In a groundbreaking study, researchers have delved into the realm of cardiovascular risk assessment in patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS). The study, known as the SICARD cohort study, focused on evaluating a combination of novel color Doppler ultrasound indices along with traditional markers to assess macrovascular damage in pSS patients.
Primary Sjögren’s syndrome is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of exocrine glands, with potential systemic organ involvement. Patients with pSS are known to be at an increased risk of cardiovascular complications, including cerebrovascular events and myocardial infarction. This heightened cardiovascular risk emphasizes the importance of early detection and prevention strategies in this patient population.
The study explored the use of oscillometric, greyscale, and novel color Doppler ultrasound indices to assess carotid and aortic damage in pSS patients. The researchers also examined the association of these markers with patient and disease-specific characteristics, as well as with traditional cardiovascular risk scores like the SCORE and its modified version (mSCORE).
Results from the study revealed that pSS patients exhibited significantly higher carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), and calcification area compared to healthy controls. Notably, the traditional cardiovascular risk scores did not align with the observed markers of aortic stiffness and carotid atherosclerosis in pSS patients, indicating a potential discrepancy in risk assessment methods.
The study highlighted the potential of cfPWV and carotid ultrasound markers in identifying subclinical end-organ disease and atherosclerosis in pSS patients. These non-invasive and radiation-free tools could offer valuable insights into cardiovascular risk assessment and assist in early identification of high-risk individuals.
While the study provides significant insights into the cardiovascular profile of pSS patients, further research and longitudinal studies are necessary to validate these findings and establish a more comprehensive understanding of cardiovascular risk in this population. The study underscores the importance of exploring novel markers and expanding the existing toolkit for cardiovascular risk assessment in autoimmune diseases like pSS.
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