P184: Increased Arterial Stiffness is associated with High Inflammatory Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Background

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a high cardiovascular (CV) risk. Relationships between inflammation and arterial stiffness (AS) in patients with RA are not well understood.

Aim

To evaluate parameters of AS and their associations with inflammation in patients with RA.

Methods

62 patients with RA without known CVD were examined (73%fe-males, age 58,5 ± 15,4 years, 13% smokers, 61% with AH). Median duration of RA was 8 years (IQR 3–17).

Median hsCRP 12,1 mg/dl (IQR 2,2; 23,4), median rheumatoid factor (RF) 32,5IU/ml (IQR 8,3; 173IU/ml). All patients received disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.

Median duration of AH 6,1 years (IQR 0–10 years). Parameters of AS were assessed by applanation tonometry. Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and vascular age were measured by VaSera 1500. PWV > 10,0 m/s and CAVI > 9,0 were considered as AS increase. p < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results

Mean PWV was 9,3 ± 3,2 m/s. PWV > 10m/s was observed in 32,3% patients, CAVI > 9,0 in 25,8%. Patients with PWV > 10m/s were older (69,8 ± 8,5 vs 53,2 ± 15,1 years), had higher BMI (29,3 ± 6,5vs24,7 ± 4,8kg/m²), duration of AH (median 11,5 [IQR 5,5; 17] vs 0 [IQR 0; 5] years), higher SBP levels (144 ± 20 vs 123 ± 14mmHg), higher levels of hs-CRP (median 22 [IQR 13,3; 60] vs 6,7 [IQR 1,6; 17,2]mg/dl), higher CAVI (9,5 ± 1,1 vs 7,6 ± 1,4), vascular age (71 ± 8,4 vs 53,4 ± 17,5 years). There were positive correlations between PWV and age (r = 0,7), BMI (r = 0,4), SBP (r = 0,6), hs- CRP (r = 0,3), vascular age (r = 0,6). Multiple regression analysis confirmed that AH duration (b = 0,2, r = 0.03), SBP (b = 0,6, r< 0.0001) and hs-CRP (β = 0,3, r = 0.000009) were independent predictors of AS increase.

Conclusion

Elevation of hsCRP as well as other traditional risk factors is an independent predictor of PWV increase in patients with RA.