Rheumatoid arthritis: aortic biopsies. Rheumatoid arthritis: aortic biopsies

Analysis of biopsies of the ascending aorta from coronary artery disease patients with and without rheumatoid arthritis Overall design: We examined aortic specimens from 8 contol patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and 8 patients with CAD and rheumatoid arthritis. The speciments were routinely removed from their ascending aorta during constrution of the proximal aortacoronary veingraft anastomosis during coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. For patient's safety, the anastomoses were preferably made at sites with less pronounced signs of atherosclerosis.