title: Increased Cardiovascular Events and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: 1 Year Prospective Single Centre Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Several studies showed the close relationship between Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and cerebro-cardiovascular events (CVEs) and subclinical atherosclerosis. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of CVEs and subclinical atherosclerosis during the course of RA and we evaluated the possible role of both traditional cardiovascular (CV) and disease related risk factors to predict the occurrence of new CVEs and the onset of subclinical atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We designed a single centre, bias-adjusted, prospective, observational study to investigate, in a homogeneous subset of RA patients, the occurrence of new onset of CVEs and subclinical atherosclerosis. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the role of traditional CV and disease-related risk factors to predict the occurrence of new CVEs and subclinical atherosclerosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We enrolled 347 RA patients prospectively followed for 12 months. An increased percentage of patients experienced CVEs, developed subclinical atherosclerosis and was affected by systemic arterial hypertension (SAH), type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome (MS), at the end of follow up. Our analysis showed that the insurgence of both SAH and MS, during the follow up, the older age, the CVE familiarity and the lack of clinical response, were associated with a significantly increased risk to experience CVEs and to develop subclinical atherosclerosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study quantifies the increased expected risk for CVEs in a cohort of RA patients prospectively followed for 1 year. The occurrence of both new CVEs and subclinical atherosclerosis in RA patients may be explained by inflammatory burden as well as traditional CV risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Science, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruscitti
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Science, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cipriani
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Statistic Unit, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Science, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Masedu
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine and Public Health, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Science, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Onorina
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Berardicurti
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Science, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Liakouli
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Science, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carubbi
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Science, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Di Benedetto
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Science, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Saverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alvaro
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine and Public Health, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Penco
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Statistic Unit, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Science, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valenti
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Science, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giacomelli
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography