REVIEW - Common inflammatory mediators orchestrate pathophysiological processes in RA and atherosclerosis

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Rheumatology Advance Access published online on October 16, 2008

Rheumatology, doi:10.1093/rheumatology/ken395

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Review

Common inflammatory mediators orchestrate pathophysiological processes

in rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis

F. Montecucco1 and F. Mach1

1Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Geneva University

Hospital, Foundation for Medical Researches, Geneva, Switzerland.

Abstract

RA is characterized by a systemic inflammatory state, in which immune

cells and soluble mediators play a crucial role. These inflammatory

processes resemble those in other chronic inflammatory diseases, such

as atherosclerosis. The chronic systemic inflammation in RA can be

considered as an independent risk factor for the development of

atherosclerosis, and represents an important field to investigate the

reasons of the increase of acute cardiovascular events in RA. In the

present review, we focused on several mediators of autoimmunity,

inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, which can be considered the

most promising targets to prevent atherogenesis in RA. Among several

mediators, the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF- has been shown as a

crucial factor to induce atherosclerosis in RA patients.

http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/ken395v1?papetoc

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