Cardiovascular Disease in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Author Information
Author(s): Naranjo Antonio, Sokka Tuulikki, Descalzo Miguel A, Calvo-Alén Jaime, Hørslev-Petersen Kim, Luukkainen Reijo K, Combe Bernard, Burmester Gerd R, Devlin Joe, Ferraccioli Gianfranco, Morelli Alessia, Hoekstra Monique, Majdan Maria, Sadkiewicz Stefan, Belmonte Miguel, Holmqvist Ann-Carin, Choy Ernest, Tunc Recep, Dimic Aleksander, Bergman Martin, Toloza Sergio, Pincus Theodore, the QUEST-RA Group
Primary Institution: Hospital de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrin, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Hypothesis
What is the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and its association with traditional risk factors and DMARDs?
Conclusion
Prolonged use of treatments such as methotrexate, sulfasalazine, leflunomide, glucocorticoids, and TNF-α blockers appears to be associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
Supporting Evidence
- 78% of patients were female and 90% were Caucasian.
- The prevalence of lifetime cardiovascular events was 3.2% for myocardial infarction and 1.9% for stroke.
- Traditional risk factors like hypertension and hyperlipidemia were significantly associated with cardiovascular morbidity.
- Prolonged exposure to methotrexate was associated with a 15% decrease in risk for cardiovascular events.
Takeaway
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to have heart problems, but using certain medications can help lower that risk.
Methodology
The study involved clinical assessments by rheumatologists and self-report questionnaires from patients regarding their health and medication use.
Potential Biases
Data collection was based on self-reports and clinical assessments without independent verification.
Limitations
The study is cross-sectional, which may miss patients who had fatal cardiovascular events and relies on rheumatologists' reports without verification.
Participant Demographics
78% female, 90% Caucasian, mean age 57 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.21 to 0.81
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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