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Valvular involvement in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Ana Paula Beckhauser1, Liz Vallin, Claudine J Burkievcz
1Serviço de Reumatologia do Hospital Universitário Evangélico de Curitiba - PR - Brasil.
Acta Reumatologica Portuguesa
|May 20, 2009
Summary
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) can cause hidden heart valve problems, particularly in patients with long-term disease. Echocardiography revealed asymptomatic valvular lesions in 15.2% of RA patients, mainly affecting the aortic valve.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Rheumatology
- Immunology
Background:
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) commonly affects the pericardium, but can impact all cardiac layers.
- Valvular lesions are an underrecognized manifestation of RA.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of valvular lesions in Rheumatoid Arthritis patients.
- To correlate valvular lesions with clinical variables, autoantibodies, and functional status.
Main Methods:
- Bidimensional echocardiography was performed on 184 RA patients without cardiac symptoms and 122 controls.
- Clinical data including disease duration, smoking habits, autoantibodies, and functional class were collected.
Main Results:
- 15.2% of RA patients (28/184) exhibited valvular lesions, with the aortic valve being most frequently affected.
- Valvular lesions showed a significant association with disease duration exceeding 15 years (p=0.013).
- No correlation was found between valvular lesions and sex, age, smoking, rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibodies, anticardiolipin antibodies, rheumatoid nodules, or functional class.
Conclusions:
- Asymptomatic valvular lesions occur in a subset of RA patients.
- Long disease duration is a risk factor for developing valvular lesions in RA.
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