The burden of cardiovascular disease and related risk factors, in Greece; the ATTICA epidemiological study (2002-2022).

AIM: The aim of this study was to present the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its related risk factors based on a 20-year observation period (2002-2022). METHODS: In 2002, 3,042 Greek adults (aged: 45 (12) years) free of CVD, cancer, or any other chronic infections were enrolled. In 2022, the 20-year follow-up was performed on 2,169 participants (1,988 had complete data for CVD). Lifetime risk for CVDs and Disability-Adjusted-Life-Years (DALYs) lost were also calculated. RESULTS: The 20-year CVD incidence was 3,600 cases/10,000 individuals (man-to-woman ratio 5:4). At the index age of 40 years, the lifetime risk for developing CVD was 68% for men and 63% for women; as the participants were getting older, the lifetime risk declined by approximately 19% and 13% for men and women, respectively, but remained at high levels, reaching 55% for both sexes. Participants between 45-55 years exhibited the highest CVD burden concerning aggregated DALYs. The burden was greater in men than in women, at ages below 35 years; beyond this age threshold, this trend shifted, and women exhibited a higher CVD burden. CONCLUSION: The burden of CVD in Greece has shown increasing trends over the past 20 years as a result of the accumulative growth of the prevalence of modifiable CVD risk factors. The disability-adjusted life-years lost are the most observed ever before, urging for efficient public health strategies and measures.

Identification and characteristics of patients with potential difficult-to-treat Psoriatic Arthritis: exploratory analyses of the Greek PsA registry.

OBJECTIVE: To present the characteristics of patients with potential difficult-to-treat (D2T) psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS: We used data from the Greek multicentre registry of PsA patients. D2T-PsA was defined as follows: patients with at least 6-months disease duration, who have failed to at least 1 csDMARD and at least 2 bDMARDs/tsDMARDs with a different mechanism of action and have either at least moderate disease activity (MODA) defined as DAPSA > 14, and/or are not at minimal disease activity (MDA). Demographic and clinical characteristics were compared between D2T and non-D2T PsA patients. In two sensitivity analyses, patients classified as D2T solely according to the MODA or MDA criterion were examined separately. RESULTS: Among 467 patients included, 77 (16.5%) were considered D2T and 390 non-D2T PsA. Compared with non-D2T, patients with D2T PsA presented more commonly with extensive psoriasis (p< 0.0001) and were more likely to have higher BMI (p= 0.023) and a history of inflammatory bowel disease (p= 0.026). In the MODA and MDA sensitivity analyses, 7.5% and 12.5% of patients were considered D2T, respectively. In both sensitivity analyses, extensive psoriasis was again identified as an independent variable for D2T PsA (p= 0.001 and p= 0.008, respectively). Moreover, female gender (p= 0.034) in the MODA analysis and axial disease (p= 0.040) in the MDA analysis were independent variables for D2T PsA. CONCLUSION: Despite the availability of therapies, D2T PsA is common in real-life cohorts of patients with PsA and extensive psoriasis. High BMI, female gender, axial-disease, and history of IBD were also associated with D2T PsA.

Impact of HLA-B51 on Uveitis and Retinal Vasculitis: Data from the AIDA International Network Registries on Ocular Inflammatory Disorders.

PURPOSE: The clinical relevance of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) subtypes such as HLA-B51 on Behçet's disease (BD)-related uveitis and non-infectious uveitis (NIU) unrelated to BD remains largely unknown. METHODS: Data were prospectively collected from the International AIDA Network Registry for BD and for NIU. We assessed differences between groups (NIU unrelated to BD and positive for HLA-B51, BD-related uveitis positive for HLA-B51 and BD-related uveitis negative for HLA-B51) in terms of long-term ocular complications, visual acuity (VA) measured by best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), anatomical pattern, occurrence of retinal vasculitis (RV) and macular edema over time. RESULTS: Records of 213 patients (341 eyes) were analyzed. No differences in complications were observed (p = 0.465). With regard to VA, a significant difference was detected in median BCVA (p = 0.046), which was not maintained after Bonferroni correction (p = 0.060). RV was significantly more prevalent in NIU-affected patients who tested positive for HLA-B51, irrespective of the systemic diagnosis of BD (p = 0.025). No differences emerged in the occurrence of macular edema (p = 0.99). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with NIU testing positive for HLA-B51 exhibit an increased likelihood of RV throughout disease course, irrespective of a systemic diagnosis of BD. The rate of complications as well as VA are comparable between NIU cases unrelated to BD testing positive for HLA-B51 and uveitis associated with BD. Therefore, it is advisable to perform the HLA-B typing in patients with NIU or retinal vasculitis, even in the absence of typical BD features.

