8 research outputs found
An update on the relationships between rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease. Cardiovascular events are the most important
cause of mortality and morbidity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Beyond the traditional cardiovascular
risk factors, chronic systemic inflammation has been shown to be a crucial factor in atherosclerosis
development and progression from endothelial dysfunction to plaque rupture and thrombosis. Many
studies have shown that atherosclerosis is not a passive event like accumulation of lipids in the vessel
walls; by contrast, it represents an active inflammation of the vessels. Inflammatory cells such as
macrophages, monocytes and T cells play important roles in the development of both rheumatoid arthritis
and atherosclerosis. In this article we analyse the relationships between rheumatoid arthritis and
atherosclerosis