Predictors of Cardiovascular Events in ANCA-Associated Vasculitis Save

A large, retrospective, multinational study of patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) shows they may be at risk for cardiovascular events (CVEs).

A total of 2286 AAV patients from the European Union, China, Turkey, Russia, United Kingdom, and USA were included. Primary outcomes included myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke. 

Over a median follow-up of 62.0 months, CVEs (mostly MIs) were seen 10.7% of AAV patients with a higher frequency in China and the UK.

Predictors of CVE events (by multivariate regression analysis) included:

• Older age (55-64.9 yrs, HR 2.93, 95% CI 1.99-4.31),
• Smoking (HR 1.98, 95% CI 1.48-2.64),
• Chinese origin (HR 4.24, 95% CI 3.07-5.85), and
• Pulmonary involvement (HR 1.50, 95% CI 1.09-2.06)
• Kidney involvement (HR 3.02, 95% CI 2.08-4.37) 

In addition to age, disease severity (pulmonary, renal) and extent appear augment CVE risk. Smoking is a modifiable cardiovascular (CV) risk factor.