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and 20-year incidence of hypertension: the ATTICA prospective epidemiological study (2002-2022).

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Dietary habits are a significant predictor of hypertension (HTN). We aimed to evaluate the long-term association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and HTN incidence. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This was a prospective study among 1415 non-hypertensive adults (44% men, age: 41 ± 13 years) followed up for 20 years. Anthropometric, lifestyle, and clinical parameters were evaluated at baseline. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated both at baseline and 10 years through the MedDietScore (range: 0-55, higher values indicate greater adherence). RESULTS: At the 20-year follow-up, 314 new HTN cases were recorded. HTN incidence was 35.5%, 22.5%, and 8.7% in the lowest, middle, and upper tertile of baseline MedDietScore, respectively (p < 0.001). For each 1-point increase in baseline MedDietScore, the 20-year HTN risk decreased by 7% [relative risk (RR): 0.925, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.906, 0.943], and this effect remained significant after adjustment for age, sex, and baseline lifestyle and clinical confounders, i.e., body mass index, physical activity, smoking, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, family history of HTN, and presence of hypercholesterolemia and diabetes mellitus (RR: 0.973, 95%CI: 0.949, 0.997). In a similar multiadjusted model, compared to subjects who were consistently away from the Mediterranean diet (in the lowest MedDietScore tertile both at baseline and 10 years), only those who were consistently close (in the middle and upper MedDietScore tertiles both at baseline and 10 years) exhibited a 47% lower 20-year HTN risk. CONCLUSION: A high adherence to the Mediterranean diet, particularly when longitudinally sustained, is associated with lower incidence of HTN.

Real-world data on treatment patterns in at least high cardiovascular risk patients on dual and triple lipid lowering therapy in a Hellenic nationwide e-prescription database.

Background: Despite recent guidelines appropriate lipid-lowering treatment (LLT) remains suboptimal in everyday clinical practice. Aims: We aimed to describe clinical practice of use of LLT for at least high CV risk populations in a Hellenic real-world setting and assess how this relates to the European Society of Cardiology treatment guidelines. Methods: We analyzed data from a retrospective cohort study of the National Registry of patients with dyslipidemia between 1/7/2017 and 30/6/2019 who were at least of high CV risk and filled a dual or triple lipid-lowering treatment (dLLT, tLLT) prescription. The primary outcomes of interest of this analysis were to report on the patterns of LLT use in at least high CV risk patients. Results: A total of 994,255 (45.4% of Greeks on LLT) were of at least high CV risk and 120,490 (5.5%) were on dLLT or tLLT. The percentage of patients with reported statin intolerance ranged from 2 to 10%. While persistence was reported to be satisfactory (>85% for both dLLT or tLLT), adherence was low (ranging between 14 and 34% for dLLT). In 6-month intervals, the percentage of patients achieving a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) target below 100 md/dL ranged from 20% to 23% for dLLT and 34%-37% for tLLT. Conclusions: The prevalence of at least high CV risk patients among patients receiving LLT in Greece is substantial. Despite the high persistence and probably due to the low adherence to treatment, LDL-C remains above targets in more than two thirds of patients.

T cell involvement in antiphospholipid syndrome.

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by arterial and venous thrombosis, and obstetric complications in the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), including lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin and anti-ß2-glycoprotein I antibodies. APS manifests as single, often as recurrent events, and rarely as a catastrophic condition. Most studies of APS pathogenesis to date have focused on the prothrombotic role of aPL, while innate immune responses such as monocyte, complement and neutrophil activation have been also recognized as part of the thrombo-inflammatory cascade in APS. While the presence of autoreactive T cells against ß2-glycoprotein I has been long known, less data are available on their pathogenetic role in APS. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the involvement of T cells in APS pathophysiology, alterations of T cell subsets in peripheral blood, and clinical associations. We also highlight potential therapeutic opportunities by targeting T helper-B cell interactions in these patients.

