Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Syphilis

Is syphilis infection associated with an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes in a US health system population?In this cohort study of 1469 patients with syphilis matched with 7345 controls, syphilis was independently associated with higher risks of aortic aneurysm or dissection, ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, peripheral artery disease, and myocardial infarction. Hazard ratios were greatest in patients with late-stage syphilis.These findings suggest that syphilis infection may confer independent cardiovascular risk, supporting the need for early diagnosis, treatment, and consideration of cardiovascular risk assessment in syphilis management.

Corresponding Author: Amitabh C. Pandey, MD, Section of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112 (apandey@tulane.edu).

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