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Atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis versus diabetes: a comparative study
Kimon S Stamatelopoulos1, George D Kitas, Christos M Papamichael
1Vascular Laboratory, Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, 80, Vassilissis Sofias Ave, Athens, Greece. stamatelopoulosk@yahoo.gr
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology
|July 18, 2009
Summary
Preclinical atherosclerosis is as common in rheumatoid arthritis as in diabetes. Aggressively targeting cardiovascular disease risk factors in rheumatoid arthritis is crucial.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Science
- Rheumatology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- The acceleration of atherosclerosis in chronic inflammatory diseases remains unclear.
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and diabetes mellitus (DM) are associated with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare preclinical atherosclerosis in RA patients with DM patients.
- To investigate the impact of traditional risk factors and systemic inflammation on atherosclerosis in RA and DM.
Main Methods:
- Compared preclinical atherosclerosis markers (endothelial function, arterial stiffness, carotid intima-media thickness, plaque analysis) in RA patients versus controls.
- Compared RA patients with DM patients matched for age, sex, and disease duration.
Main Results:
- Preclinical atherosclerosis markers were worse in RA patients compared to controls.
- Atherosclerosis markers did not differ between RA and DM patients, despite a worse cardiovascular risk profile in DM.
- RA duration correlated with arterial stiffening, and disease activity with plaque vulnerability.
Conclusions:
- Preclinical atherosclerosis is similarly frequent and severe in RA and DM of similar duration.
- Cardiovascular disease risk factors in RA require aggressive management comparable to DM.
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