Ocular Manifestations in Juvenile Behçet's Disease: A Registry-Based Analysis from the AIDA Network.

INTRODUCTION: This study aims to characterize ocular manifestations of juvenile Behçet's disease (jBD). METHODS: This was a registry-based observational prospective study. All subjects with jBD from the Autoinflammatory Diseases Alliance (AIDA) Network BD Registry showing ocular manifestations before 18 years were enrolled. RESULTS: We included 27 of 1000 subjects enrolled in the registry (66.7% male patients, 45 affected eyes). The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age at ocular involvement was 14.2 (4.7) years. Uveitis affected 91.1% of eyes (anterior 11.1%, posterior 40.0%, panuveitis 40.0%), retinal vasculitis 37.8% and other manifestations 19.8%. Later onset (p = 0.01) and male predominance (p = 0.04) characterized posterior involvement. Ocular complications occurred in 51.1% of eyes. Patients with complications had earlier onset (p < 0.01), more relapses (p = 0.02) and more prolonged steroidal treatment (p = 0.02). The mean (standard deviation [SD]) central macular thickness (CMT) at the enrolment and last visit was 302.2 (58.4) and 293.3 (78.2) µm, respectively. Fluorescein angiography was pathological in 63.2% of procedures, with a mean (SD) Angiography Scoring for Uveitis Working Group (ASUWOG) of 17.9 (15.5). At the last visit, ocular damage according to the BD Overall Damage Index (BODI) was documented in 73.3% of eyes. The final mean (SD) best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) logMAR was 0.17 (0.47) and blindness (BCVA logMAR < 1.00 or central visual field ≤ 10°) occurred in 15.6% of eyes. At multivariate regression analysis, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B51 + independently predicted a + 0.35 change in the final BCVA logMAR (p = 0.01), while a higher BCVA logMAR at the first assessment (odds ratio [OR] 5.80; p = 0.02) independently predicted blindness. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study may be leveraged to guide clinical practice and future research on this rare sight-threatening condition.

Long-Term Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Reduces 20-Year Diabetes Incidence: The ATTICA Cohort Study (2002-2022).

This study aimed to evaluate the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the 20-year incidence of type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among adults from the ATTICA study. This study involved a prospective cohort of 3042 men and women recruited at baseline from the Attica region in Greece. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, lifestyle, and clinical characteristics were evaluated at baseline and follow-up examinations; adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed through the MedDietScore (range 0-55); four Mediterranean diet trajectories were identified (i.e., increasing, decreasing, and sustained high and sustained low adherence levels). For the present analysis, data from 2000 individuals with complete information were used (age 43 ± 13 years; 49% men). Over the 20-year period, 26.3% (95%CI 24.4%, 28.3%) of participants developed T2DM; men exhibited a 1.5-times higher incidence compared to women (p < 0.001). Individuals consistently close to the Mediterranean diet throughout the studied period had an improved glycemic and lipidemic profile (at baseline and at 10-y follow-up) (all p-values < 0.001) and showed a 21% reduction in their 20-year risk of developing T2DM compared to those who were consistently away (RR = 0.79, 95%CI 0.47, 0.86). A long-term adherence to the Mediterranean diet is protective against the onset of T2DM and, therefore, could be incorporated in public health actions for the prevention of the disease.

Mediterranean-Type Diet Adherence and Body Mass Index through 20 Years of Follow-Up: Results from the ATTICA Cohort Study (2002-2022).

Evidence of the association between dietary habits and long-term body weight status is scarce. This study aimed to evaluate changes in Mediterranean-type diet (MTD) adherence in relation to body weight during 20 years of follow-up. Data from n = 1582 participants from the ATTICA cohort study (2002-2022) were used. MTD adherence was assessed via MedDietScore, and body weight status via body mass index (BMI) by 3 different measurements. We found that MTD adherence and changes in this adherence were inversely related to BMI at 20 years and the mean BMI during the 20-year follow-up. In multi-adjusted linear regression models, a 1/55 increase in baseline, 10-year, and 20-year MedDietScore was associated with a decrease of 0.05-0.13 kg/m2 in BMI at 20 years and of 0.08-0.09 kg/m2 in the mean BMI. Being consistently close to the MTD for 20 years was associated with a >90% decreased risk of maintaining overweight/obesity during the 20-year period. Strong, protective, long-lasting effects of the MTD were observed, even in those who deviated from the MTD in the follow-up (41% of the sample). Our results highlight the need to focus on the overall diet quality to minimize the risk of maintaining an excessive body weight during the life-course.

