[Evaluation of cerebrovascular events in patients with rheumatoid arthritis]

We evaluated cerebrovascular events (cerebral infarction or cerebral bleeding) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Prognosis and the causes of death among 1100 RA patients from 1995 to 1999, were analyzed. 34 RA patients were complicated by cerebrovascular events. About them, hemoglobin, platelet, C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, total cholesterol, triglyceride, duration of disease, functional class, and dose of steroids per day were measured.

Among 1100 patients with RA, 90 died at the age of 70.2. Of these patients, 24 (26.7%) died of cerebrovascular events, 19 (21.1%) of heart failure, 16 (17.8%) of infectious diseases, 10 (11.1%) of malignant tumors, and 9 (10%) of renal failure. When RA patients who died of cerebrovascular events were compared with those who died of other causes, the dose of steroid was significantly lower and the age was higher in RA patients who died of cerebrovascular events. However, there were no significant differences in total cholesterol and triglyceride levels between the two groups. Although the major cause of death in RA patients was reported to be complication by cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, or renal failure, the frequency of deaths was higher in elderly RA patients complicated by cerebrovascular events. When the frequency of complication by cerebrovascular events was investigated in all RA patients including those who survived, 24 died and 10 survived. The frequency of complication by cerebral infarction was higher than that of complication by cerebral bleeding in RA patients who died of cerebral events.

RA patients can live longer with improvements in care and treatment, the number of elderly RA patients who may died of complication by cerebrovascular events may gradually increase.