title: Effects of disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs on subclinical atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction which has been detected in early rheumatoid arthritis: 1-year follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study was designed to explore the effect of disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) on synovial inflammation as well as on atherosclerotic indices in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 35 early RA patients (disease duration <12 months). Inflammatory variables, like erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were measured. Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and endothelial dependent flow-mediated vasodilatation (ED-FMD) were measured by high-resolution ultrasonography. Disease activity of RA was assessed by disease activity score (DAS28) and quality of life was determined by Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI) Score. All the above parameters were assessed both at baseline and follow-up after 1 year. Patients were treated with methotrexate (MTX), hydroxycholoroquine (HCQ) and sulfasalazine (SSZ) depending on their disease activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a year of treatment, variables like ESR, hsCRP, DAS28 and HAQ-DI showed significant improvement (p < 0.0001 for each variable). However, there was no such significant change observed in the lipid profile after 1 year from the baseline. Average body mass index (BMI) of patients remained same at the one year follow-up. The cIMT values after 1 year decreased significantly [0.43 ± 0.08mm] from the baseline [0.50 ± 0.16mm] [p = 0.002]. Similarly, in case of FMD%, the post-1-year treatment values [7.57 (4.04-13.03)] improved significantly from the baseline [5.26 (2.9-10.6)] [p = 0.041].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subclinical atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction are demonstrable features even in early RA which improved after therapy. Early intervention of RA with DMARDs not only controls the disease but also retards the atherosclerotic progression.
authors: Department of Rheumatology, Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, SSKM Hospital, 244 A.J.C. Bose Road, Kolkata, India.
authors: Aharna
authors: A
authors: Guin
authors: Maitrayee
authors: M
authors: Chatterjee Adhikari
authors: Sumit
authors: S
authors: Chakraborty
authors: Pradyot
authors: P
authors: Sinhamahapatra
authors: Alakendu
authors: A
authors: Ghosh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D018450:Disease Progression; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT); Disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs); Early rheumatoid arthritis; Endothelial dependent flow-mediated vasodilatation (ED-FMD); Endothelial dysfunction (ED)