Outcomes of COVID-19 re-infections: a single-center cohort of 167 patients with systemic rheumatic diseases.

Data on COVID-19 re-infections in patients with systemic rheumatic diseases (SRDs) are lacking. We aimed to describe the course and outcomes of COVID-19 re-infections in these patients versus controls. In this single-center retrospective study, we included 167 consecutive SRD patients with at least one COVID-19 re-infection (mean age 47.3 years, females 70.7%). SRD patients were compared in terms of patient-perceived COVID-19 re-infection severity and hospitalizations/deaths with 167 age/sex-matched non-SRD controls. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess potential milder re-infection versus primary infection severity, adjusting for study group, demographics (age, sex), vaccination status, body mass index, smoking, and comorbidities. 23 and 7 out of 167 re-infected SRD patients experienced two and three re-infections, respectively, which were comparable to the re-infection rates in controls (two: 32; and three: 2) who also had comparable COVID-19 vaccination history (89% and 95% vaccinated, respectively). In the initial infection, patients with SRDs were hospitalized (7.2% versus 1.8%, p = 0.017), and had received antiviral treatment (16.1% versus 4.7%, p < 0.001) more frequently than controls. However, hospitalizations (1.8% vs 0.6%) and antiviral treatment (7.8% vs 3.5%) did not differ (p > 0.05) between patients and controls at the first re-infection, as well as during the second and third re-infection; no deaths were recorded. Perceived severity of re-infections was also comparable between patients and controls (p = 0.847) and among those on biologic DMARDs or not (p = 0.482). In multivariable analysis, neither SRDs presence nor demographics or comorbidities were associated with COVID-19 re-infection severity. COVID-19 re-infection severity (patient-perceived/hospitalizations/deaths) did not differ between SRDs and controls.

The Systemic Score May Identify Life-Threatening Evolution in Still Disease: Data from the GIRRCS AOSD-Study Group and the AIDA Network Still Disease Registry.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of the systemic score in the prediction of life-threatening evolution in Still disease. We also aimed to assess the clinical relevance of each component of the systemic score in predicting life-threatening evolution and to derive patient subsets accordingly. METHODS: A multicenter, observational, prospective study was designed including patients included in the Gruppo Italiano Di Ricerca in Reumatologia Clinica e Sperimentale Adult-Onset Still Disease Study Group and the Autoinflammatory Disease Alliance Network Still Disease Registry. Patients were assessed to see if the variables to derive the systemic score were available. The life-threatening evolution was defined as mortality, whatever the clinical course, and/or macrophage activation syndrome, a secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis associated with a poor prognosis. RESULTS: A total of 597 patients with Still disease were assessed (mean ± SD age 36.6 ± 17.3 years; male 44.4%). The systemic score, assessed as a continuous variable, significantly predicted the life-threatening evolution (odds ratio [OR] 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.42; P = 0.004). A systemic score ≥7 also significantly predicted the likelihood of a patient experiencing life-threatening evolution (OR 3.36; 95% CI 1.81-6.25; P < 0.001). Assessing the clinical relevance of each component of the systemic score, liver involvement (OR 1.68; 95% CI 1.48-2.67; P = 0.031) and lung disease (OR 2.12; 95% CI 1.14-4.49; P = 0.042) both significantly predicted life-threatening evolution. The clinical characteristics of patients with liver involvement and lung disease were derived, highlighting their relevance in multiorgan disease manifestations. CONCLUSION: The clinical utility of the systemic score was shown in identifying Still disease at a higher risk of life-threatening evolution in a large cohort. Furthermore, the clinical relevance of liver involvement and lung disease was highlighted.

The expanding clinical spectrum of autoinflammatory diseases with NOD2 variants: a case series and literature review.

