Journal of Clinical Medicine

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Cardiovascular Risks in Autoimmune and Inflammatory Diseases

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease, significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and yet the precise mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Chronic inflammation, immune dysregulation, endothelial dysfunction, and metabolic disturbances accelerate atherosclerosis, promote thrombosis, and increase the risk of acute cardiovascular events. However, current early detection, risk stratification, and preventive and therapeutic strategies are suboptimal.

This Special Issue will bridge the gap between autoimmunity and cardiovascular pathology by exploring novel biomarkers, uncovering mechanistic insights, and assessing the impact of immunomodulatory or biological therapy on cardiovascular risks. We invite original research, reviews, and clinical studies focusing on immune-mediated vascular damage, inflammatory pathways, lipid metabolism, thrombosis, and the impact of immunosuppressive therapies on cardiovascular outcomes.

By showcasing work by experts in cardiology, rheumatology, internal medicine, gastroenterology, and immunology, this Special Issue will advance interdisciplinary collaboration, refine risk stratification, and optimize management strategies. We welcome contributions that can enhance our understanding and improve cardiovascular health in patients with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Prof. Dr. Elena Rezus
Prof. Dr. Ciprian Rezus
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.

Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.

Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.

External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.

Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

18 pages, 2768 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Efficacy and Safety of Lipid-Lowering Treatment and Its Importance in Risk Assessment and Prevention in a Hungarian Myositis Cohort

by Dorottya Szinay, Katalin Szabó, Henrik Molnár, Tibor Béldi, Viktor Bencs, Hajnalka Lőrincz, Mariann Harangi, Zoltán Griger and Melinda Nagy-Vincze

J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(10), 3404; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14103404 - 13 May 2025

Viewed by 896

Abstract

Background: Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs), also known as myositis, are systemic autoimmune diseases characterized by chronic inflammation affecting the skin, muscles, and internal organs. Besides traditional risk factors and immune-mediated myocarditis, continuous activity of the immune system increases cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, meaning that cardiovascular events are the leading causes of mortality in IIM patients. Statins are the most widely used lipid-lowering therapies, which reduce cardiovascular risk, but the fear of adverse muscular events inhibits the frequency of use. Methods: Our aim was to assess the CVD risk in a myositis cohort using the SCORE2 prediction system, carotid artery Doppler ultrasound measurement, and biomarkers; recommend individual lipid-lowering treatment; and follow the efficacy and adverse events of therapy in a 6-month treatment period. Results: The study population (80 IIM patients) was a middle-aged, female-dominant myositis cohort with an average disease duration of 9 years and low median global disease activity. Based on the SCORE2 evaluation, 78.8% of patients had medium/high CVD risk, while 73.13% had asymptomatic carotid plaque. After 6 months of adequate lipid-lowering therapy, 37.5% of patients reached a lower CVD risk category, the biomarker levels of atherosclerosis significantly decreased, and no progression in carotid plaques was detected. None of the patients reported an adverse muscular event or IIM relapse. Conclusions: Our findings proved that the CVD risk of patients with myositis is high, but carefully applied lipid-lowering treatment is the key to effective risk reduction. Risk stratification and the recommendation of preventive treatment are the responsibility of the treating physician. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cardiovascular Risks in Autoimmune and Inflammatory Diseases)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Cardiovascular Risks in Autoimmune and Inflammatory Diseases

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Published Papers (1 paper)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI