Arterial stiffness by oscillometric device and telomere lenght in juvenile idiopathic artrhitis with no cardiovascular risk factors: a cross-sectional study

Arterial stiffness by oscillometric device and telomere lenght in juvenile idiopathic artrhitis with no cardiovascular risk factors: a cross-sectional study

Pediatric Rheumatology, May 2017

28472973

Maria Mercedes Picarelli, Luiz Cláudio Danzmann, Lucas Kich Grun, Nevton Teixeira Rosa Júnior, Patrícia Lavandovsky, Fátima Theresinha Costa Rodrigues Guma, Renato T. Stein, Florência Barbé-Tuana, Marcus Herbert Jones

Advances in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) treatment is promoting free disease survival. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) may emerge as an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Pulse wave velocity (PWV), a surrogate marker of arterial stiffness, and telomere length (TL) are considered as potential predictors of CVD and its outcomes. The study aim was to assess PWV, TL in a JIA population and to test its correlation. In a cross sectional study, 24 JIA patients, 21 controls for TL and 20 controls for PWV were included. PWV was assessed by an oscillometric device. TL was assessed by qPCR. JIA activity was accessed by JADAS-27. Smoking, diabetes, obesity, renal impairment, hypertension, dyslipidemia and inflammatory diseases were excluded. Between cases and controls for TL, there was significant difference in age. No differences in gender, ethnics and bone mass index between JIA and control groups for PWV and TL. The JADAS-27 median was 8. TL was significantly reduced in JIA (0.85 ± 0.34 vs. 1. 67 ± 1.38, P = 0.025). When age adjusted by ANCOVA, the difference remained significant (P = 0,032). PWV was normal in all patients (5.1 ± 0.20 m/s vs. 4.98 ± 0.06 m/s, P = 0, 66). There was no correlation between TL, PWV or JADAS-27. Compared to controls, JIA with high disease activity and no CVD risk factors have shorter telomeres and normal PWV. As far as we know, this first time this correlation is being tested in rheumatic disease and in paediatrics.