Objective: To assess the impact conferred by NOD2 variants on the clinical spectrum of patients with systemic autoinflammatory diseases (SAIDs) in Greece. Methods: Consecutive patients (n=167) with confirmed SAIDs who underwent screening by next generation sequencing (NGS) targeting 26 SAID-associated genes, and carried at least one NOD2 gene variant, were retrospectively studied. The demographic, clinical and laboratory parameters were recorded. Results: In total, 24 rare NOD2 variants in 23/167 patients (14%) were detected. Notably, 18 patients had at least one co-existing variant in 13 genes other than NOD2. Nine patients had juvenile- and 14 adult-onset disease. All patients presented with symptoms potentially induced by the NOD2 variants. In particular, the candidate clinical diagnosis was Yao syndrome (YAOS) in 12 patients (7% of the whole SAID cohort). The clinical spectrum of patients with YAOS (mean episode duration 8 days) was fever (n=12/12), articular symptoms (n=8), gastrointestinal symptoms (n=7; abdominal pain/bloating in 7; diarrhea in 4; oral ulcers in 3), serositis (n=7), and rash (n=5), while the inflammatory markers were elevated in all but one patient. Most of these patients showed a poor response to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (n=7/9), colchicine (n=6/8) and/or anti-TNF treatment (n=3/4), while a complete response was observed in 6/10 patients receiving steroids and 3/5 on anti-IL1 treatment. Another 8 patients were diagnosed with either FMF (n=6) or PFAPA syndrome (n=2) presenting with prominent diarrhea (n=7), oral ulcers (n=2), periorbital swelling and sicca-like symptoms (n=1), or maculopapular rash (n=1). One patient had a clinically undefined SAID, albeit characterized by oral ulcers and diarrhea. Finally, one patient presented with chronic relapsing urticaria with periorbital edema and inflammatory markers, and another one had a Crohn-like syndrome with good response to anti-IL-1 but refractory to anti-TNF treatment. Conclusion: NOD2 variants were detected in 1 out of 7 SAID patients and seem to have an impact on disease phenotype and treatment response. Further studies should validate combined molecular and clinical data to better understand these distinct nosological entities.

Non-invasive tools for liver steatosis and steatohepatitis predict incidence of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mortality 20 years later: The ATTICA cohort study (2002-2022).

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or, as recently renamed, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), has common metabolic pathways with diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Non-invasive tools (NITs) for liver steatosis and steatohepatitis (MASH) were studied as potential predictors of diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality over a 20-year period. METHODS: In 2001-02, 3042 individuals from the Attica region of Greece were recruited randomly, and were stratified by subgroups of sex, age and region to reflect the general urban population in Athens, Greece. Validated NITs for hepatic steatosis (Hepatic Steatosis Index (HIS), Fatty Liver Index (FLI), Lipid Accumulation Product (LAP), NAFLD liver fat score (NAFLD-LFS)) and steatohepatitis (Index of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (ION), aminotransferase-creatinine-clearance non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (acNASH)) were calculated. Incidence of diabetes, CVD and mortality were recorded 5, 10 and 20 years later. RESULTS: Within a 20-year observation period, the diabetes and CVD incidence was 26.3% and 36.1%, respectively. All hepatic steatosis and steatohepatitis NITs were independently associated with diabetes incidence. ION and acNASH presented independent association with CVD incidence [(Hazard Ratio (HR)per 1 standard deviation (SD) = 1.33, 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) (1.07, 1.99)) and (HRper 1 SD = 1.77, 95% CI (1.05, 2.59)), respectively]. NAFLD-LFS which is a steatosis NIT indicating features of steatohepatitis, was linked with increased CVD mortality (HRper 1 SD = 1.35, 95% CI (1.00, 2.30)) and all-cause mortality (HRper 1 SD = 1.43, 95% CI (1.08, 2.01)). Overall, steatohepatitis NITs (i.e., ION and acNASH) presented stronger associations with the outcomes of interest compared with steatosis NITs. Clinically important trends were observed in relation to diabetes and CVD incidence progressively over time, i.e. 5, 10 and 20 years after baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Easily applicable and low-cost NITs representing steatohepatitis may be early predictors of diabetes and CVD onset. More importantly, these NITs increased the attributable risk conveyed by conventional CVD risk factors by 10%. Thus, their potential inclusion in clinical practice and guidelines should be studied further.

