Abstract
BackgroundCardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Coronary artery calcium (CAC) score quantifies the severity of atherosclerosis. We estimated CVD risk using several methods and compared these with the CAC score to identify the most suitable CVD risk calculator in RA patients.MethodsWe recruited RA patients, and the 10-year CVD risk was assessed using various tools, viz. Framingham risk score, Systemic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE), Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) risk estimator plus, QRISK3, Expanded Risk Score in Rheumatoid Arthritis (ERS-RA), and Reynolds risk score. Computed tomography was used to determine the CAC score of each patient. Correlation analysis and linear regression analysis between the CAC score and CVD risk score was performed.ResultsIn total, 54 RA patients were enrolled. ERS-RA showed the highest correlation coefficient (r = 0.430, P = 0.001). In multivariate linear regression analysis, ERS-RA (β = 10.01, 95% confidence interval 3.78–16.23) showed a positive association with the CAC score in RA patients.ConclusionsThe ERS-RA method was highly correlated with the CAC score in RA patients. Therefore, the application of the ERS-RA method may be suitable for predicting subclinical atherosclerosis and CVD risk in RA patients.
Highlights
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
The present study aimed to find out most suitable CVD risk calculator on prediction of subclinical atherosclerosis of RA patients for the first time
Laboratory findings including, rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), high sensitivity Creactive protein, and RA-related parameters (Disease Activity Score [DAS] 28-Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28)-CRP, Clinical Disease Activity Index [CDAI], and modified Health Assessment Questionnaire [Modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (mHAQ)]) were collected at the same time when the CAC score was estimated by computed tomography (CT)
Summary
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We estimated CVD risk using several methods and compared these with the CAC score to identify the most suitable CVD risk calculator in RA patients. Pathologic immune cells, The leading cause of mortality in RA patients is cardiovascular disease (CVD) [3]. Several RA-specific CVD risk calculators, such as Expanded Cardiovascular Risk Prediction Score for RA (ERS-RA) and QRISK have been validated in RA patients [6, 7]. RA-specific CVD risk calculators were not found to be superior to other traditional CVD risk calculators used in the general population in predicting CVD in RA patients [8]
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