Aorta, coronary and carotid Arteries in RA | Arthritis Information

Wang S et al. – Data demonstrate that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients had earlier onset, more diffuse arterial calcification over multiple vascular beds and more preferential involvement of thoracic aorta, rather than coronary artery when compared with control.

• An evaluation of the prevalence and pattern of arterial calcification in pts with RA
• 85 RA pts and 85 age-and sex-matched controls were studied
• Arterial calcification as determined by calcium score (CS) were measured using multi-detector computed tomography in thoracic aorta, coronary and carotid arteries

• RA pts had a higher average CS and prevalence of CS >0 in aorta, coronary and carotid arteries and overall arteries
• After adjusting for age and sex, RA pts had a higher relative risk of developing calcification in the aorta, followed by the carotid arteries, and coronary arteries
• Amongst RA pts aged >60, 90% had diffuse arterial calcification, especially over the thoracic aorta, vs 55% of controls who had arterial calcification clustered in the coronary arteries
• RA pts with total CS >0 were older with a higher urea level and CRP than those w/o arterial calcification
• No factor was found to be independently predictive for arterial calcification