Ab0604 Splenic Metabolic Uptake in FDG-Pet/Ct Associated With Risk of Future Cardiovascular Thrombosis Events in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background: Objectives: This study assessed whether splenic and arterial activity measured by positron emission tomography/ computed tomography (PET/CT) predict the risk of thrombosis events beyond conventional risk factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: We enrolled 102 patients with active RA who underwent fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT and disease activity evaluation at the same time. Cardiovascular thrombosis (CVT) events included stroke, acute coronary syndrome, heart failure or death and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Thrombosis events were independently evaluated, while blinded to activity of PET/CT, during follow up periods. FDG uptake by nuclear medicine physician was examined in the spleen and ascending aorta and blood pool activity of superior vena cava as SUV (standardized uptake values) and target-to-background-ratio (TBR) while blinded to CVT events. Results: Mean follow-up duration was 62.64 ± 33.56 months and 21 patients developed CVT events. Both splenic and arterial TBR were significantly increased in patients with subsequent CVT events compared to in patients without (2.15 ± 0.60 vs 1.83 ± 0.34, p = 0.002, 1.72 ± 0.21 vs 1.58 ± 0.22, p = 0.015). The correlation between splenic and arterial TBR was significant using Pearson's test (r = 0.60, p < 0.001). Splenic TBR was associated with an increased risk of CVT events after adjustment for conventional CVD risk factors [hazard ratio (HR): 2.47; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02 to 5.99; p = 0.046]. Moreover, association between splenic TBR and CVT events increased significant after adjustment for disease activity (HR: 4.44; CI: 1.23 to 15.98; p = 0.023). Conclusion: Our results show splenic metabolic uptake in FDG-PET/CT in patients with RA provide information for subsequent CVT events beyond conventional risk factors. REFERENCES: NIL. Acknowledgements: NIL. Disclosure of Interests: None declared.