Impaired diastolic function in active rheumatoid arthritis. Relationship with disease duration

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Rheumatology
• Echocardiography

Background:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease.
• Cardiovascular disease is a significant comorbidity in RA patients.
• The impact of active RA on left ventricular (LV) function requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate LV diastolic function in patients with active RA using echocardiography.
• To compare LV function between RA patients and healthy controls.
• To explore the relationship between diastolic impairment and disease characteristics in RA.

Main Methods:

• Digitized M-mode and Doppler echocardiography were utilized.
• Fifty-four patients with active RA and 54 age- and sex-matched controls were studied.
• Key echocardiographic parameters of LV systolic and diastolic function were assessed.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in LV end-diastolic diameter, systolic function, or parietal thickness were observed between groups.
• RA patients exhibited significantly reduced LV diastolic function indexes, including E/A ratio and peak lengthening rate.
• LV diastolic impairment, particularly impaired relaxation, correlated more strongly with disease duration than patient age.

Conclusions:

• Active RA is associated with impaired LV diastolic function, specifically relaxation.
• The duration of RA is a significant factor associated with diastolic dysfunction.
• These findings highlight potential mechanisms for RA-associated cardiovascular disease and suggest avenues for future research.