title: Low levels of inflammation and the absence of subclinical atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease. Patients with RA have an increased risk for the development of cardiovascular diseases, however, the pathophysiological mechanisms of arterial complications in RA remain to be fully elucidated. Understanding the early markers of vascular damage may aid in preventing cardiovascular complications in patients with RA. The current study investigated this by recruiting 30 patients with RA and 30 healthy subjects. Intima‑media thickness (IMT) was used to detect the presence of atherosclerotic disease and was measured in the carotid and femoral arteries. Tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin‑6 (IL‑6), IL‑8, IL‑10 and matrix metalloproteinase‑2 were measured as markers of inflammation. An IMT ≥0.9 mm was observed in 7/30 patients with RA, however, no significant differences between patients with RA and the controls were observed in the inflammatory markers analyzed. Of note, these results indicated that the appropriate management of RA may have affected the inflammatory status of these patients and consequently may have impacted upon subclinical atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Medical Angiology Unit, Garibaldi Hospital, University of Catania, Catania I‑95123, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore Santo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Signorelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of General & Clinical Pathology and Oncology, University of Catania, Catania I‑95123, Italy.
authors.forename: Saverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Candido
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of General & Clinical Pathology and Oncology, University of Catania, Catania I‑95123, Italy.
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Salemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Medical Angiology Unit, Garibaldi Hospital, University of Catania, Catania I‑95123, Italy.
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Medical Angiology Unit, Garibaldi Hospital, University of Catania, Catania I‑95123, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mangiafico
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of General & Clinical Pathology and Oncology, University of Catania, Catania I‑95123, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Libra
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000502:physiology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2