A comprehensive study examining cardiovascular disease-related deaths among individuals with common autoimmune diseases has uncovered substantial gender disparities in mortality rates. Researchers analyzing data from the CDC WONDER database found that women with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases experience significantly higher cardiovascular disease-related death rates compared to men. The study focused on three primary autoimmune conditions: rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and systemic sclerosis. Over a 22-year period from 1999 to 2020, researchers examined more than 127,000 cardiovascular disease-related deaths among approximately 281,000 total deaths associated with these conditions.
Key findings revealed that while overall cardiovascular disease-related death rates declined for both genders, women consistently maintained a 50% higher death rate than men. The disparity was most pronounced in rheumatoid arthritis, where women's cardiovascular disease-related death rate was approximately three times higher than men's. Stroke and coronary artery disease emerged as the primary causes of cardiovascular deaths. Women were more than twice as likely to die from irregular heart rhythm or cardiac arrest compared to male participants. The cardiovascular disease-related death rate for women with rheumatoid arthritis was notably high at 1.8 deaths per 100,000, compared to 0.6 deaths per 100,000 among men.
Dr. Heba S. Wassif, senior study author, emphasized the critical importance of early cardiovascular risk screening for patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. The research underscores the necessity of understanding inflammation's role in cardiovascular disease and developing targeted prevention strategies. With approximately 27 million Americans living with autoimmune diseases, this study provides crucial insights into the complex relationship between autoimmune conditions and cardiovascular health. The findings highlight the need for further research to investigate the underlying causes of gender disparities and develop more effective treatment approaches.
