Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38663882›Full record

ArticleRMD open2024

Primary Sjögren's syndrome independently promotes premature subclinical atherosclerosis.

Nadine Zehrfeld, Malin Abelmann, Sabrina Benz, Clara Luisa Zippel, Sonja Beider, Emelie Kramer, Tabea Seeliger, Georgios Sogkas, Vega Gödecke, Gerrit Ahrenstorf and 6 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in RMD open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed
3.3field-weighted citation impact, top 8% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Sjogren's Disease and Elevated Cardiovascular Risk: Mechanisms and Treatment.Journal of cardiovascular development and disease · 2025
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
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  11. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Nadine ZehrfeldRheumatology & Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-1556-790X
Malin AbelmannCardiology & Angiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.
Sabrina BenzFaculty of Social Sciences, University of Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany.
Clara Luisa ZippelRheumatology & Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.
Sonja BeiderRheumatology & Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.
Emelie KramerRheumatology & Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.
Tabea SeeligerNeurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-6018-6826
Georgios SogkasRheumatology & Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.
Vega GödeckeRheumatology & Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.
Gerrit AhrenstorfRheumatology & Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.
Franz Paul ArmbrusterImmundiagnostik AG, Bensheim, Germany.
Thomas SkripuletzNeurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.
Torsten WitteRheumatology & Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.
Anselm Arthur DerdaCardiology & Angiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.
Kristina Sonnenschein *Cardiology & Angiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany.
Diana Ernst *Rheumatology & Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany Ernst.Diana@mh-hannover.de.
Medizinische Hochschule Hannover · DEUniversity of Mannheim · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesCardiovascular comorbidities are common in patients with autoimmune diseases. This study investigates the extent of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). Correlations with clinical factors such as organ involvement (OI) or disease activity were analysed and oxLDL antibodies (oxLDL ab) were measured as potential biomarkers of vascular damage.

methodsPatients with pSS were consecutively included from the rheumatology outpatient clinic. Age- and sex-matched controls were recruited (2:1 ratio). Data collection was performed by a standardised questionnaire and Doppler ultrasound to evaluate the plaque extent and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). Propensity score matching included all cardiovascular risk (CVR) factors and corresponding laboratory markers.

resultsData were available for 299 participants (199 pSS/100 controls), aged 59.4 years (50.6-65.0), 19.1% male. After matching, the pSS cohort had greater cIMT (p<0.001) and plaque extent (OR=1.82; 95% CI 1.14 to 2.95). Subgroup analyses of patients with pSS revealed that OI was associated with increased cIMT (p=0.025) and increased plaque occurrence compared with patients without OI (OR=1.74; 95% CI 1.02 to 3.01). OxLDL ab tended to be lower in patients with plaque (p=0.052). Correlations of higher Oxidized Low Density Lipoprotein (oxLDL) ab with EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Disease Activity Index (p<0.001) and anti-Sjögren's-syndrome-related antigen A autoantibodies (SSA/Ro antibodies) (p=0.026) were observed.

conclusionsSubclinical atherosclerosis occurs earlier and more severely in patients with pSS. The difference in cIMT between pSS and controls seems mainly driven by patients with OI, suggesting that this subgroup is particularly at risk. OxLDL ab might protect against atherosclerotic progression in patients with pSS. CVR stratification and preventive medications such as Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors should be discussed and further longitudinal studies are needed.

Indexed as

AtherosclerosisBiomarkersCarotid Intima-Media ThicknessLipoproteins, LDLSjogren's SyndromeAgedAutoantibodiesCase-Control StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPlaque, AtheroscleroticRisk FactorsAutoantibodiesBiomarkersLipoproteins, LDLoxidized low density lipoproteinAtherosclerosisAutoantibodiesCardiovascular DiseaseSjogren's Syndrome

Identifiers

PMID38663882
PMCPMC11043759
OpenAlexW4395479422

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.