Data from: Association of cardiovascular risk factors with carotid intima media thickness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with low disease activity compared to controls: a cross-sectional study

Objectives: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been identified as an
independent cardiovascular risk factor. The importance of risk factors
such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia in the generation of
atherosclerosis in RA patients is unclear. This study analyzed clinical
parameters associated with carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) in
patients with RA. Methods: Subjects with RA and healthy controls without
RA, both without known cardiovascular disease, were included. Participants
underwent a standard physical examination and laboratory measurements
including a lipid profile. cIMT was measured semi-automatically by
ultrasound. Results: In total 243 RA patients and 117 controls were
included. The median RA disease duration was 7 years (IQR 2–14 years). The
median DAS28 was 2.4 (IQR 1.6–3.2) and 114 (50.4%) of the RA patients were
in remission. The presence of RA and cIMT were not associated (univariate
analysis). Multivariable regression analysis showed that cIMT in RA
patients was associated with age (B = 0.006, P<0.001) and systolic
blood pressure (B = 0.003, P = 0.003). In controls, cIMT was associated
with age (B = 0.006, P<0.001) and smoking (B = 0.097, P = 0.001).
Conclusion: cIMT values were similar between RA patients and controls.
Hypertension was strongly associated with cIMT in RA patients. After
adjustment, no association between cIMT and specific RA disease
characteristics was found in this well treated RA cohort.