To define echostructural and hemodynamic features of vascular lesions in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with systemic manifestations.
Of 125 patients included in the study 70 had RA. They were compared to 40 patients with deforming osteoarthritis (DOA) and 15 patients with atherosclerosis of major cerebral arteries. Extra-articular systemic manifestations were diagnosed in 18 RA (25.7%) patients. Carotid, vertebral arteries and cerebral circulation were studied with ultrasonic duplex scanning on the unit "Vingmed system 5, Norway, 2002".
The study group exhibited a significant reduction of linear perfusion velocity (LPV) with increased vascular resistance indexes in the carotids and vertebral arteries on the right and left. It was more evident in RA patients with systemic manifestations. Scanning carotids in RA with SM patients and RA patients without extra-articular manifestations showed differences suggesting that thickness of intima-media complex was larger when systemic manifestations were present.
The revealed changes in circulation may indicate the systemic process.