Patients with rheumatoid arthritis found to have atherosclerosis as evidenced by the presence of carotid plaque are at high risk for acute coronary events, a prospective study confirmed.
Among RA patients with no carotid plaque and no history of coronary events, the incidence of new acute events was 1.1 (95% CI 0.6 to 1.7) per 100 person-years, according to Inmaculada del Rincón, MD, of the University of Texas at San Antonio, and colleagues.
In contrast, the incidence among those with plaque in one internal carotid artery was 2.5 (95% CI 1.7 to 3.8) per 100 person-years and 4.3 (95% CI 2.9 to 6.3) in those with bilateral plaque, the researchers reported in the May Arthritis & Rheumatism.