Determinants of carotid subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. A case-control study

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by high cardiovascular (CV) mortality, which seems related to systemic inflammation. Our aim was to quantify carotid atherosclerosis in RA and its relationship with the disease. 73 RA patients and the same number of sex and age matched controls were enrolled, without history of cardiovascular events. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaques were measured by ultrasonography. Its relationship with risk factors (RF), rheumatic disease characteristics, and inflammatory markers were analysed. Controls showed higher body mass index (BMI) and dyslipidemia. There were no differences in other risk factors or IMT. Age (p = 0.001), sex (p = 0.02), BMI (p = 0.002), waist perimeter (p = 0.001), and hypertension (p = 0.005) had a relationship with IMT. Among disease characteristics, only time elapsed since RA diagnosis was associated with IMT. There was not an increased carotid subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with RA, beyond the effects of classical RF.