The PANLAR Cardio-Rheumatology Study Group is a multidisciplinary initiative addressing cardiovascular disease in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Systemic inflammation accelerates atherosclerosis, but it also gives rise to inflammatory involvement of the myocardium and pericardium, microvascular disease, valvular and conduction abnormalities, and heart failure, with the predominant pattern varying between conditions.

Cardiovascular disease remains among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in this population, and a substantial proportion of it is preventable or treatable when identified early. Because cardiovascular assessment falls between the remits of rheumatology and cardiology, the Group was established to address this gap through education, multidisciplinary collaboration and research across the Americas and with international partners.

 

Group Objectives

 

• Raise awareness of cardiovascular risk in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases among physicians and allied health professionals, promoting cardiovascular assessment as a routine component of patient care.
• Develop practical educational resources covering the full spectrum of cardiac involvement, beyond atherosclerotic risk alone, including which patients should be assessed, what should be evaluated, appropriate follow-up intervals, and when cardiology referral is indicated.
• Establish a multidisciplinary network across the Americas through webinars, scientific congress sessions, and case-based discussions.
• Advance collaborative research on cardiovascular risk, underlying mechanisms, and screening strategies in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.
• Collaborate with regional and international rheumatology, cardiology, and cardio-rheumatology societies to develop harmonized definitions, standards, and clinical guidance.