Ciftcia O et al. –This study reports that the patients with RA had impaired coronary flow reserve (CFR) and increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), and these injurious effects correlated significantly with disease duration. Methods
Study to evaluate whether coronary microvascular dysfunction and increased carotid artery IMT exist in pts with a long history and well controlled disease activity of RA lacking traditional cv risk factors
30 RA pts (22 women) and 52 healthy volunteers (38 women) were included into the study
Using transthoracic echocardiography, each subject underwent echocardiographic examination including coronary flow reserve (CFR) and IMT measurement
Results
CFR values were reduced for RA pts vs controls whereas IMT values were increased
In RA pts, CFR positively correlated with lateral Em/Am ratio and negatively correlated with lateral isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT), IMT and RA disease duration
Reflecting LV diastolic function, mitral E-wave deceleration time and isovolumic relaxation time were borderline significant between the groups
However lateral Em/Am ratio and lateral IVRT were statistically different
See all