Progression of subclinical atherosclerosis in ankylosing spondylitis: a 10-year prospective study.

Chronic systemic inflammation contributes to increased CVD burden in Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). Since long-term follow-up data on subclinical atherosclerosis acceleration are lacking, we examined its progression in contemporary AS patients during 10 years. Fifty-three (89% male, aged 50.4 (36.3-55.9) years,) non-diabetic, CVD-free AS patients and 53 age-sex-matched non-diabetic, control individuals were re-evaluated after 9.2-10.2 years by ultrasonography for carotid/femoral atheromatosis, pulse wave velocity (PWV) and intima-media thickness (IMT), performed by the same operator/protocol. New atheromatic plaque formation, PWV deterioration, and IMT increase were associated only with classical CVD risk factors, as reflected by the heartSCORE (age, gender, smoking status, blood pressure and cholesterol levels) by multivariate analysis, rather than disease presence. However, among AS patients, despite remission/low disease activity at follow-up end in 79%, atheromatosis progression was associated by multivariate analysis with higher BASDAI scores (p = 0.028), independently of biologic therapies administered in 2/3 of them. Moreover, in AS patients, but not in controls, PWV values at baseline were associated with plaque progression during the 10-year follow-up after taking into account baseline heartSCORE and plaque burden status (p = 0.033). Despite comparable prevalence of both hypertension and hypercholesterolemia at baseline between patients and controls, a lower percentage of AS patients had achieved "adequate" CVD risk factor control at follow-up end (11% vs 25% respectively, p = 0.076). Classical CVD risk factors and residual disease activity account for the progression of subclinical atherosclerosis in AS, pointing to the unmet needs in the contemporary management of these patients.

7-year follow-up atherosclerotic plaque progression in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome versus diabetes mellitus and healthy controls.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) carry a substantial burden of cardiovascular disease and subclinical atherosclerosis. We aimed to assess a 7-year follow-up atherosclerotic plaque progression in APS patients vs diabetes mellitus (DM) and healthy controls (HC). METHODS: Eighty-six patients with thrombotic APS, 86 with DM and 86 HC (all age- and sex-matched) who underwent a baseline ultrasound of carotid and femoral arteries were invited for a 7-year follow-up ultrasonography examination. We compared atherosclerosis progression among the three groups and examined determinants of plaque progression in APS patients. RESULTS: Sixty-four APS patients (75% females, 43.8% with primary APS), 58 patients with DM and 66 HC were included in the 7-year ultrasound re-evaluation. New plaque was detected in 51.6%, 36.2% and 25.8% of APS, DM and HC subjects, respectively. After adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) and baseline plaque presence, APS patients showed a 3-fold (OR = 3.07, p= 0.007) higher risk for atherosclerosis progression vs HC and 2-fold (OR = 2.25, p= 0.047) higher risk than DM patients. In multivariate analysis in the APS group, plaque progression was independently associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) co-existence (OR = 7.78, p= 0.005) and number of CVRFs (OR = 3.02, p= 0.002), after adjusting for disease-related parameters and CVRF-related medications. Sustained low-density lipoprotein target attainment reduced plaque progression risk (OR = 0.34, p= 0.021). CONCLUSION: Half of APS patients develop new atherosclerotic plaques over a 7-year follow-up, having a three-times higher risk vs HC. Concomitant SLE and number of traditional CVRFs are associated with plaque progression, supporting the need for thorough CVRF assessment and control.

Glucocorticoid discontinuation rate and risk factors for relapses in a contemporary cohort of patients with giant cell arteritis.

