title: Cardiovascular risk factor management in patients with RA compared to matched non-RA patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  RA is associated with a 50-60% increase in risk of cardiovascular (CV) death. This study aimed to compare management of CV risk factors in RA and matched non-RA patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort study was conducted using UK clinical practice data. Patients presenting with an incident RA diagnosis were matched 1:4 to non-RA patients based on a propensity score for RA, entry year, CV risk category and treatment received at index date (date of RA diagnosis). Patients tested and treated for CV risk factors as well as those attaining CV risk factor management goals were evaluated in both groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 1987 and 2010, 24 859 RA patients were identified and matched to 87 304 non-RA patients. At index date, groups had similar baseline characteristics. Annual blood pressure, lipids and diabetes-related testing were similar in both groups, although CRP and ESR were higher in RA patients at diagnosis and decreased over time. RA patients prescribed antihypertensives increased from 38.2% at diagnosis to 45.7% at 5 years, from 14.0 to 20.6% for lipid-lowering treatments and from 5.1 to 6.4% for antidiabetics. Similar treatment percentages were observed in non-RA patients, although slightly lower for antihypertensives. Modest (2%) but significantly lower attainment of lipid and diabetes goals at 1 year was observed in RA patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were no differences between groups in the frequency of testing and treatment of CV risk factors. Higher CV risk in RA patients seems unlikely to be driven by differences in traditional CV risk factor management.
authors.affiliation: Global Health Economics & Outcomes Research, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ, USA, evo.alemao@bms.com.
authors.forename: Evo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alemao
authors.affiliation: Real World Strategy & Analytics, MAPI, Nanterre, France.
authors.forename: Helene
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cawston
authors.affiliation: Real World Strategy & Analytics, MAPI, Nanterre, France.
authors.forename: Francois
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bourhis
authors.affiliation: Erasmus University Rotterdam, Institute of Medical Technology Assessment and Institute of Health Policy and Management, The Netherlands and.
authors.forename: Maiwenn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al
authors.affiliation: Erasmus University Rotterdam, Institute of Medical Technology Assessment and Institute of Health Policy and Management, The Netherlands and.
authors.forename: Maureen P M H
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Rutten-van Mölken
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Solomon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D019468:Disease Management; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents
keywords: RA; cardiovascular; cohort; diabetes; dyslipidaemia; goal; hypertension; management; prescription