Autoimmune diseases increase the risk of cardiovascular disease

• In a large epidemiological study from the University of Leuven, researchers showed that patients with autoimmune diseases had a higher risk

  
  

• The study shows for the first time that the risk of cardiovascular disease affects autoimmune diseases as a group of diseases that affect a wide range of cardiovascular outcomes

  
  

• This additional risk is particularly high in younger patients, suggesting that autoimmune diseases are particularly important in leading to premature cardiovascular disease, which can lead to disproportionate loss of life years and disability

  
  

In high-income areas like Europe and the United States, about 10 percent of the population is diagnosed with one or more autoimmune diseases

Until now

All cardiovascular diseases

In the study paper, which will be published in the journal The Lancet, the authors note that the 19 autoimmune diseases they studied account for about 6 percent

The study is based on electronic health records from the UK Clinical Practice Research DataLink (CPRD), a very large database containing anonymized patient data

Targeted precautions are needed

Nathalie Conrad, lead author of the study, said the results suggest action is needed

Conrad hopes the study will raise awareness among patients with autoimmune diseases and among clinicians involved in the care of these patients, including many different specialties such as cardiologists, rheumatologists or general practitioners

When it comes to pathophysiology, the underlying mechanisms are still poorly

Conrad, who holds a degree in engineering and a doctorate in medicine (epidemiology), conducted the study