The influence of mean blood pressure on arterial stiffening and endothelial dysfunction in women with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the carotid-radial pulse wave velocity, augmentation index, and flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery and factors possibly influencing them in women with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.


METHODS
A total of 63 women with rheumatoid arthritis, 31 with systemic lupus erythematosus, and 72 controls, aged 18-55 years, were examined. Parameters of arterial stiffness, augmentation index and carotid-radial pulse wave velocity, were obtained by applanation tonometry (Sphygmocor (v.7.01) AtCor Medical). Flow-mediated dilatation of the brachial artery, reflecting endothelial function was determined by ultrasound system (Logiq 7, General Electric).


RESULTS
The groups of women with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus lupus differed from controls regarding augmentation index (P<0.001; P=0.008) and did not differ between each other. Women with systemic lupus erythematosus differed from controls regarding pulse wave velocity (P=0.018), while women with rheumatoid arthritis - did not. Flow-mediated dilatation in both the groups of diseases was not different from controls. In rheumatoid arthritis patients, mean blood pressure was the main explanatory factor for augmentation index and pulse wave velocity; vessel diameter and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol - for flow-mediated dilatation. In women with systemic lupus erythematosus, pulse wave velocity was not related to any of the pending parameters; augmentation index was dependent on organ damage index, age, and mean blood pressure, and flow-mediated dilatation on vessel diameter, body mass index, and disease duration.


CONCLUSIONS
The mean blood pressure was the major and the only one risk factor of arterial stiffening in rheumatoid arthritis, while the disease damage index played the most important role in the systemic lupus erythematosus group. The mean blood pressure in the systemic lupus erythematosus group was not as important as in the rheumatoid arthritis group, though may have a partial influence.
Experimental and Clinical Medicine Research Institute, Vilnius University, Center of Cardiology and Angiology, Vilnius University Hospital Santariškių Klinikos, Santariškių 2, 08661 Vilnius, Lithuania. alma.cypiene@santa.lt
Alma
A
Cypienė
Jolanta
J
Dadonienė
Rita
R
Rugienė
Ligita
L
Ryliškytė
Milda
M
Kovaitė
Zaneta
Z
Petrulionienė
Algirdas
A
Venalis
Aleksandras
A
Laucevičius
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001158:Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D050197:Atherosclerosis; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001916:Brachial Artery; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D018579:Patient Selection; D011336:Probability; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D011674:Pulse; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012984:Software; D014664:Vasodilation
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL