Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis. However, little is known about preclinical atherosclerosis in hypertensive rheumatoid arthritis patients. In this cross-sectional study we assessed the expression of preclinical atherosclerosis in hypertensive rheumatoid arthritis patients in comparison with matched hypertensive non-rheumatoid arthritis patients.
The study included 52 hypertensive rheumatoid arthritis patients and 42 hypertensive non-rheumatoid arthritis patients. The patients were extensively examined clinically and laboratory tested. The expression of preclinical atherosclerosis was estimated by assessing ambulatory arterial stiffness index and common carotid intima-media thickness.
Arterial stiffness index and common carotid intima-media thickness were higher in hypertensive rheumatoid arthritis patients than in hypertensive non-rheumatoid arthritis patients. There was no correlation between arterial stiffness index and common carotid intima-media thickness with markers of inflammation and disease activity in hypertensive rheumatoid arthritis patients.
The expression of subclinical atherosclerosis is more pronounced in hypertensive rheumatoid arthritis than in hypertensive non- rheumatoid arthritis patients.