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Rheumatology 2008 47(Supplement 5):v16-v17; doi:10.1093/rheumatology/ken280
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© The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

This article appears in the following Rheumatology issue: Update in systemic sclerosis [View the issue table of contents]

Macrovascular disease in systemic sclerosis: the tip of an iceberg?

J. J. F. Belch1, S. McSwiggan1 and C. Lau1

1Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases Research Unit, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, UK.

Correspondence to: J. J. F. Belch, Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases Research Unit, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee DD1 9SY, Tayside, Scotland, UK. E-mail: J.J.F.Belch{at}dundee.ac.uk


  Abstract

This mini review evaluates mortality in SSc and provides a literature review concluding that premature death does occur in this population. However, there has been a changing spectrum of cause of death over the past three decades, with interstitial lung disease now being the commonest cause of SSc-related mortality. Cardiovascular (CV) mortality and events also contribute to the premature mortality seen in these patients, and this contention is supported by epidemiological studies, and further underpinned by a plethora of increased biomarkers for CV disease and events. Thus, macrovascular disease does occur in these patients, and is likely to contribute to mortality. It remains to be seen whether addressing conventional risk factors will attenuate CV disease in this population.

KEY WORDS: Systemic Sclerosis, Atherosclerosis, Macrovascular disease

Submitted 30 April 2008; Accepted 19 June 2008


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