The rates of relapses and therapy discontinuation in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) in the modern therapeutic era have not been defined. We aimed to evaluate the glucocorticoid (GC) discontinuation rate and the factors associated with relapses in a contemporary GCA cohort. Patient and treatment data were collected cross-sectionally at first evaluation and 2 years later (second evaluation), in a multicenter, prospective GCA cohort. Predictors of relapses were identified by logistic regression analyses. 243 patients with GCA were initially included (67% women, mean age at diagnosis: 72.1 years, median disease duration: 2 years) while 2 years later complete data for 160 patients were available and analyzed. All patients had received GCs at diagnosis (mean daily prednisolone dose: 40 mg) while during follow-up, 37% received non-biologic and 16% biologic agents, respectively. At second evaluation, 72% of patients were still on therapy (GCs: 58% and/or GC-sparing agents: 29%). Relapses occurred in 27% of patients during follow-up; by multivariable logistic regression analysis, large vessel involvement at diagnosis [odds ratio (OR) = 4.22], a cardiovascular event during follow-up (OR = 4.60) and a higher initial GC daily dose (OR = 1.04), were associated with these relapses. In this large, real-life, contemporary GCA cohort, the rates of GC discontinuation and relapses were 40% and 27%, respectively. Large vessel involvement, a higher GC dose at diagnosis and new cardiovascular events during follow-up were associated with relapses.

Diurnal production of cortisol and prediction of treatment response in rheumatoid arthritis: a 6-month, real-life prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: A reduced adrenal reserve-associated cortisol production relative to the enhanced needs of chronic inflammation (disproportion principle) has been observed in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We examined the possible clinical value of diurnal cortisol measurements in active RA on treatment response prediction. METHODS: Diurnal cortisol production (measured at: 08-12:00/18:00-22:00) was assessed by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay in 28 consecutive patients with moderately/highly active RA, as well as 3 and 6 months after treatment initiation or/escalation. Twenty-eight COVID-19 patients and 28 age-matched healthy individuals (HC) served as controls. RESULTS: Saliva diurnal cortisol production in patients with RA was similar to that of HC, despite 12-fold higher serum C reactive protein (CRP) levels, and lower than COVID-19 patients (area under the curve: RA: 87.0±37.6 vs COVID-19: 146.7±14.3, p<0.001), having similarly high CRP. Moreover, a disturbed circadian cortisol rhythm at baseline was evident in 15 of 28 of patients with RA vs 4 of 28 and 20 of 28 of HC and COVID-19 patients, respectively. Treatment-induced minimal disease activity (MDA) at 6 months was achieved by 16 of 28 patients. Despite comparable demographics and clinical characteristics at baseline, non-MDA patients had lower baseline morning cortisol and higher adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels compared with patients on MDA (cortisol: 10.9±4.0 vs 18.4±8.2 nmol/L, respectively, p=0.005 and ACTH: 4.8±3.3 vs 2.4±0.4 pmol/L, respectively, p=0.047). Baseline morning cortisol <13.9 nmol/L predicted non-MDA at 6 months (75% sensitivity, 92% specificity, p=0.006). Prospective measurements revealed that individualised diurnal cortisol production remained largely unchanged from baseline to 3 and 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: An impaired adrenal reserve is present in patients with RA. Further studies to confirm that assessment of diurnal cortisol production may be useful in guiding treatment decisions and/or predicting treatment response in RA are warranted. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05671627.

Increased body weight and central adiposity markers are positively associated with the 20-year incidence of cardiovascular disease: The ATTICA epidemiological study (2002-2022).

Increased adiposity predisposes to cardiovascular disease (CVD). We hypothesized that the presence of obesity would be positively associated with CVD risk, and that the co-presence of central obesity would modify/enhance this association. This was a prospective study (2002-2022) among 1845 Greek adults (mean age, 44.8 ± 13.5 years; men, 49.8%). At baseline, the presence of overweight/obesity was assessed via body mass index (BMI), whereas central obesity was defined as waist circumference ≥102/88 cm, waist-to-hip-ratio ≥0.95/0.80, or waist-to-height-ratio ≥0.50 in men/women. BMI was reevaluated at 10 years and longitudinal BMI trajectories (2002-2012) were identified. CVD incidence was recorded at 20 years (ratio of new cases to the number of participants assessed). Compared with participants with normal weight at baseline, those with obesity exhibited a 27% higher 20-year CVD risk after adjustment for age, sex, lifestyle habits, and medical status (hazard ratio, 1.271; 95% confidence interval, 1.012-1.597). In similar multiadjusted models, compared with participants who were always non-overweight/obese, those who were always overweight/obese exhibited a 40% higher 20-year CVD risk (hazard ratio, 1.403; 95% confidence interval, 1.018-1.936). Additional control for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein attenuated the associations. In the combined baseline body weight classification analysis, CVD incidence was the lowest in participants with normal weight without central obesity, moderate in those with overweight/obesity without central obesity, and highest in those with normal weight and central obesity and overweight/obesity and central obesity (P < .001). Obesity leads to increased CVD risk, partly mediated by inflammation. The combination of BMI with simple measures of abdominal adiposity is superior for CVD risk screening.

