Points to consider in cardiovascular disease risk management among patients with rheumatoid arthritis living in South Africa, an unequal middle income country

Methotrexate & rheumatoid arthritis associated atherosclerosis: A narrative review of multidisciplinary approach for risk modification by the international board of experts

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an idiopathic, autoimmune connective tissue disorder that primarily affects the synovial joints, causing symmetric, erosive-deforming polyarthritis. It is also associated with extra-articular manifestations, particularly cardiovascular (CV) diseases (CVD). CV risk modification in RA remains unsolved despite recent advances in the management of RA. RA is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. RA and atherosclerosis share similar pathophysiological features (such as the pro-inflammatory cascade activation including interleukin-6) and risk factors (such as microflora dysbacteriosis and smoking). Patients with RA experience an exacerbation of atherogenesis, with atheromas destabilization, endothelial dysfunction, vasculitis, and hypercytokinemia. Consequently, the inflammatory response associated with RA is the basis for CVD development. The treat-to-target strategy not only improved RA control but also had a favorable effect on the morpho-functional state of the CV system in patients living with RA. Thus, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) - in particular methotrexate - may have a beneficial effect on the prevention of CV events in RA. It must be mentioned that RA is a serious multi-system disease, not only because of a window period during which the course of RA can be reversed, but also due to early damage to the heart and blood vessels. For this reason, a thorough cardiological assessment must be performed for all patients with RA, regardless of sex, age, disease stage, and disease activity score.

Health disparities in rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by joint inflammation that involves symmetric polyarthritis of small and large joints. Autoimmune rheumatic diseases represent a significant socioeconomic burden as they are among the leading causes of death and morbidity due to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Health disparities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis affect outcomes, prognosis, and management of the disease.

Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs improve the cardiovascular profile in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting about 0. 5–1% of the adult population and manifesting as persistent synovitis, systemic inflammation and production of autoantibodies. Patients affected by RA not only experience chronic disease progression, but are also burdened by a 1.5-fold increased cardiovascular (CV) risk, which is comparable to the risk experienced by patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. RA patients also have a higher incidence and prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD). Although RA patients frequently present traditional CV risk factors such as insulin resistance and active smoking, previous studies have clarified the pivotal role of chronic inflammation–driven by proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha)–in accelerating the process of atherosclerosis and impairing the coagulation system. Over the last years, a number of studies have shown that disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) reducing the inflammatory state in general improve the CV risk, however some drugs may carry some apparent negative effects. Thus, RA is a model of disease in which targeting inflammation may counteract the progression of atherosclerosis and reduce CV risk. Clinical and experimental evidence indicates that the management of RA patients should be tailored based on the positive and negative effects of DMARDs on CV risk together with the individual traditional CV risk profile. The identification of genetic, biochemical and clinical biomarkers, predictive of evolution and response to treatment, will be the next challenge for a precision approach to reduce the burden of the disease.

Cardiovascular Risk Factor Profiles and Disease in Black Compared to Other Africans with Chronic Kidney Disease

Methods

Cardiovascular risk factors, aortic and cardiac function, atherosclerosis extent, and cardiovascular event rates were assessed in 115 consecutive predialysis (n = 67) and dialysis patients (n = 48) including 46 black and 69 other (32 Asian, 28 white, and 9 mixed race) participants. Data were analysed in multivariable regression models.

Results

Overall, black compared to other African CKD patients had less frequent carotid artery plaque (OR (95% CI) = 0.38 (0.16–0.91)) despite an increased cardiovascular risk factor burden. In receiver operator characteristic curve analysis, the Framingham score performed well in identifying non-black but not black CKD patients with carotid plaque (area under the curve (AUC) (95% CI) = 0.818 (0.714–0.921) and AUC (95% CI) = 0.556 (0.375–0.921), respectively). Black compared to other African predialysis patients experienced larger Framingham scores and more adverse nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors, impaired arterial and diastolic function but similar cardiovascular event rates (OR (95% CI) = 0.93 (0.22 to 3.87)). Among dialysis patients, black compared to other Africans had an overall similar traditional and nontraditional cardiovascular risk factor burden, similar arterial and diastolic function but increased systolic function (partial R = 0.356, p = 0.01 and partial R = 0.315, p = 0.03 for ejection fraction and stroke volume, respectively) and reduced cardiovascular event rates (OR (95% CI) = 0.22 (0.05 to 0.88)).

Conclusion

Black compared to other African CKD patients have less frequent very high risk atherosclerosis and experience weaker cardiovascular risk factor-atherosclerotic CVD relationships. These disparities may be due to differences in epidemiological health transition stages. Among dialysis patients, black compared to other Africans have less cardiovascular events, which may represent a selection bias as previously documented in black Americans.

The Key Comorbidities in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Narrative Review

Comorbidities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are often associated with poor health outcomes and increased mortality. Treatment decisions should take into account these comorbidities due to known or suspected associations with certain drug classes. In clinical practice, it is critical to balance potential treatment benefit against the possible risks for comorbidities as well as the articular manifestations of RA. This review summarises the current literature relating to prevalence and risk factors for the important comorbidities of cardiovascular disease, infections, lymphomas and nonmelanoma skin cancers in patients with RA. The impact on patient outcomes and the interplay between these comorbidities and the therapeutic options currently available, including tumour necrosis factor inhibitors and newer biological therapies, are also explored. As newer RA therapies are developed, and patients gain wider and earlier access to advanced therapies, in part due to the emergence of biosimilars, it is important to consider the prevention or treatment of comorbidities as part of the overall management of RA.

Cardiovascular mortality and cardiovascular event rates in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases in the CARdiovascular in rheuMAtology (CARMA) prospective study—results at 5 years of follow-up

Objectives

To determine cardiovascular (CV) mortality and incidence of the first CV event (CVE) in patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases (CIRD) after 5 years of follow-up.

Methods

This is an analysis of the CARdiovascular in rheMAatology (CARMA) study after 5 years of follow-up. It includes patients with RA (n = 775), AS (n = 738) and PsA (n = 721), and individuals without CIRD (n = 677) attending outpatient rheumatology clinics from 67 public hospitals in Spain. Descriptive analyses were performed for the CV mortality at 5 years. The Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) function at 5 years was calculated to determine the expected risk of CV mortality. Poisson models were used to estimate the incidence rates of the first CVE. Hazard ratios of the risk factors involved in the development of the first CVE were evaluated using the Weibull proportional hazard model.

Results

Overall, 2382 subjects completed the follow-up visit at 5 years. Fifteen patients died due to CVE. CV deaths observed in the CIRD cohort were lower than that predicted by SCORE risk charts. The highest incidence rate of CVE [7.39 cases per 1000 person-years (95% CI 4.63, 11.18)] was found in PsA patients. However, after adjusting for age, sex and CV risk factors, AS was the inflammatory disease more commonly associated with CVE at 5 years [hazard ratio 4.60 (P =0.02)], compared with those without CIRD.

Conclusions

Cardiovascular mortality in patients with CIRD at 5 years of follow-up is lower than estimated. Patients with AS have a higher risk of developing a first CVE after 5 years of follow-up.