Effect of intensive lipid lowering on cardiovascular outcome in patients with and without inflammatory joint disease Arthritis & Rheumatism, 05/11/2012

Semb AG et al. – Patients with and without inflammatory joint disease had comparable lipid lowering effect and risk reduction of cardiovascular disease (CVD) after intensive treatment with statins.

• Of the 18889 patients participating in these 2 trials, 199 had RA, 46 AS, and 35 PsA.
• Intensive lipid lowering regimens were with atorvastatin 80 mg, conventional/low regimens with atorvastatin 10 mg or simvastatin 20–40mg.
• Median follow–up was nearly 5 years.
• Lipid levels and changes were examined with analyses of covariance.
• Effect on CVD was examined by Cox regression analyses and heterogeneity tests were performed.

• Patients with RA and AS had lower baseline cholesterol compared to non–IJD (LSMeans ± SE180.7± 2.3 and 176.5 ± 4.7 vs. 185.6 ± 0.2 mg/dL; p=0.03 and p=0.05, respectively).
• The lipid reduction by statins was comparable in patients with and without IJD, and reduced risk of CVD was overall 20% in both IJD and non–IJD.