ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
    • 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
    • 2017 ACR/ARHP PRSYM
    • 2016-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • Register
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • Meeting Resource Center

Abstract Number: 68

Cardiovascular Comorbidities Antedating the Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Anne M. Kerola1, Tuomas Kerola2, Markku J. Kauppi2, Hannu Kautiainen3, Lauri J. Virta4, Kari Puolakka5 and Tuomo Nieminen6, 1Medical School, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, 2Department of Internal Medicine, Päijät-Häme Central Hospital, Lahti, Finland, 3Unit of Primary Health Care, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland, 4Research Department, the Social Insurance Institution, Turku, Finland, 5Department of Medicine, South Karelia Central Hospital, Lappeenranta, Finland, 6Division of Cardiology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

Meeting: 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Keywords: Cardiovascular disease, Comorbidity, coronary artery disease and rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
Save to PDF
Session Information

Session Title: Epidemiology and Health Services Research: Epidemiology and Outcomes of Rheumatic Disease I

Session Type: Abstract Submissions (ACR)

Background/Purpose: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity. Evidence suggests that RA patients are at an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) early in the disease process. Whether the risk of CHD is elevated before the onset of RA symptoms remains to be ascertained.  The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of CHD, chronic hypertension and chronic congestive heart failure among incident RA patients at the time of diagnosis in comparison to age- and sex-matched non-RA-subjects. Furthermore, the impact of age at the onset of RA as well as sex and the presence of rheumatoid factor (RF) on the risk of cardiovascular diseases was evaluated.

Methods: A cohort of 7,209 incident RA patients diagnosed between January 2004 and December 2007 was identified from a Finnish nationwide register of special reimbursements for medication costs. The presence of cardiovascular diseases antedating the reimbursement decision for RA was identified from the same register. The prevalence of cardiovascular comorbidities at RA diagnosis was compared to the general Finnish population, and a standardized rate ratio (SRR) for each cardiovascular disease was calculated.

 

Results: The risk of having CHD at RA diagnosis was slightly elevated, the SRR being 1.10 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01–1.20). Patients who were younger at the onset of RA had a trend towards a higher CHD rate ratio than older patients, although the risk was not significantly elevated in most age subgroups (Figure). The CHD rate ratio was essentially similar irrespective of RF status – 1.15 (95% CI: 1.00–1.32) among RF-negative and 1.08 (95% CI: 0.97–1.19) among RF-positive patients. The SRR of chronic hypertension was significantly increased only among the RF-negative RA cases (1.19, 95% [95% CI: 1.10–1.30]). The prevalence of chronic congestive heart failure did not differ between the incident RA patients and the general population.

Conclusion: The CHD rate ratio is already augmented in RA patients at disease onset; the increase is more pronounced among younger patients and similar between RF-positive and RF-negative patients. The findings highlight the importance of early prevention of atherosclerosis regardless of RF status.

Figure. The standardized rate ratios (SRR) of CHD among 7,209 patients at the onset of RA according to sex and age (with 95% confidence intervals).


Disclosure:

A. M. Kerola,
None;

T. Kerola,
None;

M. J. Kauppi,
None;

H. Kautiainen,
None;

L. J. Virta,
None;

K. Puolakka,
None;

T. Nieminen,
None.

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
Save to PDF

« Back to 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/cardiovascular-comorbidities-antedating-the-diagnosis-of-rheumatoid-arthritis/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

ACR Convergence: Where Rheumatology Meets. All Virtual. November 5-9.

ACR Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium 2020

© COPYRIGHT 2021 AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RHEUMATOLOGY

Wiley

  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
  • Advanced Search
  • Meeting Resource Center
  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
This site uses cookies: Find out more.