An Updated Review of Cardiovascular Events in Giant Cell Arteritis

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a systemic vasculitis with a direct and indirect increased risk of acute and chronic vascular events, affecting large and medium vessels, and responsible for most of the morbidity and mortality of this disease. We aimed in this review to provide an updated synthesis of knowledge regarding cardiovascular events observed in GCA. By definition, GCA patients are over 50 and often over 70 years old, and subsequently also present age-related cardiovascular risk factors. In addition, the systemic and vascular inflammation as well as glucocorticoids (GC) probably contribute to an accelerated atherosclerosis and to vascular changes leading to arterial stenoses and aortic dilations and/or dissections. GCA-related ischemic complications, especially ophthalmologic events, stroke or myocardial infarcts are mostly observed within the first months after the diagnosis, being mainly linked to the vasculitic process. Conversely, aortic complications, including dilations or dissections, generally occur several months or years after the diagnosis, mainly in patients with large-vessel vasculitis. In these patients, other factors such as atherosclerosis, GC-related endothelial damage and vascular wall remodeling/healing probably contribute to the vascular events. GCA management includes the detection and treatment of these previous and newly induced cardiovascular risk factors. Hence, the use of cardiovascular treatments (e.g., aspirin, anticoagulation, statins, anti-hypertensive treatments) should be evaluated individually. Aortic structural changes require regular morphologic evaluations, especially in patients with previous aortitis. The initial or secondary addition of immunosuppressants, especially tocilizumab, an anti-IL-6 receptor antibody, is discussed in patients with GCA-related cardiovascular complications and, more consensually, to limit GC-mediated comorbidities.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2022

Erschienen:

2022

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:11

Enthalten in:

Journal of clinical medicine - 11(2022), 4 vom: 15. Feb.

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

de Boysson, Hubert [VerfasserIn]
Aouba, Achille [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Aortic dilation
Aortic dissection
Cardiovascular event
Giant cell arteritis
Journal Article
Large vessel vasculitis
Myocardial infarction
Peripheral artery disease
Review
Stroke

Anmerkungen:

Date Revised 01.03.2022

published: Electronic

Citation Status PubMed-not-MEDLINE

doi:

10.3390/jcm11041005

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM337388288