Cardiovascular Disease in the Rheumatic Diseases: How Systemic Inflammation May Contribute to Atherogenesis

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality in the United States. The increased prevalence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is well established in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Recently, studies of other rheumatic diseases, such as the systemic vasculidities, have also demonstrated accelerated atherosclerotic disease. The detection and delineation of the inflammatory pathways that contribute to atherogenesis in the general population are important in deriving insight into how disease-associated factors may initiate and participate in accelerated atherogenesis in patients with rheumatic diseases.