What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction in patients with long-standing rheumatoid arthritis compared to healthy controls using pulse wave analysis.

January 1, 2008Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology

Increased arterial stiffness and indication of endothelial dysfunction in long‐standing rheumatoid arthritis

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Why the study?

Is long-standing rheumatoid arthritis associated with increased arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction compared to controls?

Population

30 patients with long-standing rheumatoid arthritis and 30 age- and sex-matched controls (n=60)

Comparison

Applanation tonometry of the radial artery… vs Age- and sex-matched controls

Design

Case-control

Authors

SWSolveig Wållberg‐JonssonUmeå University KCKenneth CaidahlCardiac Imaging NKNatalia KlintlandSahlgrenska University Hospital

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Supports vascular assessment in long-standing RA; hypothesis-generating for inflammation-driven stiffness, requiring prospective confirmation.

Key Points

To evaluate arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction in patients with long-standing rheumatoid arthritis compared to healthy controls using pulse wave analysis.
Examined 30 patients with long-standing rheumatoid arthritis and 30 age- and sex-matched controls using radial artery applanation tonometry.
Measured pulse wave analysis parameters (augmentation index, transit time, stiffness index, and reflectance index) before and after endothelium-dependent vasodilation (terbutaline) and endothelium-independent vasodilation (nitroglycerin).
Correlated pulse wave measurements with levels of soluble adhesion molecules, selectins, and systemic inflammatory markers.
Rheumatoid arthritis patients showed significantly shorter transit time (p < 0.05) and higher stiffness index (p < 0.001) compared to controls at baseline, indicating impaired large vessel compliance.
Following terbutaline administration, transit time remained shorter (p < 0.05), while stiffness index (p < 0.01) and augmentation index (p < 0.01) remained significantly higher in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
Vasodilatory responses (DeltaAIx and DeltaRI) trended smaller in patients (p = 0.06) and correlated with L-selectin and sVCAM-1 levels, while baseline vascular indices correlated with retrospective inflammatory scores.

Structured PICO

Is long-standing rheumatoid arthritis associated with increased arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction compared to controls?

Population

30 patients with long-standing rheumatoid arthritis and 30 age- and sex-matched controls (n=60)

Intervention

Applanation tonometry of the radial artery before and after vasodilation by terbutaline (endothelium dependent) and nitroglycerin (endothelium independent)

Comparator

Age- and sex-matched controls

Outcome

Arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction measured by aortic augmentation index (AIx), transit time (Tr), stiffness index (SI), and reflectance index (RI)surrogate

Long-standing rheumatoid arthritis is associated with increased arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction, which correlates with the long-standing inflammatory load.

Cite This Study

Wållberg‐Jonsson et al. (2008) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a6fefe6fe4101aa97dff53e https://doi.org/10.1080/03009740701633238

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Implication

Supports vascular assessment in long-standing RA; hypothesis-generating for inflammation-driven stiffness, requiring prospective confirmation.

Increased arterial stiffness and indication of endothelial dysfunction in long‐standing rheumatoid arthritis

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Structured PICO

Cite This Study

Increased arterial stiffness and indication of endothelial dysfunction in long‐standing rheumatoid arthritis

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Structured PICO

Cite This Study

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