To identify risk factors for cardiovascular disease in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).
A descriptive cross-sectional study with 71 patients with established RA. The instruments used were: DAS-28, HAQ and SF-36, and the following parameters were determined: the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, capillary blood glucose; total cholesterol (TC) and its fractions, thyroid hormones, antinuclear antibodies (ANA), rheumatoid factor (RF) and antibodies against citrullinated proteins (ACPAs). Patients were classified into groups HAQ ≤ 1 (mild dysfunction) and HAQ > 1 (moderate and severe dysfunction) and, according to the HAQ scores, in groups treated with corticosteroids (CS) and without CS.
9 patients were male and 62 female with mean age and duration of disease of 53.45 (± 10.7) and 9.9 (± 8.6), respectively. RF was positive in 52 (76%), ACPAs in 54 (76.1%) and ANA in 12 (16.9%). Thirty-six patients (50.7%) had systemic hypertension, 9 (12.68%) diabetes mellitus, 16 (22.5%) hypothyroidism, 33 (46.5%) dyslipidemia and 8 (11.27%) were smokers. The results of TC >240 were found in 53.8% for group HAQ >1 (26) and in 24.4% for group HAQ ≤ 1 (45) (p=0.020). These groups did not differ as to presence of comorbidities or drug treatment. Triglyceride levels >200 for the group with CS (42.4%) versus without CS (18.42%) were significant (p=0.025).
An association of increased TC and triglycerides with results of HAQ ≤ 1 and with CS use was noted, reinforcing the importance of screening risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease in RA.