The BVAS is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events and cardiovascular disease-related mortality in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the major causes of death in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) during long-term follow-up. This study investigated risk factors for cardiovascular events (CVE) and CVD-related mortality in Chinese AAV patients. Five hundred and four AAV patients in our center were retrospectively included. The predictive value of variables associated with CVE- and CVD-related mortality were analyzed. During follow-up of a median duration of 38 (range 1–228) months, 117 out of 504 patients had CVE. Independent predictors of CVE were age [increase by 10 years, hazard ratio (HR) 1.436, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.187–1.736, p = 0.000], systolic blood pressure (increase by 10 mmHg, HR = 1.171, 95% CI: 1.038–1.321, p = 0.010), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (increase by 1 mL/min/1.73 m2, HR = 0.992, 95% CI: 0.984–0.999, p = 0.020), high-density lipoprotein level (HR = 0.530, 95% CI: 0.303–0.926, p = 0.026) and the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS) (HR = 1.039, 95% CI: 1.011–1.067, p = 0.006). Forty-one patients died from CVD. Independent predictors of CVD-related mortality were age (increase by 10 years; HR = 1.732, 95% CI: 1.237–2.426, p = 0.001), eGFR (increase by 1 mL/min/1.73 m2, HR = 0.984, 95% CI: 0.970–0.997, p = 0.016), pre-existing CV disease (HR = 2.872, 95% CI: 1.503–5.487, p = 0.001) and BVAS (HR = 1.064, 95% CI: 1.018–1.113, p = 0.006). We further analyzed CVE- and CVD-related mortality after 2 years since diagnosis, and found BVAS were still an independent predictor of CVE- and CVD-related mortality. Besides the traditional risk factors, BVAS at presentation was an independent predictor of CVE- and CVD-related mortality in patients with AAV.