Narrative review discusses screening and prevention in rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease populations.

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Frontiers in Medicine Published April 23, 2026 Medically reviewed April 24, 2026 Study authors: Alexandr Ceasovschih, Alina Dima, Javier Rodriguez-Carrio, Anastasia Balta, Raluca-Elena Alexa, Bian… DOI ↗ By Dr. Amelia Tan, PhD · Internal Medicine & Chronic Disease

Key Takeaway

Note that this narrative review lacks reported quantitative data for RMD screening strategies.

This source is a narrative review focusing on patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). The scope encompasses a broad range of conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid syndrome, systemic sclerosis, polymyalgia rheumatica, psoriatic arthritis, and primary Sjögren's syndrome. The publication type is explicitly identified as a review rather than a primary trial or meta-analysis.

The authors discuss the relevance of targeted screening and prevention strategies specifically for rheumatic populations. However, the input data indicates that the sample size, setting, intervention, comparator, and primary outcomes were not reported. Consequently, no specific numerical data, p-values, or confidence intervals are available to support quantitative claims.

Safety data, including adverse events, serious adverse events, discontinuations, and tolerability, were not reported in the source material. The review acknowledges limitations inherent to its narrative nature and the lack of reported quantitative metrics. Practice relevance is framed around the concept of screening and prevention, but without specific efficacy data or causal language.

Study Details

Study typeSystematic review

EvidenceLevel 1

PublishedApr 2026

View Original Abstract ↓

Rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) confer an increased cardiovascular risk beyond traditional factors, with peripheral artery disease (PAD) being an important source of morbidity and disability in these patients. This review summarizes current evidence on PAD across RMDs, including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid syndrome, systemic sclerosis, polymyalgia rheumatica, psoriatic arthritis, and primary Sjögren’s syndrome. Physiopathological mechanisms involved include persistent inflammation, immune dysregulation, and the presence of pathogenic autoantibodies. Protective humoral responses have also been linked to reduced CV risk and may serve as future biomarkers. Clinical studies reveal variable PAD prevalence across diseases but consistent high underdiagnosis. Optimal management requires aggressive CV risk control, including lipid-lowering, immunomodulatory, and biologic therapies. This review underscores PAD as a distinct and clinically relevant manifestation of systemic autoimmunity, calling for targeted screening and prevention strategies in rheumatic populations.