Assessment of subclinical atherosclerosis with carotid intima-media thickness in patients with scleroderma.

Aliielkhchi, Sina; Uludağ, Demet Menekse Gerede; Esenboğa, Kerim; Turgay, Murat; Kılıçkap, Mustafa

Aim: Inflammation has an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. The risk of atherosclerosis and its complications is higher for patients with diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis in whom inflammatory activity is higher than for healthy individuals. However, several studies have shown conflicting results in patients with scleroderma. In this study, carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) was compared in patients with scleroderma and a control group. Methods: Thirty patients diagnosed with scleroderma (mean age 51.3 ± 11.8 years) and 30 healthy volunteers were included in the study. The groups were similar regarding age, gender, and risk factors for atherosclerosis. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of age, gender, lipid level, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus prevalence (p>0.05). The mean CIMT (scleroderma group: 0.070±0.011, control group: 0.048±0.008, p<0.001) and the maximum CIMT (scleroderma group: 0.076±0.013, control group: 0.054±0.009, p<0.001) were statistically significantly higher in the patients with scleroderma. There was a statistically significant correlation between the mean CIMT and hsCRP (r=0.48, p<0.001); and the mean CIMT and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r=0.50, p=0.007) in the scleroderma group. The maximum CIMT and the mean CIMT were significantly higher in patients with diffuse type scleroderma compared to the patients with localized scleroderma (p values 0.001 and 0.011, respectively). Conclusion: Our results show that CIMT is higher in patients with scleroderma compared to the control group, and this is associated with increased inflammatory activity.

Journal of General Medicine / Genel Tıp Dergisi, 2022, Vol 32, Issue 1, p61

1301-191X

Academic Journal

10.54005/geneltip.1029623