Primary Sjögren's syndrome was associated with significantly increased arterial stiffness compared to healthy controls, evidenced by a higher mean carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (8.2 vs. 7.5 m/s).
Case-Control (n=143)
No
Does primary Sjögren's syndrome increase arterial stiffness in female patients compared to healthy controls?
Female patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome exhibit significantly increased arterial stiffness compared to healthy controls, suggesting a higher risk of subclinical atherosclerosis.
Absolute Event Rate: 8.2% vs 7.5%
p-value: p=0.01
OBJECTIVE: Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a common chronic autoimmune disease that primarily affects the salivary and lacrimal glands. Arterial stiffness is one of the earliest detectable manifestations of adverse structural and functional changes within the vessel wall. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between arterial stiffness and pSS. METHODS: In this study, 75 female patients with pSS who fulfilled the American European Consensus Criteria for Sjögren's syndrome, were included. A total of 68 age-, sex- and body mass index-matched subjects were recruited as the control population. Arterial stiffness was assessed by measurement of the carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV). RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 54.0±9.3 years and the median duration of the disease was 10 years. Compared with the control subjects, patients with pSS had a higher mean PWV (8.2±1.5 m/s vs. 7.5±1.4 m/s; p=0.01). Correlation analysis showed that the PWV was positively correlated with age, body mass index, serum cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and C-reactive protein levels, blood pressure, mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulse pressure and left ventricular mass index. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed that arterial stiffness was associated with age, MAP and LDL levels in pSS patients. CONCLUSION: Although patients with pSS appear to have increased arterial stiffness, risk factors associated with arterial stiffness in these patients are similar to the general population. However, we cannot exclude the possibility that a higher PWV in pSS patients is caused, not by pSS itself, but by the use of steroids, hypertension and dyslipidemia.
Demirci et al. (2016) conducted a case-control in Primary Sjögren's Syndrome (n=143). Primary Sjögren's Syndrome vs. Healthy controls was evaluated on Arterial stiffness assessed by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) (p=0.01). Primary Sjögren's syndrome was associated with significantly increased arterial stiffness compared to healthy controls, evidenced by a higher mean carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (8.2 vs. 7.5 m/s).