Cited by 299Cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmiasRheumatoid Arthritis Research and TherapiesCardiovascular Effects of Exercise

Systemic inflammation and arrhythmic risk: lessons from rheumatoid arthritis

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Lazzerini, Pietro Enea, Capecchi, Pier Leopoldo, Laghi-Pasini, Franco·2016·European Heart Journal

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic immuno-mediated disease primarily affecting the joints, characterized by persistent high-grade systemic inflammation. Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are significantly increased in RA, with >50% of premature deaths attributable to cardiovascular disease. In particular, RA patients were twice as likely to experience sudden cardiac death compared with non-RA subjects, pointing to an increased propensity to develop malignant ventricular arrhythmias. Indeed, ventricular repolarization (QT interval) abnormalities and cardiovascular autonomic nervous system dysfunction, representing two well-recognized risk factors for life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias in the general population, are commonly observed in RA. Moreover, large population-based studies seem to indicate that also the prevalence of atrial fibrillation is significantly higher in RA subjects than in the general population, thus suggesting that these patients are characterized by an abnormal diffuse myocardial electrical instability. Although the underlying mechanisms accounting for the pro-arrhythmogenic substrate in RA are probably intricate, the leading role seems to be played by chronic systemic inflammatory activation, able to promote arrhythmias both indirectly, by accelerating the development of ischaemic heart disease and congestive heart failure, and directly, by affecting cardiac electrophysiology. In this integrated mechanistic view, lowering the inflammatory burden through an increasingly tight control of disease activity may represent the most effective intervention to reduce arrhythmic risk in these patients. Intriguingly, these considerations could be more generally applicable to all the diseases characterized by chronic systemic inflammation, and could help elucidate the link between low-grade chronic inflammation and arrhythmic risk in the general population.

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Crossref · 10.1093/eurheartj/ehw208

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Authors
Lazzerini, P. E., Capecchi, P. L., & Laghi-Pasini, F.
Affiliations
University of Siena (IT)
Corresponding author
Lazzerini, Pietro Enea
Venue
European Heart Journal
Published
2016-06-01
Volume
38
Issue
22
Pages
ehw208
ISSN
  • 0195-668X (ISSN-L)
  • 1522-9645
OpenAlex
W2413246133
Cited by
299
References
134
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 37 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 36 · 2021: 40 · 2020: 48 · 2019: 35 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 7
FWCI
4.77
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
other-oa
Locations
  • European Heart Journal (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Use Siena air (University of Siena) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmias
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Rheumatology › Rheumatoid Arthritis Research and Therapies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiovascular Effects of Exercise
Keywords
rheumatoid arthritis, systemic inflammation, ventricular arrhythmias, sudden cardiac death, atrial fibrillation, cardiac autonomic dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, disease activity control, myocardial electrical instability, ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure
MeSH terms
Arrhythmias, Cardiac, Arthritis, Rheumatoid, Electrocardiography, Epidemiologic Methods, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Myocardial Infarction, Myocarditis, Risk Factors, Cytokines, Death, Sudden, Cardiac, Myocytes, Cardiac

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