title: Does TNF-alpha blockade play any role in cardiovascular risk among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients?
abstract: The aims of this study were to determine the association and potential mechanisms between TNF-antagonists and increased cardiovascular risk in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Three groups of RA patients were studied; ten treated with TNF-antagonists, 13 with methotrexate, and 14 were naïve to treatment. Mean age: 47.2 (SD 11.3), 52.3 (SD 16.6), and 51.2 (SD 13.3) years; mean disease duration 102 (SD 90.4), 72.9 (SD 67.3), and 71.3 (SD 87.1) months, and treatment duration 24.2 (SD 18.5), 34.7 (SD 32.2), and 0 months for each group.
  
  
  METHODS
  systolic and diastolic blood pressure and body mass index were assessed. Disease activity was determined by DAS-28 index. An ELISA assay for IL-6, sIL-6 R, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, sTNFRI, sTNFRII, IGF I, and adiponectin were performed. Fasting glucose, insulin, lipid profile, CRP, and ESR were also done. HOMA-IR and QUICKI indexes were calculated. Statistically significant differences observed between the TNF group and the other two groups were: TNF-alpha levels (p, 0.0014), soluble TNF RII (p, 0.0432), IFN-gamma (p, 0.008), and DAS-28 <2.6 (p, 0.033). Finding of elevated levels of sTNFRII and IFN-gamma in patients with RA on anti-TNF suggests that this therapy does not completely suppress the inflammatory process and may promote atherogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA. rcucha@lsuhsc.edu
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cuchacovich
authors.forename: Luis R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Espinoza
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069285:Infliximab; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000069285:Infliximab; D000068879:Adalimumab; D000068800:Etanercept; D008727:Methotrexate