The impact of traditional cardiovascular risk factor control on 7-year follow-up atherosclerosis progression in systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVES: The 2022 EULAR recommendations for cardiovascular risk management in patients with rheumatic disorders, including SLE, call for rigorous management of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF). The impact of CVRF target attainment on atherosclerotic plaque progression hasn't been previously evaluated in prospective ultrasound studies. METHODS: A total of 115 patients with SLE and 1:1 age and sex-matched healthy controls who had a baseline carotid and femoral ultrasound examination in our cardiovascular research unit were invited for a 7-year follow-up assessment of new plaque development. We aimed to compare the incidence of plaque progression between SLE patients and controls and reveal the extent to which it is affected by the attainment of European Society of Cardiology (ESC) targets for modifiable CVRFs (blood pressure, smoking status, body weight, lipids and physical activity), and disease-related features (disease duration, disease activity, autoantibodies, treatments). RESULTS: Eighty-six SLE patients and 42 controls had a 7-year follow-up carotid and femoral plaque examination. New plaque development was observed in 32/86 patients vs 8/42 controls (P = 0.037). Patients with SLE had a 4-fold higher risk for plaque progression than controls (OR: 4.16, CI: 1.22, 14.19, P = 0.023), adjusting for potential confounders. Multivariate regression analyses showed a 50% decrease in plaque progression for every modifiable CVRF fulfilling ESC targets (OR: 0.56, CI: 0.34, 0.93, P = 0.026). CONCLUSION: Patients with SLE develop a rapid progression of atherosclerotic plaques which may be drastically reduced by CVRF target attainment according to ESC guidelines.

Arterial stiffness tested by pulse wave velocity and augmentation index for cardiovascular risk stratification in antiphospholipid syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Arterial stiffness (ArS) has emerged as a predictor of future cardiovascular events in the general population. We aimed to assess ArS in patients with thrombotic APS versus diabetes mellitus (DM) and healthy controls (HC) and identify predictors of increased ArS in APS. METHODS: ArS was evaluated by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and augmentation index normalized to 75 beats/min (AIx@75) using the SphygmoCor device. Participants also underwent carotid/femoral ultrasound for atherosclerotic plaque detection. We used linear regression to compare ArS measures among groups and assess ArS determinants in the APS group. RESULTS: We included 110 patients with APS (70.9% female, mean age 45.4 years), 110 DM patients and 110 HC, all age/sex matched. After adjustment for age, sex, cardiovascular risk factors and plaque presence, APS patients exhibited similar cfPWV [ß = -0.142 (95% CI -0.514, 0.230), p = 0.454] but increased AIx@75 [ß = 4.525 (95% CI 1.372, 7.677), p = 0.005] compared with HC and lower cfPWV (p < 0.001) but similar AIx@75 (p = 0.193) versus DM patients. In the APS group, cfPWV was independently associated with age [ß = 0.056 (95% CI 0.034, 0.078), p < 0.001], mean arterial pressure (MAP) [ß = 0.070 (95% CI 0.043, 0.097), p < 0.001], atherosclerotic femoral plaques [ß = 0.732 (95% CI 0.053, 1.411), p = 0.035] and anti-ß2-glycoprotein I IgM positivity [ß = 0.696 (95% CI 0.201, 1.191), p = 0.006]. AIx@75 was associated with age [ß = 0.334 (95% CI 0.117, 0.551), p = 0.003], female sex [ß = 7.447 (95% CI 2.312, 12.581), p = 0.005] and MAP [ß = 0.425 (95% CI 0.187, 0.663), p = 0.001]. CONCLUSION: APS patients exhibit elevated AIx@75 vs HC and similar to DM patients, indicating enhanced arterial stiffening in APS. Given its prognostic value, ArS evaluation may help to improve cardiovascular risk stratification in APS.