted a pilot study of 22 patients (mean age, 60.14 years; 73% women) with primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) and no clinical history or symptoms of cardiovascular disease (CVD). They compared them with 22 age- and gender-matched controls for the presence of CVD based on measurements of coronary flow reserve (CFR) and wall motion via transthoracic stress echocardiography. Researchers classified CFR values of less than 2.5 as representative of impaired coronary function.
Pulse wave velocity (PWV), carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and myocardial deformities also were assessed.
All pSS patients, the majority taking hydroxychloroquine, had lower but normal CRF levels compared with controls (median, 2.7; IQR 2.4-2.9 vs. 3.2; IQR 3.06-3.33) and significantly greater levels of ADMA (median, 0.81 mcM; IQR 0.79-0.85 vs. 0.54 mcM; IQR 0.52-0.58).
PWV for the right (median, 8.8 m/s vs. 6.86 m/s) and left sides (median, 8.9 m/s vs. 6.89 m/s) were greater in pSS patients (P<.001 for both); cIMT were not significantly different.
“The higher ADMA levels in primary SS patients suggest the presence of endothelial dysfunction and subclinical atherosclerosis, even in the case of a normal CFR,” the researchers wrote. “Moreover, the [left ventricular] myocardial radial and longitudinal [strain] … were impaired in our pSS patients in the absence of any clinical evidence of CVD and when traditional echocardiographic evaluations were still negative, thus suggesting a myocardial alteration.
“Further studies are required … for assessing and determining CVD in patients with pSS.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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