title: Prevalence of Atherosclerosis in diabetic and non-diabetic patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  (1) To compare the prevalence of preclinical atherosclerosis in diabetic vs. non-diabetic rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients; (2) to determine the influence of classical and RA-related factors on atherosclerosis; (3) to assess the usefulness of combined carotid and femoral ultrasonography in detecting atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study comprised 42 non-diabetic RA patients, 42 diabetic RA patients and 42 controls. Intima media thickness (IMT) was measured in the common carotid and superficial femoral arteries. These vessels were screened for atherosclerotic plaque.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plaque was more prevalent in diabetic RA patients than in non-diabetic RA patients or controls. Carotid IMT and femoral IMT were higher in diabetic RA patients compared to controls. So was femoral IMT in diabetic compared to non-diabetic RA patients. The prevalence of increased IMT and plaque was comparable in carotid ultrasonography and combined carotid and femoral ultrasonography in all groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subclinical atherosclerosis was found to be higher in diabetic RA patients than in non-diabetic RA patients. The combination of carotid and femoral artery ultrasonography did not improve the detection of atherosclerosis in RA.
authors.affiliation: Bartłomiej Kisiel, MD, PhD, Department of Internal Diseases and Rheumatology, Military Institute of Medicine, Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Bartłomiej
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kisiel
authors.affiliation: Robert Kruszewski, MD, Department of Internal Diseases and Rheumatology, Military Institute of Medicine, Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kruszewski
authors.affiliation: Aleksandra Juszkiewicz, MD, PhD. Department of Internal Diseases and Rheumatology, Military Institute of Medicine, Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Juszkiewicz
authors.affiliation: Krzysztof Kłos, MD, PhD. Department of Infectious Diseases and Allergology, Military Institute of Medicine, Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kłos
authors.affiliation: Małgorzata Tłustochowicz, MD, PhD. Department of Internal Diseases and Rheumatology, Military Institute of Medicine, Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tłustochowicz
authors.affiliation: Witold Tłustochowicz, MD, PhD. Department of Internal Diseases and Rheumatology, Military Institute of Medicine, Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Witold
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tłustochowicz
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Diabetes mellitus; Rheumatoid arthritis