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Rheumatoid arthritis versus diabetes as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease: a cross-sectional study, the CARRE

V P van Halm1, M J L Peters, A E Voskuyl

  • 1Department of Rheumatology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam 1007 MB, The Netherlands.

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
|August 14, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), comparable to that of type 2 diabetes (DM2). This finding highlights the need for enhanced cardiovascular prevention strategies in RA patients.

Area of Science:

  • Rheumatology
  • Cardiology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with increased cardiovascular risk.
  • The precise magnitude of this risk compared to type 2 diabetes (DM2) is not well-defined.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between RA and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
  • To compare the CVD risk in RA patients with that in type 2 diabetes (DM2) patients.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study comparing RA outpatients (CARRE study) with participants from a diabetes and CVD cohort (Hoorn study).
  • Prevalence of CVD (coronary, cerebral, peripheral arterial disease) assessed in RA patients without diabetes, DM2 patients, and non-diabetic individuals.

Main Results:

  • CVD prevalence was 12.9% in RA patients and 12.4% in DM2 patients, compared to 5.0% in non-diabetic individuals.
  • Age- and gender-adjusted odds ratio for CVD was 3.1 in RA and 2.3 in DM2, relative to non-diabetic individuals.
  • These associations persisted after adjusting for conventional cardiovascular risk factors.

Conclusions:

  • Cardiovascular disease prevalence in RA is significantly elevated, comparable to that observed in type 2 diabetes.
  • These findings underscore the importance of implementing proactive cardiovascular prevention strategies for individuals with RA.
Abstract

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